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27-415: In the first centuries AD political and administrative subdivisions began to emerge. Two larger subdivisions appeared: the parish (kihelkond) and the county (maakond). The parish consisted of several villages. Nearly all parishes had at least one fortress. The defense of the local area was directed by the highest official, the parish elder. The county was composed of several parishes, also headed by an elder. By

54-724: A campaign over the frozen sea to Saaremaa. The Oeselians' stronghold was conquered and their king Wesse was hanged. In the early spring of 1345, the next campaign of the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order took place; it ended with a treaty mentioned in the Chronicle of Hermann von Wartberge and the Novgorod First Chronicle . Saaremaa remained the vassal of the master of the Teutonic Order in Livonia, and

81-775: A combined attack against Saaremaa. After the surrender of two major Oeselian strongholds, Muhu and Valjala , the Oeselians formally accepted Christianity. In 1236, after the defeat of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword in the Battle of Saule , military action on Saaremaa broke out again. The Oeselians again accepted Christianity by signing treaties with the Master of Teutonic Order in Livonia Andreas de Velven and

108-458: A raid against Vironians together with recently christened Letts , Livonians , and several proto-Estonian tribes ( Sakalians , Ugaunians and Jervians ). After five days of killing and pillaging, Kyriavan, Thabelin and other Vironian elders asked for a truce. According to the chronicle, Kyriavan told he had a "very bad god" before and therefore was ready to accept the Christian god. After truce

135-521: A stone fortress housing a strong garrison. But the Danish stronghold was besieged, and surrendered within five days, and the Danish garrison returned to Reval , leaving bishop Albert of Riga 's brother Theodoric and few others behind as hostages for peace. The castle was leveled to the ground by the Oeselians. In 1227, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, the town of Riga and the Bishop of Riga organized

162-779: A term of five years. Currently the Governor position is held by Alo Aasma. The county is subdivided into municipalities . There are two rural municipalities (Estonian: vallad – parishes) and one urban municipality (Estonian: linnad – towns) in Järva County. There are 217 villages in Järvamaa. Religion in Järva County (2021) [1] 58°53′N 25°33′E  /  58.883°N 25.550°E  / 58.883; 25.550 Saare County Saare County ( Estonian : Saare maakond or Saaremaa ; Latin : Oesel ; Danish : Øsel ; German : Ösel ; Swedish : Ösel )

189-605: Is one of 15 counties of Estonia . It consists of Saaremaa , the largest island of Estonia, and several smaller islands near it, most notably Muhu , Ruhnu , Abruka and Vilsandi . The county borders Lääne County to the east, Hiiu County to the north, and Latvia to the south. In 2022, Saare County had a population of 31,292, which was 2.4% of the population of Estonia. The county is subdivided into municipalities . There are 3 rural municipalities ( Estonian : vallad – parishes) in Saare County. The largest islands of

216-616: Is the origin of the island's name in German and Swedish, Ösel , Danish, Øsel , and in Latin Oesel . The name Eysysla appears sometimes together with Adalsysla , 'the big land', perhaps 'Suuremaa' or 'Suur Maa' in Estonian which refers to mainland Estonia. Sagas talk about numerous skirmishes between islanders and Vikings. Saaremaa was the wealthiest county of ancient Estonia and the home of notorious Estonian pirates , sometimes called

243-507: The Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek in 1241. The next treaty was signed in 1255 by the Master of the Order, Anno Sangerhausenn, and, on behalf of the Oeselians, by men whose "names" (or declaration) were transcribed by Latin scribes as Ylle, Culle, Enu, Muntelene, Tappete, Yalde, Melete, and Cake The treaty granted several distinctive rights to the Oeselians. The 1255 treaty included clauses concerning

270-531: The 13th century the following major districts had developed in Estonia: Saaremaa (Osilia), Läänemaa (Rotalia or Maritima), Harjumaa (Harria), Rävala ( Revalia ), Virumaa ( Vironia ), Järvamaa (Jervia), Sakala (Saccala), and Ugandi ( Ugaunia ). The County Government (Estonian: Maavalitsus ) is led by Governor (Estonian: maavanem ), who is appointed by the Government of Estonia for

297-478: The 13th century, the following major counties had developed in Estonia: Saaremaa (Oesel), Läänemaa (Rotalia or Maritima), Harjumaa (Harria), Rävala ( Revalia ), Virumaa ( Vironia ), Järvamaa (Jervia), Sakala (Saccala), and Ugandi ( Ugaunia ). In old Scandinavian sagas, Saaremaa is called Eysysla which means exactly the same as the name of the island in Estonian: the district (land) of island . This

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324-648: The Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek. 58°25′N 22°35′E  /  58.417°N 22.583°E  / 58.417; 22.583 Vironia Virumaa ( Latin : Vironia ; Low German : Wierland ; Old Norse : Virland ) is a former independent county in Ancient Estonia . Now it is divided into Ida-Viru County or Eastern Vironia and Lääne-Viru County or Western Vironia. Vironians built many strongholds , like Tarwanpe (modern Rakvere ) and Agelinde (now Punamägi Hill in Äntu village). Vironian

351-678: The Eastern Vikings. The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia describes a fleet of sixteen ships and five hundred Oeselians ravaging the area that is now southern Sweden, then belonging to Denmark. In 1206, the Danish Valdemar II the Victorious built a fortress on the island but they found no volunteers to man it. They burned it down themselves and left. In 1227, Saaremaa was conquered by the Livonian Brothers of

