Below is a list of military conflicts in which
Estonians participated on a larger scale or took place on Estonian territory. Items in bold are the wars most often considered to be major conflicts by Estonian historians and the general public.
Ancient Estonia
Battle of Brávellir in
Sweden
6th century – 1203, a series of Estonian (mostly
Oeselian ) raids and counter-raids against the
Swedish ,
Danish ,
Norwegian and
Icelandic
vikings as well as by their later states:
6th century,
Gotland Viking attempt to colonize
Hiiumaa Island;
7th century, attempted
Swedish invasion of Estonia by King
Ingvar Harra ;
7th century,
Swedish raid on Estonia by King
Anund ;
8th century,
Battle of Brávellir , on the side of the
Swedes , against the
Danes ;
972, a battle against
Icelandic Vikings on
Saaremaa Island;
1008, a battle against
Norwegian Vikings on
Saaremaa Island;
11th century, a
Swedish Viking raid to
Viru County ;
1170, a naval battle between Estonians, its allies and
Denmark near
Öland Island;
1187, Estonians (or
Karelians or
Curonians ) raid of
Mälaren and
Sigtuna in
Sweden ;
[1]
1203, Estonian raid on
Danish
Scania ;
1030–1217, a series of battles and (raid) campaigns against
Kievan Rus' ,
Novgorod ,
Pskov and
Smolensk :
1030,
Kievan Rus' defeat
Chuds and establish
Yuryev stronghold;
[2]
1032, according to one hypothesis, battle at Iron Gate mentioned in Russian chronicles and usually placed in northern Russia, may have been naval battle, where
Novgorod fleet was defeated near
Aegna ;
[3]
ca. 1054,
Kievan Rus' campaign against Estonians;
1060,
Kievan Rus' campaign against Sosols (tribe possibly in Estonia) and taxation of them.
[3]
1061, Sosols uprise, destroy Yuryev and attack
Pskov .
[3]
1077,
Smolensk and
Novgorod campaign against
Chuds (possibly Estonians);
1113, a battle against
Kievan Rus' , possibly in modern
Izborsk ;
1116,
Kievan Rus' conquest of
Otepää stronghold;
1130,
Kievan Rus' campaign against Estonians;
1132, a battle against
Novgorod in
Vaiga County ;
1134, a battle against
Novgorod for
Tarbatu (Yuryev) stronghold;
1177, Estonian raid of
Pskov ;
1180,
Novgorod raid of Southeastern Estonia;
1190,
Pskov attack on Estonian sailors on
Lake Peipus ;
1192,
Novgorod raid of
Tarbatu (Yuryev) stronghold;
1192,
Novgorod raid of
Otepää stronghold.
1210–1227, raids during the
Livonian Crusade :
1213–1219,
Lithuanian raids against Estonians;
The Middle Ages
Livonian Brothers of the Sword of the early 13th century
Battle of Lindanise during the
Danish -led Campaign of the
Livonian Crusade
Battle of the Ice in 1242
Map of
Medieval Livonia in 1260
Ruins of
Rakvere (Wesenberg) Castle
Kuressaare Castle
Estonia remained one of the last corners of medieval Europe to be
Christianized . In 1193
Pope Celestine III called for a crusade against
pagans in
Northern Europe . The
Northern Crusades from Northern
Germany established the stronghold of
Riga . With the help of the newly converted local tribes of
Livs and
Letts , the crusaders initiated raids into part of what is present-day
Estonia from 1197.
