Duchy of Estonia (1219–1346)
Duchy of Estonia | |||||||||||||||
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| 1219–1346 1559–1645 | |||||||||||||||
Flag
Seal of King Valdemar II of Denmark (1219)
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Territories that were part of the Kingdom of Denmark from 1219 to 1645 | |||||||||||||||
| Status | Direct dominion of the King of Denmark | ||||||||||||||
| Capital | Reval (Tallinn) | ||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Danish, Estonian, Low German | ||||||||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||||||||||||
| King of Denmark | |||||||||||||||
• 1219–1241 | Valdemar II | ||||||||||||||
• 1340–1346 | Valdemar IV | ||||||||||||||
• 1559–1588 | Frederick II | ||||||||||||||
• 1588–1645 | Christian IV | ||||||||||||||
| Viceroy | |||||||||||||||
• 1344–1346 | Stigot Andersson | ||||||||||||||
| Governor of Øsel | |||||||||||||||
• 1562–1567 | Heinrich Wulf | ||||||||||||||
• 1643–1645 | Ebbe Ulfeld | ||||||||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||||||
• Established | 1219 | ||||||||||||||
| 15 June 1219 | |||||||||||||||
• Tallinn joins Hanseatic League¹ | 1248 | ||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1346 | ||||||||||||||
• Danish Ösel | 1559–1645 | ||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | Estonia | ||||||||||||||
1 Wesenberg (Rakvere) was granted Lübeck city rights in 1302 by King Erik Menved. Narva received these rights in 1345. | |||||||||||||||
The Duchy of Estonia (Estonian: Eestimaa hertsogkond, Danish: Hertugdømmet Estland, Latin: Ducatus Estoniae), also known as Danish Estonia, was a direct dominion (Latin: dominium directum) of the King of Denmark from 1219 until 1346 when it was sold to the Teutonic Order and became part of the Ordensstaat.
Denmark rose as a great military and mercantile power in the 12th century. It had an interest in ending the frequent Estonian attacks that threatened its Baltic trade. Danish fleets attacked Estonia in 1170, 1194, and 1197. In 1206, King Valdemar II and archbishop Andreas Sunonis led a raid on Ösel island (Saaremaa). The Kings of Denmark claimed Estonia, and this was recognised by Pope Honorius III. In 1219, the fleet of Valdemar II landed in the harbor of Lindanise (Tallinn) and defeated the local Estonians in the Battle of Lindanise. This brought northern Estonia under Danish rule until the Estonian uprising in 1343, after which the territories were taken over by the Teutonic Order. They were sold by Denmark in 1346.