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Estonia, inhabited at least since the 1st century
AD. C., has lived a large part of its history under the
control of other peoples and countries. Thus, the first
invaders were the Vikings, in the ninth century d. C.,
and, until the arrival of the Germans at the end of
century XII, Estonia was victim of several Swedish,
Danish and Russian incursions. German rule began in
1180, with the arrival of Christian monks in the region
of Livonia (southern Estonia and Latvia), with the
purpose of spreading the Christian faith in a peaceful
way. But, from 1198, this Christianization started to be
made by crusades, making that, in 1219, Germany already
dominated the whole country, being noteworthy that the
North and the islands in the Baltic Sea were dominated
jointly with the kingdom of Denmark through an alliance
between the two parties (in 1343-45). In the 16th
century, more precisely in 1561, Livonia came to be
dominated by Lithuania (which had united with Poland),
while Russian Tsar Ivan IV, the Terrible, had conquered,
in 1558, the Narva region, in the center from the
country. In that same year, the kingdom of Sweden
conquered the North of Estonia, extending its dominion
to the whole country after expelling the Russians in
1581 and defeating the Lithuanians in 1629. Russia,
after centuries of failed attempts, finally managed to
conquer Estonia. In 1709 he took over Livonia, forcing
the Swedes to give up the remaining territories in 1721.
At the end of the 19th century, Estonia experienced a
period of prosperity thanks to Russia's land
privatization policy that favored Estonian farmers. This
prosperity, however, allowed the overwhelming majority
of the population to invest in their cultural formation,
which opened the door to the birth of a nationalist
spirit. This conjuncture provoked an intensification of
the domination of Russia through the definitive
establishment of the Russian political-administrative
framework in Estonia. However, instability arose with
the Russian Revolution of January 1905, and on November
27 the National Liberal Party (NLP) was founded, founded
by Jaan Tônisson. But only after the Russian Revolution
of March 1917 did Estonia secure its autonomy, its first
government being appointed by the Estonian National
Council (Maapäev), on 12 October, led by Konstantin Päts
(one of the inspirers of NLP), a government that would
be replaced, a month later, by the communists following
a coup d'état supported by Russia. February 1918 was
marked by the German invasion, which caused the
Communists to flee, which Maapäev used to declare
independence, which happened on the 24th, a renewed
declaration on the day of the German capitulation (11
November 1918). However, Estonia had to endure a new
Russian invasion, repelled completely in late February
1919 thanks to the aid of the Allies. which caused the
Communists to flee, which Maapäev used to declare
independence, which happened on the 24th, a renewed
declaration on the day of German capitulation (11
November 1918). However, Estonia had to endure a new
Russian invasion, repelled completely in late February
1919 thanks to the aid of the Allies. which caused the
Communists to flee, which Maapäev used to declare
independence, which happened on the 24th, a renewed
declaration on the day of German capitulation (11
November 1918). However, Estonia had to endure a new
Russian invasion, repelled completely in late February
1919 thanks to the aid of the Allies.
For 20 years, Estonia survived the pro-Soviet communist
conspiracies, but the signing, in August 1939, of the
Non-Aggression Pact between the USSR and Germany proved
to be fateful for Estonia's independence. On September
28, the USSR imposed the signing of a mutual assistance
treaty, the fulfillment of which served as a pretext for
the Soviet invasion on June 17, 1940, and Estonia's
entry into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was
made official on July 21 of that year. This statute only
became effective, however, on September 22, 1944, after
three years of German military presence.
Soviet rule over Estonia, carried out through the
Communist Party, was based on repressive measures that
largely mischaracterized the country, as evidenced by
the presence of Estonians in the existing population in
1940 (90%) compared to what is counted today (60%). The
situation changed with the advent of Glasnost and
Perestroika, policies implemented by Mikhail Gorbachev
in the late 1980s, which allowed the strengthening of
the independence claims led by the now formed Popular
Front. In the elections held in March 1990, the
independenceists won a resounding victory, proclaiming,
on the 30th of that month, a transitional phase for
independence, which would be formally declared in August
1991.
On July 26, 1994, in Moscow, Estonia and Russia
signed a border-setting agreement under the supervision
of US President Bill Clinton, although border disputes
did not cease, and on August 31, Russian troops withdrew
from the country. Despite the existing internal
political instability (then President Lennart Meri
refused the ministerial composition made by Prime
Minister Mart Laar, causing his replacement by
Environment Minister Andres Tarand), Estonia started its
integration in the western world, evidenced by the
participation active in the North Atlantic Cooperation
Council and the Partnership for Peace (which replaced
the Warsaw Pact in its relationship with NATO).
In October 2001, President Lennart Meri, the first
after the removal of Soviet power, was replaced by
Arnold Ruutel. Its main objectives were achieved with
Estonia's formal accession to the European Union and
NATO on 1 May 2004, in a ceremony held in Dublin. |