1197–1268,
Northern Crusades (1147–13th century/16th century) :
1197, a
Swedish ,
Gutnish as well as German crusader and possibly
Danish raid to
Viru County ;
1206–1261, the
Livonian Crusade (1198–1290) :
1217–1268, crusader and allied Estonian conflicts with
Pskov and
Novgorod :
1217,
Livonian Brothers of the Sword and allied raid around
Pskov and
Novgorod ;
1233,
Livonian Brothers of the Sword conquest of
Izborsk and
Pskov ;
1233, Reconquest of
Izborsk and
Pskov from the
Livonian Brothers of the Sword by the forces of Novgorod and Pskov;
1234,
Pskov and
Novgorod invasion of the
Bishopric of Dorpat ;
1240–1242,
Livonian campaign against Rus' ;
1253,
Livonian Order raid of
Pskov ;
1253,
Pskov ,
Novgorod and
Karelian raid of Northeastern Estonia;
1254,
Novgorod and
Karelian raid to Northeastern Estonia;
1254,
Bishopric of Riga 's and
Danish raid to
Votia and
Karelia ;
1255,
Novgorod raid to Northeastern Estonia;
1256, united crusader,
Danish ,
Swedish and
Finnish failed attempt to conquer
Ingria from
Novgorod ;
1262,
Novgorod raid of
Tartu (Dorpat) ;
1262,
Novgorod 's and
Polotsk 's raid of
Tartu (Dorpat) ;
1267,
Novgorod raid of
Rakvere (Wesenberg) ;
1268,
Novgorod raid of Northern Estonia and
Battle of Rakvere , against the
Livonian Order ;
1233–1557, a series of civil wars on the Estonian part of
Medieval Livonia , between different crusader states:
1233,
Livonian Order 's reconquest of
Tallinn (Reval) from
papal legate
Balduin de Alna ;
1238,
Livonian Order 's and
Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek 's conquest of
Koluvere Castle from the de Lode family;
1297–1330, war between the
Livonian Order and the alliance of the
Archbishopric of Riga and the town of
Riga ;
1298, a border war between the
Livonian Order and the
Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek ;
1374–1397,
Incorporation Strife , between the
Bishopric of Dorpat and the
Livonian Order ;
1396,
Bishop Damerow's Conflict , between the
Livonian Order and the
Bishopric of Dorpat ;
1423–1468,
Ösel-Wiek Strifes , within the
Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek ;
1479,
Stodewescher Feud , between the
Livonian Order and the
Archbishopric of Riga ;
1481–1491, war between the
Livonian Order and the alliance of the
Archbishopric of Riga and the town of
Riga
1532–1536,
Ösel-Wiek Feud , within the
Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek ;
1556–1557,
Coadjutor Feud , between the
Livonian Order and the alliance of the
Archbishopric of Riga ;
1236–1329, conflict between the crusaders and
Lithuanian involving Estonian units or taking place in the Estonian part of
Medieval Livonia :
1269–1343, post-crusade period conflicts between the crusader and
Russian states:
1269,
Livonian Order 's raid of
Izborsk and
Pskov ;
1294,
Livonian Order 's failed attempt to conquer
Votia ;
1294,
Novgorod raid of
Narva ;
1299,
Livonian Order 's raid of
Pskov ;
1307,
Livonian Order 's raid of
Pskov ;
1323,
Livonian Order 's raid of
Pskov ;
1341–1343, war between the
Livonian Order and
Pskov ;
1349,
Livonian Order 's raid around
Pskov ;
1367,
Novgorod raid of
Narva and Northeastern Estonia;
1367,
Novgorod raid of
Vastseliina ;
1369,
Russian raid of Southeastern Estonia;
1371,
Pskov 's and
Novgorod's raid of Southern Estonia;
1406,
Pskov raid of Southern Estonia;
1407,
Pskov raid of Eastern Estonia;
1443–1448, war between the
Livonian Order and
Novgorod ;
1480–1481, war between the
Livonian Order and
Pskov ;
1501–1503,
Livonian-Muscovite War ;
1343–1345, the
St. George's Night Uprising against Denmark and the Livonian Order.
The Reformation Period (1558–1721)
Siege of Narva in 1558
Battle of Narva in 1700
Battle of Ösel Island in 1719
By the late 1550s, the
Reformation and
Counter-Reformation had caused internal conflicts in
Livonian Confederation , while its Eastern neighbour
Russia had grown stronger after defeating the
khanates of
Kazan and
Astrakhan . The conflict between Russia and the Western powers was exacerbated by Russia's isolation from sea trade. Neither could the tsar hire qualified labour in Europe.
