History of the city of Tallinn

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia. The city is located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland and has a centuries-old history. Within the city's territory there are several bays (Kakumäe, Kopli and Tallinn), the peninsulas of Kakumäe, Kopli, Paljassaar, and Aegna Island. A river with the same name flows through the eastern part of the city, which is called Pirita. On the southeastern outskirts there is Lake Ülemiste, on the southwestern edge there is Lake Harku. The coastal lowland, encircled on the southern side by a line of klint - a steep limestone ledge, occupies most of the city. And its oldest part c surprisingly Slavic name Vyshgorod, is located on a remnant limestone plateau - Toompea Hill, which rises 48 m above the lowland.

But the city began to be called Tallinn only in 1919, and before that time it was called Revel.

The history of the settlement of this place, known to science, begins with the town of Iru, located not far from the city, where a fortified settlement was built in the second half of the 1st millennium. Finno-Ugric tribes lived here. For unknown reasons, this fortification was abandoned in the middle of the 11th century, and a fortification was founded on the current Toompea hill.

Kolyvan, then Revel

At the foot of the hill, a trade and craft settlement then arose - the Lower City, the very first mentions of which can be found in Russian chronicles. Then it was called Kolyvan or the city of Kalev (the hero of the Estonian folk epic), as the Slavs said. And in the Livonian chronicles (according to German sources) the city was called Lindanise, which is how it was called by the Scandinavians. In 1154, thanks to the Arab traveler al-Idrisi, it was already listed on the geographical map. Lindanise, also known as Kolyvan, can be conditionally considered the center of the land of Rävala.

The first written mention of a settlement on the site of present-day Tallinn dates back to 1154. In 1219, in the north of Estonia, with 1,500 ships, the troops of the Danish king Valdemar II and his vassal, the ruler of the island of Ryugen and part of Pomerania, Wenceslas I, landed. Despite the fierce resistance of the Estonians (Revalasians), they captured and destroyed the Kolyvan fortress, and on its This is where they built their fortress Revel. It is curious that in Estonian “Tallinn” means “Danish city”.

In 1227, the city was captured by the Swordsmen, but eleven years later it returned to Danish rule.

In 1248, the Danish king Eric IV Pluzhny Grosh granted the city the Lübeck Law, according to which Kolyvan was united into a single legal space with medieval German trading cities. The chronicle of talent also mentions city ratmans, which suggests that self-government had arisen in the Lower City by this time.

At the end of the 13th century, Revel joined the Hanseatic League, as a member of which he played a significant role over the next two centuries.

In the middle of the 14th century, the imperial prince of Revel was replaced. Due to internal political difficulties and lack of money, the Danish king decided to sell his possessions in Northern Estonia together with Revel to the Teutonic Order. In 1347, the order transferred the right to manage the estates to its Livonian wing, and Revel became an order city.

During the Livonian War in 1558–1583. Russia, Sweden, Poland and Denmark fought for dominance in the northern part of the Baltic Sea. The territory of Estonia became one of the main theaters of military operations. In fear of Russian troops, the city of Revel and the Harju-Viru Knights surrendered to Sweden in 1561, and its power lasted for the next century and a half. Twice - in 1570–1571. and in 1577, Revel was surrounded by Russian troops, but were forced to return both times without taking possession of the city. During Swedish rule, Revel became the center of a new administrative unit - the Estonian province. The royal authority confirmed Revel's previous privileges, which meant, first of all, that the city, at least formally, retained self-government and continued to enjoy Lübeck law.

In 1700–1721 The Baltic Sea region suffered from the Northern War. The main opponents in it were Sweden and Russia, who fought each other for dominance over this territory. On September 29, 1710, Revel capitulated to Russian troops without a battle.

After the Northern War of 1700-1721. the city and all of Estonia became part of the Russian Empire, but retained all its privileges and became the center of the Revel (from 1783 - Estonian) province.

In 1870, a railway was opened between the city and St. Petersburg. The workers of Revel-Tallinn took an active part in the revolution of 1905-1907, the February and October revolutions of 1917, and also resisted the German invaders in 1918.

From November 29, 1918 to June 5, 1919, Tallinn was the capital of the Estonian Soviet Republic (Estonian Labor Commune), and then Soviet power was overthrown by the bourgeoisie. Since 1940, Tallinn was the capital of the Estonian SSR, and during the Great Patriotic War it was occupied by Nazi troops. As a result of the fighting and occupation, the city was severely destroyed and was rebuilt only after the war. Since 1991, the city has been the capital of independent Estonia.

Source http://www.tallinn.ee/rus/Istorija-Tallinna