European Kingdoms

Swedish Governors of Estonia / Duchy of Estonia (Baltic States)
AD 1562 - 1710

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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.

In 1346, the king of the restored Danish state sold Danish North Estonia to the Livonian Knights for ten thousand marks. All of Estonia and its formerly tribal Eesti people was now ruled by a German nobility class. 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). Many of the subsequent governors of German North Estonia were masters of the Livonian Order, either at the same time or later.

Provocation by the Russian czarate and its conquest of Narva and Dorpat ignited the Russian-Livonian War. Dorpat was the first of the Old Livonian states to cease to exist, but not the last. The specific Russian-Livonian War quickly escalated into the broader Livonian Wars as fighting spread across the Baltic states (1558-1583). The wars ripped apart the old order in Livonia and North Estonia: the Livonian Knights were destroyed in battle in 1560, while southern Estonia and the duchy of Courland became part of Poland-Lithuania, ending the independent reign of the archbishopric of Riga. The bishopric of Ösel-Wiek was purchased by Denmark, with Wiek being ceded to Poland and Ösel becoming a duchy in its own right.

The treaties of Jam Zapolski (1582) and Plussa (1583), brought open hostilities to an end. Sweden's successes helped that country to create a Scandinavian empire which covered North Estonia and a large swathe of territory in what is now the north-western Russian coastal region (Ingermanland). The Swedish kings gained the title of 'Duke of Estonia' until Gustavus II Adolphus (Gustav Adolph) abolished all Swedish duchies in 1618. The governors ruled from the capital, Reval (modern Tallinn on the north-western Estonian coast). The period in which they belonged to 'Swedish Estonia' came to be known as a golden age for Estonians.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from The History of the Baltic Countries, Zigmantas Kiaupa, Ain Mäesalu, Ago Pajur, & Gvido Straube (Eds, Estonia 2008), 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 Genealogisches Handbuch der baltischen Ritterschaften, Teil 2, 2: Estland, Görlitz (1930, in German), and from External Links: Life in Estonia (dead link), and Encyclopaedia Britannica, and The Livonian War (Histrodamus), and World Statesmen.)

1561 - 1562

Friherre (baron or count) of Nynäs.

1561

Acting governor for Aug only.

1562

Governor-general of Finland (1551). Governor of Reval (1565).

1562 - 1564

Died 1567.

1564 - 1565

Died 1583.

1565

Although the Swedish governors-general may be in place in Estonia, the Livonian Wars continue. Now Henrik Klasson Horn of Kankas, commander-in-chief of Swedish forces in Estonia and Livonia, and briefly governor-general of the Swedish duchy of Estonia in 1562, defeats a German mercenary force near Reval (Tallinn). In the same year, Henrik Klasson is made governor of Reval under the titular rule of Magnus of Livonia. His failure to successfully execute the siege of Narva in 1579 sees him being replaced.

This print of Tallinn from 1561 shows the extensive development of the stronghold on the dome hill in Tallinn, but very little evidence of the growing town at its base

1565 - 1568

Governor for the second time.

1566 - 1568

Ösel (Saaremaa) is invaded by Swedes as an act of the Northern Seven Years War. They pillage the entire island and leave with a huge quantity of loot. Being unable to defend another castle besides Kuressaare if the Swedes attack again, the Danes destroy Maasi Castle in the same year. They soon began to regret that decision and instead reinforce the castle again. The Swedes return in 1568, this time in eighteen ships. On 14 August Maasi Castle is handed over to them, together with Pöide and the island of Muhu.

1568 - 1570

Of Mörby.

1570 - 1571

The fight for the Baltic states is not yet over. In this decade, the Russian army launches a new offensive, and reaches Riga and Tallinn under the command of Ivan the Terrible. He does not manage to capture either town, failing to take Tallinn both in 1570-1571, and again in 1577.

In the near-three centuries since 1300 the Norwegians and Swedes had massively increased their dominance of the once-uncharted northern depths of Fenno-Scandinavia, although Denmark now dominated Norway (click or tap on map to view full sized)

1570 - 1572

Of Lepas.

1572 - 1574

Died 1590.

1574 - 1575

A French nobleman in the service of Sweden.

1576 - 1578

Of Swedish Finland.

1576 - 1577

Finn. Acting governor.

1577 - 1580

First period in office.

1580 - 1581

Of Kyala.

1581 - 1583

As the Livonian Wars draw to an end, the county of Läänemaa (Wiek, formerly part of the bishopric of Ösel-Wiek) is conquered by Sweden in 1581, giving it control of a greater slice of Estonia, especially when it also takes Narva from the Russian czarate (see the feature link for details of Narva's castle).

The following year an armistice agreement is concluded between the Russian czar and the Polish-Lithuanian kingdom proclaiming Livonia a possession of the latter. In 1583, Russia concludes a similar agreement with Sweden, acknowledging its supreme power in North Estonia.

Issued in the name of the king of Sweden, this Reval shilling bears the name of King Johan III of Sweden (1568-1592), as ruler of the duchy of Estonia

1582 - 1583

Governor for the second time.

1583 - 1585

Governor for the second time.

1585 - 1588

Son of Gabriel Kristiernsson Oxenstierna (1568).

1588

Acting governor & admiral general of the Swedish navy.

1588 - 1590

Of Djurshom.