378-577: The Oeselians by conquering the Kaarma stronghold. Soon afterwards, the Teutonic Knights established a stone fort at Pöide . On July 24, 1343, the Oeselians again killed all the Germans on the island, drowned all the clerics and started to besiege the fort at Pöide. After its surrender, the Oeselians levelled the castle and killed all the defenders. In February 1344, Burchard von Dreileben led

405-733: The Oeselians raided the territories in Latvia that were under German rule in revenge. In 1220, the Swedish army led by king John I of Sweden and the bishop Karl of Linköping conquered Lihula in Rotalia in Western Estonia. Oeselians attacked the Swedish stronghold the same year, conquered it and killed the entire Swedish garrison including the Bishop of Linköping. In 1222, Valdemar II again tried to conquer Saaremaa, this time establishing

432-895: The Sword , but remained a hotbed of Estonian resistance. The Order founded the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek there. When the Order was defeated by the Lithuanian army in the Battle of Saule in 1236, Oeselians rebelled. The conflict was ended by a treaty that was signed by the Oeselians and the Master of the Order. The Oeselians along with the Curonians were known in the Old Norse Icelandic Sagas and in Heimskringla as Víkingr frá Esthland (in English, Estonian Vikings). Their sailing vessels were called pirate ships by Henry of Livonia in his Latin chronicles from

459-507: The beginning of the 13th century. Eistland or Esthland is the historical Germanic language name that refers to the country at the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea in general and is the origin of the modern national name for Estonia. The mainland of modern Estonia in the 8th century Ynglinga saga was called Adalsyssla in contrast to Eysyssel or Ösyssla that was the name of the island ( Swedish ): Ösel or ( Estonian ): Saaremaa ,

486-443: The county are Saaremaa , Muhu , Ruhnu , Abruka and Vilsandi . Arable land is 570 km (220 sq mi) and it has a mild maritime climate. The mean annual air temperature is 6.0 °C (42.8 °F) and the mean annual precipitation is 509 mm (20.0 in). Religion in Saare County (2021) [1] According to archeological finds, the territory of Saaremaa has been inhabited for at least five thousand years. In

513-479: The first centuries AD, political and administrative subdivisions began to emerge in Estonia. Two larger subdivisions appeared: the parish (kihelkond) and the county (maakond). The parish consisted of several villages. Nearly all parishes had at least one fortress. The defense of the local area was directed by the highest official, the parish elder. The county was composed of several parishes, also headed by an elder. By

540-650: The home of the Oeselians ( Estonian : Saarlased ). In the 11th century, Courland and Estland (Estonia) were both denoted separately by Adam of Bremen . On the eve of the Northern Crusades , the Oeselians were summarized in the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle thus: "The Oselians, neighbors to the Kurs ( Curonians ), are surrounded by the sea and never fear strong armies as their strength is in their ships. In summers when they can travel across

567-436: The ownership and inheritance of land, the social system and autonomy from certain religious rules. In 1261, warfare continued as the Oeselians had once more renounced Christianity and killed all the Germans on the island. A peace treaty was signed after the united forces of the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, and the forces of Danish Estonia , including mainland Estonians and Latvians, defeated

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594-533: The ownership of Vironia. In 1226, The papal legate William of Modena arrived to Vironian stronghold of Tarwanpe and mediated peace between Germans, Danes and Estonians. A year later the Vironian territories were taken by Brothers of the Sword . Vironians sided with the new Papal Legate Baldwin of Alna who in 1230 tried to create a Papal Vassal State in Northern Estonia, including Vironia. In 1233,

621-399: The sea they oppress the surrounding lands by raiding both Christians and pagans." In 1206, the Danish army led by king Valdemar II and Andreas, the Bishop of Lund landed on Saaremaa and attempted to establish a stronghold, but without success. In 1216 the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and the bishop Theodorich joined forces and invaded Saaremaa over the frozen sea. The following spring

648-784: The supporters of Baldwin were defeated by the Order in the city of Reval (Tallinn). Vironian territories were snatched by the Order again as Baldwin of Alna complained in his report to the Pope in 1234. The Order was also accused of oppressing Vironian converts and expelling local supporters of Church. In 1238, Vironia was given to Denmark again according to the Treaty of Stensby . The area went into hands of powerful vassals of Danish king, many of which were of local origin, like Dietrich of Kievel (probably 'Kivela' - 'land of stone' in Estonian) who controlled Eastern part of Vironia, where he started to build

675-518: Was born in Vironia. However, Vironian elder Thabelin of Pudiviru had endorsed Christianity before the German and Danish crusaders reached Estonia. Thabelin (Tabellinus) was baptized by Germans in Gotland island. Later, when competing Danish crusaders arrived to Vironia, Thabelin was suspected of being too pro-German and hanged. In 1219, the German crusaders of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword made

702-506: Was divided into five clans ( kilikunda ), Maum (in Estonian "Mahu"), Laemund (Lemmu) also known as Pudiviru , Askele , Revele (Rebala), Alentagh (Alutaguse). Like other Estonian tribes, Vironians remained predominantly pagan before Northern Crusades in the 13th century. According to the Livonian Chronicle of Henry , Vironians believed that Tharapita, a god worshipped by Osilians (the tribe inhabiting Saaremaa )

729-470: Was made, Vironian elders accepted Christianity. Some sons of elders from all five Vironian clans were taken hostages by the crusaders as part of the truce. In 1221, Vironians took part in failed attempt to oust Danes who had built a fortress in the place of modern Tallinn in the neighboring province of Revelia . Danes retaliated, killed several Vironian elders and put Vironians under heavy taxes. In 1225, Danes and German crusaders clashed with each other over

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