1558–1583, the
Livonian War , between
Russia and an alliance of the
Livonia ,
Poland–Lithuania ,
Denmark-Norway and
Sweden ;
1558–1561, Russo-Livonian War;
1560/1570–1577, Duke
Magnus of Holstein 's campaign in Central Estonia, allied with
Russia ;
1560,
Wiek peasant uprising;
1562–1570,
Muscovite–Lithuanian War ;
1563–1570,
Northern Seven Years' War between
Sweden and an alliance of
Denmark-Norway ,
Poland–Lithuania and
Lübeck ;
1570, Klaus Kursell's rebellion against the administration of
Swedish Estonia ;
1570–1583,
Russo-Swedish War ;
1575–1582,
Russo-Polish War ;
1577–1579,
Ivo Schenkenberg 's raids against Russia;
1590–1595,
Russo-Swedish War of 1590–1595 ;
1600–1625, the
Polish–Swedish War (1600–1629) :
1611–1613, the
Kalmar War (1611–1613)
1613,
Time of Troubles (1598–1613):
1642,
Pühajõgi Revolt
1656–1657, the
Second Northern War (1655–1660) between
Poland-Lithuania ,
Russia and their allies on one side and
Sweden and its allies on the other side;
1700–1710, the
Great Northern War (1700–1721) , between
Swedish alliance and
Russian alliance;
Russian rule (1721–1918)
Battle of Reval in 1790
Map of
Operation Albion of 1917
After the Great Northern War, the territory of Estonia was officially handed over to the Russian Empire in 1721.
Conflicts that occurred in Estonia during that era:
1784,
Baltic
Head Tax Riots :
1784, "Wooden Fence War", between Estonian peasants and the Russian Army;
1790,
Russo-Swedish War (1788–90) :
1805, "
Kose-Uuemõisa War", between Estonian peasants and the Russian Army;
1808–1809,
Finnish War :
1841, "
Pühajärv War", between Estonian peasants and the Russian Army;
1854–1855,
Crimean War (1853–1856):
1854–1855,
Baltic Sea Campaign : British and French naval attacks on Estonian coastal settlements and occasional landings.
1858, "
Mahtra War ", between Estonian peasants and the Russian Army;
1905–1906, the
Russian Revolution of 1905 between local revolutionaries and the Russian Army;
1914–1918
World War I :
1917,
Russian Revolution :
Soldiers were
conscripted among Estonians since 1796. At first, the term of service was 25 years, but was lowered to 20 years plus 5 years of reserve in 1834 and to 12 years plus 3 years of reserve in 1855. Estonians served in
several wars involving the Russian Empire :
Independent Estonia (1918–1940)
Map of the
Estonian War of Independence of 1918–1920
Estonia declared independence on 24 February 1918. After a brief
German occupation in World War I, Estonia regained independence and was subsequently invaded by the
Red Army . A series of conflicts followed:
Estonians also took part of the Estonian War of independence on the Soviet Russian side. They formed the puppet state
Commune of the Working People of Estonia (1918–1919) in an effort to show the conflict as an Estonian civil war.
Other conflicts with Estonian volunteers:
1918, the
Finnish Civil War , mostly on the side of whites against the
reds and Soviet Russia.
1917–1922, the
Russian Civil War , mostly on the side of the Bolsheviks, and mostly following their defeat in the Estonian War of Independence.
Other conflicts of the time:
World War II (1940–1944)
Estonia declared its
neutrality in 1938, but was forced to allow
Soviet military bases on its territory in 1939 and was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. World War II brought a number of sub-conflicts:
Estonians fought on both the
German and the
Soviet side in the war, in all major battles involving Estonia. Other sub-conflicts of World War II with Estonian volunteers:
Soviet occupation (1944–1991)
After the Soviet recapture of Estonia, many Estonians went into hiding and waged a low intensity resistance to the Soviet regime:
During the
Soviet occupation , many Estonians were conscripted to the
Soviet Armed Forces and were recruited to fight in several
wars involving the Soviet Union :
At the same time, many
émigré Estonians also fought for
Western nations , most notably for the
United States ,
Canada ,
Australia and for the
United Kingdom .
Independent Estonia (1991–onwards)
Estonia joined the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004, and has taken part of the following conflicts:
List of conflicts involving Estonia since 1991
Estonia has also taken part in several peacekeeping missions:
See also
References
Lists of wars involving European countries
Sovereign states States with limited recognition Dependencies and other entities