European Kingdoms

German/Livonian Governors of North Estonia (Baltic States)
AD 1346 - 1562

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The European region which today is known as the Baltic States sits at the junction in Eastern Europe with Northern Europe. While the southern two states of Lithuania and Latvia are counted as Eastern European, Estonia is more typically grouped with its Northern European cousins.

It was the powerful states of Germany and Denmark in the thirteenth century which invaded and occupied the territories of the various native Estonian groups in the Baltics. German crusaders were also busy carving out the state of Livonia from Balt territories to the south. The Danes succeeded in taking the stronghold of Lindanäs in 1219, which they renamed Reval (Tallinn). Then they set about taking over and securing all of North Estonia by force, while the rest of the Estonian lands were being incorporated into Livonia. Very shortly, what is now Estonia and Latvia came to be governed by German prince-bishops in Courland, Dorpat, Ösel-Wiek, and Riga, while the Order of the Knights of the Sword conquered the rest of Latvia and central Estonia.

The Danish king appointed a vice-regent in Reval to govern in his name. The position carried with it the governorship of North Estonia, while a bishop was also appointed by the king to sit in Reval. Following the collapse of the Danish kingdom in 1332, North Estonia itself became fragmented, warred over between pro-German and pro-Danish camps. When the St George's Night Uprising was triggered in 1343, the Danes seemed unable to act against it. Instead it was the Order of the Knights of the Sword in their new guise of the Livonian Knights which handled the extremely hard-fought job of putting down the uprising.

Just three years later, in 1346, the king of the restored Danish state sold North Estonia to the Order for ten thousand marks. All of Estonia was now ruled by a German nobility class. The official transfer of power took place on 1 November 1346. The last Danish bishop of Reval was allowed to retain his position, but now under the governance of the Teutonic Knights (masters of the Livonian Knights). The title of 'Duke of Estonia' fell into disuse (only to be revived by Danish King Christian I in 1456 without actually holding any Estonian territory). Unfortunately the list of governors and vice-regents of Danish North Estonia is highly fragmented, and this continues throughout the German/Livonian period. Many German governors were masters of the Livonian Order, either at the same time or later.

(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Gediminas Kiveris and Merit Pai, from The History of the Baltic Countries, Zigmantas Kiaupa, Ain Mäesalu, Ago Pajur, & Gvido Straube (Eds, Estonia, 2008), from Eric's Chronicle, from the 15th Yearbook of the Estonian Learned Society in Sweden, 2010-2014 (Eesti Teadusliku Seltsi Rootsis aastaraamat XV. 2010-2014), Ants Anderson (Ed, Stockholm, 2015), from Guide to Castles in Estonia, Mart Helme (Kunst, Estonia, 2003), from The Four Oldest Churches of Tallinn (Morgan Studio, Estonia, 2006), from Guide to Churches in Estonia, Mart Helme & Peeter Säre (Kunst, Estonia, 2002), from Most Beautiful Manors and Castles, Valdo Praust (Grenader Grupp, Estonia, 2004), and from External Links: Life in Estonia (dead link) and Visit Estonia, and Encyclopaedia Britannica, and The Livonian War (Histrodamus), and History of Estonia (Country Studies), and The Missionary Man: Archbishop Anders Sunesen and the Baltic Crusade, 1206-21, Torben K Nielsen (Crusade and Conversion on the Baltic Frontier 1150-1500, Routledge, 2001, available via Taylor Francis), and World Statesmen.)

1346 - 1347

Stadholder of the Livonian Order (1340). Died after 1366.

1346

With the successful conclusion - at least for the Livonian Order - of the St George's Night Uprising and the sale of Danish North Estonia to the Order, Burchard von Dreileben seemingly surrenders his position as the Order's head in favour of assuming the post of governor of North Estonia.

Already veteran soldiers from their time in the Holy Land, the Teutonic Knights would have presented a fearsome spectacle to the native inhabitants of the Baltics - and a deadly opponent

c.1348

First Livonian commander of Reval.

1348 - 1349

Later master of the Livonian Order (1359).

1352 - 1359

1361 - 1369

1370

1375 - 1379

1379

Bishop Dietrich III of Dorpat hates the Livonian Order with some intensity, so much so that he forms a coalition against the Order alongside Lithuania, Mecklenburg, and the notorious Victual Brothers - Baltic pirates. The Order invades the bishopric but achieves no success. In the end its lack of results removes from it the right to demand military service from the Livonian bishops.