1590 - 1592

Brother of Gustaf (1585).

1592

The son of the late King Johan III, King Sigismund III of Poland-Lithuania, inherits the Swedish throne, but his inflexible politics and passionate Catholicism causes opposition from the Swedish Protestant population, forcing the king to return to Poland. He does not relinquish his claim to the throne, however, which leads to conflict.

1592 - 1600

Governor for the third time.

1595

The Teusina Treaty agrees peaceful terms between Sweden and Russia. Kvenland ('Kaianske landet') is mentioned for the first time in an official government document as a territory which is governed by Sweden, although this claim seems not entirely to be merited as there is territory in the northern reaches of Scandinavia and Fenno-Scandinavia which is unlikely to be under any direct administration at this point.

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)

1599 - 1604

The Swedish Diet elects Karl, duke of Södermanland, in 1599 to be the country's new ruler. In 1604 he is crowned, but by then hostilities are already underway between Sweden and Poland-Lithuania. The First Polish-Swedish War sees Swedish troops assembled in Tallinn in order to attack Livonia, but instead the army suffers significant losses at Cesis and Koknes, in spite of the fact that Poland-Lithuania's main forces are fighting the Ottomans. The Swedes are driven out of Livonia in 1601. Further attacks on Riga in 1604 and Courland in 1605 also fail.

1600 - 1601

Acting governor for the second time.

1601 - 1602

Count of Raseborg (Finland).

1602 - 1605

Acting governor for the first time.

1605

Later governor-general of Finland (1623).

1605 - 1608

Died 1620.

1608 - 1611

Acting governor for the second time.

1611 - 1617

Became governor of Finland (1635) & Livonia (1645).

1617 - 1619

Later governor of Ösel (1645).

1619 - 1622

Son of Pontus. Became governor of Livonia (1622).

1622 - 1626

Grandson of Svante Stensson Sture (1562).

1626 - 1628

Friherre of Eckholm.

1628 - 1642

Of Arnö.

1629

The First Polish-Swedish War ends with the Treaty of Altmark, which sees the Swedes take all of Poland-Lithuania's remaining mainland Estonian and Livonian territory. It is probably during this period that many of the old German crusader castles such as Helme Order Castle are destroyed (see feature link). The remainder of Livonia, the eastern part of Livonia, named Latgallia, remains in Polish hands and survives today as the Latgale region of Latvia.

A traditional sixteenth and seventeenth century house of rural Estonia of the type which today can be found in places such as Tallinn's Open Air Museum

1642 - 1646

Son of Gabriel (1611).

1645

The Swedes gain all of modern Estonia when the Danes hand over the island of Ösel (Saaremaa) under the Treaty of Brömsebro. During this period, Russian settlers who have seceded from the Orthodox church following the Great Schism migrate to the south-western shores of Lake Peipsi (now the eastern border of Estonia), forming small fishing communities along the lake's shore (see feature link).

1646 - 1653

Died 1656.

1653

Acting governor.

1653 - 1655

Died 1656.

1655

Acting governor for the second time.

1655 - 1656

Became Swedish ambassador to London.

1655 - 1656

Acting governor for the third time.

1656 - 1674

Died 1678.

1656 - 1659

Acting governor for the fourth time.

1674

Acting governor.

1674

With the appointment of Andreas Lennartson Torstensson, the position of governor is elevated to that of governor-general (see map, below).

The Swedes were driven out of Livonia in 1601 but returned in 1629 following the results of further conflict. Russia was becoming increasingly important in these territorial struggles (click or tap on map to view full sized)

1674 - 1681

First governor-general.

1681 - 1687

Died 1692.

1687

Baron Korpo. Later governor of Swedish Pomerania (1687).

1687 - 1704

Son of Jacob De la Gardie. Swedish field marshal.

1695 - 1697

The country suffers a severe famine, known as the Great Famine, which leads to the death of almost a fifth of the entire Estonian population. The famine is theorised to be the result of climate change, and Estonia is not the only victim. Finland and Livonia also suffer large-scale death due to famine, all of which could perhaps be attributed to the Little Ice Age, a period of intense cooling across Europe which also regularly freezes the River Thames in London.

1700

Sweden finds itself attacked by Russia, Poland, and Denmark in the Great Northern War (alternatively entitled the Second Northern War) which lasts until 1721. Sweden's expansion at the end of the Livonian Wars had antagonised several states, notably those on the receiving end of defeats such as Russia and Denmark. The latter state takes the opportunity presented by the death of Charles XI of Sweden to organise an anti-Swedish coalition.

1704 - 1706

Russian captive in 1712, and switched allegiance.

1706 - 1709

Later governor of Livonia (1709).

1709 - 1710

Last Swedish governor to 10 Oct 1710. Given Finland (1710).

1708

During the Great Northern War, Dorpat (Tartu) is blasted and part of St John's Church in the heart of the city is destroyed by the bombardment. Fortunately, the church is largely rebuilt following the war's conclusion (see feature link).

This print of Tallinn in 1650 shows the growing city much as it would have been found by its new masters, the Russians, in 1710

1710

Sweden loses control of Estonia to the Russians, except on Ösel which they retain. The unfortunate final Swedish governor, Carl Gustaf von Nieroth, is subsequently transferred to Finland, which is also soon captured by the Russians. Russia forms the region into its Reval Governate.