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(詳細はEstonia (and after 1645 all of the present-day country) were under Swedish rule. In the wake of the breakup of the State of the Teutonic Order, the Baltic German local aristocracy in the areas of Harrien (Harjumaa) and Wierland (Virumaa), as well as the city of Reval (Tallinn) in June 1561 (and somewhat later Jerwen (Järvamaa)) asked for and were granted protection by the Swedish king Eric XIV, leading to Swedish involvement in the Livonian War. At the conclusion of hostilities in 1583, Sweden was in control of the northern parts of modern Estonia and Hiiumaa island; this territory was created the Duchy of Estonia. Following renewed wars between Poland and Sweden, the southern parts of present-day Estonia (then Livonia) were incorporated into Sweden by the Treaty of Altmark in 1629. In 1645, Sweden also conquered the island of Ösel (Saaremaa) from Denmark, and were thus in control of all of present-day Estonia. The time of Swedish rule came to an effective end in 1710,when all the Swedish Baltic provinces capitulated to Russian troops during the end-stages of the Great Northern War. Russian hegemony was formalized in 1721. The reasons for Swedish involvement in Estonia were economical as well as political and military. The Swedish Crown was not least interested in getting a share of the profits from the rich trade with Russia. At the same time, assertions in Estonia can also been seen as a way of preventing Russia and Denmark from gaining potentially dangerous footholds close to Swedish-controlled Finland. The time of Swedish rule is sometimes colloquially referred to as the "good old Swedish times" ((エストニア語:vana hea Rootsi aeg)).〔(Baltic Postcolonialism By Violeta Kelertas, p. 397 )〕 However, it remains unclear whether the contemporaneous Estonian-speaking population generally used this expression or whether they considered the time of Swedish rule significantly better than that of earlier foreign rulers.〔 Especially during the later part of the Swedish rule of Estonia, Swedish authorities did however enact a number of reforms which were aimed at lessening the influence of the local German-speaking aristocracy, to the benefit of the local Estonian-speaking peasantry. In the light of this, there is some evidence to suggest that the Estonian-speaking population considered Swedish rule as characterised by the rule of law, and it has been recorded that in later, harsh times the lower classes have expressed a wish for a return to Swedish rule.〔 Swedish reforms, some of lasting influence, also included the establishment of the University of Tartu (as well as other educational institutions, e.g. the Gustav Adolf Grammar School); staunchly promoting Lutheranism and providing translations of the Bible into Estonian; and creating a court of appeal in Tartu. ==Earliest years== At least since the Viking Age there have been contacts between the inhabitants of present-day Sweden and Estonia. For example, a runestone in Roslags-Bro Church in Sweden commemorates a man who was killed in Estonia during the 11th century. There has been a Swedish minority in Estonia at least since the Middle Ages. During the Northern Crusades, Swedish crusaders made a failed attempt to conquer Estonia. Instead, mainly German crusading knights conquered the area and established the State of the Teutonic Order there and in most parts of the Baltic states. With the decline of the Teutonic Order and its state, Swedish political ambitions returned to Estonia.〔 The future King John III had already as Grand Duke of Finland in the 1550s ambitions to establish Swedish rule in Estonia, but was held back by his father, Gustav Vasa. It was not until 1558 that the local nobility asked the new king, Eric XIV, to intervene in the ongoing Livonian War and protect the lands of Harjumaa, Virumaa and the city of Tallinn in exchange for overlord-ship. The Livonian War, in which Sweden now became involved, would last to 1583 (concluded by the Treaty of Plussa). For Sweden, it resulted in Sweden keeping the territory that had in 1561 sought Swedish protection, and additionally in the capture of the city of Narva.〔 The name of Livonia, formerly denoting all of present-day Estonia and Latvia, was now applied to Polish-controlled south Estonia and Latvia; while "Estonia" began to denote the Swedish controlled areas of north and west Estonia. It was not until the early 20th century that the term "Estonia" began to be used to signify all the lands were Estonian-speaking people lived. Sweden started to reorganise the government in the new duchy only after the conclusion of the peace treaty with Russia in 1583. Like the Livonian estates, Estonian aristocracy and towns had surrendered on condition that their privileges be retained. Unlike in Livonia, where Poland soon violated the agreement, Swedish kings kept their promises to the city of Tallinn and the local nobility.〔 The landlords of north and west Estonia who formed the Estonian nobility were represented by its general assembly, convened regularly every third year (''Landtag''), and its executive body — the college of magistrates (''Landratscollegium''). The Swedish monarchy was represented by the lord lieutenant, later governor, and the area was governed with the help of the nobility. Crown properties consisted of the lands formerly owned by the Livonian Order, monasteries and bishops, and deserted manorial estates; part of the lands that had been deserted in the war came under the control of the local aristocracy. For administration, these lands were divided into fiefdoms, subdivided into crown manors headed by bailiffs. The Swedish kings generously gave lands into private possession — in reward both for merit and for service.〔 For that reason most of Estonian lands were in private ownership by the end of the 16th century, and the owners were mostly Baltic Germans. The Baltic German nobility gained extensive power in both the economic and political spheres, and later attempts of the crown to curb this power met with strong resistance. That central authority complied for such a long time was due to the continuous wars, which made it important to preserve the loyalty of the local aristocracy.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Estonia under Swedish rule」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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