1384

1387 - 1397

1397 - 1407

1407?/09 - 1411

1410

The Battle of Tannenberg on 15 July (which is known more locally as the Battle of Grunwald) is one of the region's greatest battles and one which is remembered for centuries afterwards by Germans. It is triggered by a Samogitian revolt in 1409, and sees Polish and Lithuanian forces under Polish leadership crush the Order's army. Although the defeat is not followed up, it halts the eastward expansion of the Teutonic Knights, and after this defeat, the Livonian Knights begin to weaken and disintegrate.

The Battle of Tannenberg (or Grunwald) witnessed the shock defeat of the Teutonic Knights at the hands of a Polish-Lithuanian army and destroyed their authority in the Baltics

1411 - 1417

1418 - 1421

1422 - 1423

1423 - 1424

Zisse, or von dem Rutenberg. Livonian Order master (1424).

1424 - 1429

1429 - 1432

Later master of the Livonian Order (1435).

1434 - 1436

1435

Grand Prince Zygmunt of Lithuania crushes the opposition forces of Swidrygiello and his ally, the Livonian Order. This proves to be the last invasion into Lithuania to be carried out by the Order. Lithuania, at least, is now too powerful for them.

1436 - 1442

Died after 1449.

1441

One of the merchants guilds in Tallinn erects Estonia's (and the world's) first Christmas tree (sixty-nine years before Riga does the same). Merchants and single women dance around the tree, after which it is set alight and all the evidence is disposed of. According to records, Riga's first Christmas tree isn't even a real tree, just a wooden pyramid decorated with flowers, fruits, and toys.

The oldest sections of Tallinn's city wall - still largely extant - were built by the Danes in the thirteenth century (click or tap on image to view full sized)

1442 - 1450

Later master of the Livonian Order (1450).

1450 - 1456

Brother or son?

1456 - 1461

Died circa 1487.

1462 - 1468

Died 1470/1471.

1468 - 1470

Later master of the Livonian Order (1470).

1470

Captain. Acting governor.

1470 - 1471

1472 - 1485

Died 1494.

1485 - 1510

Father of Livonian Order master, Johann (1549). Died af 1511.

1510 - 1516

1516 - 1523

Died 1523.

1523 - 1525

Died 1525.

1525

The German Lutheran reformation reaches Tallinn, accompanied by a surprisingly violent stripping of the churches, although the stronghold church of St Nicholas successfully fends off its attackers. A similar mood of destructive reformation occurs in the capital city of the bishopric of Dorpat.

The oldest sections of Tallinn's city wall - still largely extant - were built by the Danes in the thirteenth century (click or tap on image to view full sized)

In the same year, the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights is secularised by the same Reformation. It is replaced by a duchy in East Prussia, robbing the Livonian Order of its support and supreme leadership. Ousted entirely from power, the Teutonic Knights remain in place as mere titular administrators.

1525 - 1532

Died 1532.

1533

1534 - 1550

Died 1550.

1550 - 1552

1553 - 1558

In office until 26 Jul 1558.

1558

Self-proclaimed. In office 26-27 Jul 1588 only. Died 1565.

1558

Acting governor to Dec 1558.

1558 - 1561

Acting. In office Dec 1558 to Jun 1561. Died 1570.

1558 - 1559

Following Russian provocation and the conquest of Dorpat, the Livonian Wars erupt in the Baltic states (1558-1583), ripping apart the old order in Livonia and North Estonia. The Livonian Knights and the archbishop of Riga seek help from Sigismund II of Poland-Lithuania, pawning five Order castles and two archbishopric castles together with their surrounding territory to help procure it.

The Russian siege of Narva in 1558 (as envisaged by Boris Chorikov in 1836) was the first step by Ivan IV of Russia in his attempted seizure of the Baltic lands

1560

Dietrich von der Steinkuhl is the acting governor for the intended replacement, Jasper von Altenbockum. That replacement, though, does not arrive in Reval to take up his post, so Casper von Oldenbockum, stadholder, steps in to take over.

1560 - 1561

In office Aug 1560 to Jun 1561. Died 1565.

1560 - 1562

The army of the Livonian Knights is completely destroyed by the Russians at the Battle of Ergeme in 1560, and a year later, on 29 November, their Order is dissolved. South Estonia remains within Livonia which, along with the duchy of Courland, becomes part of Lithuania.

Tallinn in North Estonia, together with the vassals of Harju-Viru and Järva, asks Sweden for military support and, in June 1561, the city pledges allegiance to King Eric IV of Sweden to be incorporated into the kingdom as the 'Duchy of Estonia'. The German prince-bishops sell off the last of their territory, including the bishopric of Ösel Wiek. German North Estonia becomes Swedish North Estonia.