Governorate of Estonia

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Governorate of Estonia
Эстляндская губерния
Estlyandskaya guberniya
Governorate of the Russian Empire
1721–1917

Courland Governorate, Governorate of Livonia, Governorate of Estonia of the Russian Empire
CapitalReval
History 
• Established (de facto)
June 9, 1719
• Established (de jure)
September 10 1721
• Renamed
1796
• Autonomy granted
April 12 1917
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Swedish Estonia
Autonomous Governorate of Estonia

The Governorate of Est(h)onia[1] (Russian: Эстляндская губерния or Estlyandskaya guberniya) or Estland, also known as the Government of Estonia or Province of Estonia, was a governorate of the Russian Empire in what is now northern Estonia.

Until the late 19th century the governorate was not ruled by Russia but was administered independently by the local Baltic German nobility through a feudal Regional Council (German: Landtag). [2]

The Governorate was also known as Duchy of Estonia that Russia inherited from Sweden in 1721 [3]. The Russian Tsars held the title Duke of Estonia (Russian: Князь Эстляндский), during the Russian era in English sometimes also referred to as Prince of Estonia. [4]

Initially named the Reval Governorate after the city of Reval, today known as Tallinn, it was created in 1719 out of territories conquered from Sweden in the Great Northern War. The former dominion of Swedish Estonia was formally ceded to Russia in the Treaty of Nystad in 1721. During subsequent administrative reordering, the governorate was renamed in 1796 into the Governorate of Estonia. While the rule of the Swedish kings had been fairly liberal with greater autonomy granted for the peasantry, the regime was tightened under the Russian tsars and serfdom was not abolished until 1819.

The governorate consisted the northern part of the present-day Estonia approximately corresponding to Harjumaa including the city of Tallinn, Western Virumaa, Eastern Virumaa, Raplamaa, Järvamaa, Läänemaa and Hiiumaa. On 12 April [O.S. 30 March] 1917) it was expanded to include northern Livonia, thereby forming the Autonomous Governorate of Estonia. After the Russian revolution of 1917, Tallinn remained under Soviet control until February 24, 1918, when Estonian independence was declared.

Leaders of Governorate

References

  1. ^ The Baltic States from 1914 to 1923 By LtCol Andrew Parrott
  2. ^ Smith, David James (2005). The Baltic States and Their Region. Rodopi. ISBN 9789042016668. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Bojtár, Endre (1999). Foreword to the Past. Central European University Press. ISBN 9789639116429. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ Ferro, Marc (1995). Nicholas II. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 9780195093827. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

See also