The Baltic - Part Two, A Brief History

The Prehistory of northern European settlement dates back to the melting of the Ice Age about 10,000 years ago. The fall of Rome in 476 CE ended what historians call Europe's Classical period of the Greco-Roman world centered around the Mediterranean basin.  For the next thousand years Europe was in the Middle Ages.  

A key development of this period was the creation of States and institutions, almost exclusively monarchies. As history progressed through the Middle Ages there was considerable regional unevenness in cultural progression.  Larger and more established states took over or administered lands that were nascent states or unorganized small communities or tribes. As in most of Europe, political boundaries changed regularly.  

By the end of the Middle Ages Denmark was the dominant political player in Scandinavia controlling all of today's Norway, Sweden, and Finland.  (The time of Hamlet).  Estonia, Latvia, and coastal Lithuania and Poland were controlled by the Germanic Teutonic Knights from the Crusades. The rest of Lithuania was part of the Poland/Lithuania commonwealth previously written about from last year's travel.

1453

One hundred years later a new power emerges, Sweden, conquering previous Danish controlled lands.  Finland, Estonia and Latvia's original ethnic peasants had little to no administrative or aristocratic responsibility. The local population was basically in servitude to foreigners. 

1560-1815

By the late eighteenth century Peter the Great looked westward and founds St. Petersburg on a swamp of the eastern Baltic.  Russia begins to conquer the adjacent countries in its quest for seaports and territory.

1789

In the nineteenth century, Russia continues to dominate the north.  It takes over Finnish territory after defeating Sweden in 1809, and partitions Poland/Lithuania commonwealth so it ceased to exist.  

1914

Language Differences

When referring to "The Baltics" (plural) people generally mean Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania because they share the coastline at the southeastern edge of the Baltic Sea.  However, the three countries have very little shared history, language or culture.  

Over 43% of all people around the globe speak one of the Indo-European languages as a native tongue; from Europe to Persia, India and of course the modern world colonized by Europeans. 

However, Finland and Estonia speak the same root Uralic Language which Latvia and Lithuania do not. Besides Hungary and the indigenous Sami of Lapland in northern Scandinavia the only other speakers of Uralic are from its source in northern Siberia.  The theory for the relocation from Siberia is due to climate change, war and famine.  

Religious Differences

As previously discussed, to understand European history one needs to understand Christianity.  This is also true in the Baltic countries.  Norway, Denmark and Finland all have a state church and the dominant denomination is Evangelical Lutheran.  Sweden, like most of the world, is secular and does not have an official state church, and its religiosity has been declining throughout the twentieth century. Finland is the most religious of the Nordic countries. When you are born you are automatically a member of the Lutheran church.  Should you opt out as an adult, you can no longer be buried in a cemetery as all cemeteries are on church property.  About 2% of the population is Orthodox from previous Russian occupation.  

In Estonia and Latvia 25% of the population is Orthodox, due the high percentage of Russians, or Lutherans, 20%.  The plurality of Estonia are unaffiliated/atheistic, while in Latvia its 21% unaffiliated.  Lithuania is 74% Catholic close to Poland's 86% with whom they were historically aligned.  

Fruluftsliv

Most of the Baltic countries share a philosophy of fruluftsliv (free air life), a Norwegian word for the love of outdoors and a simple life in nature without destroying it.  All the countries we visited were proud of their countries natural beauty and environmental preservation.  Outdoor activities or just hanging out with family in nature seemed more a draw than any party attitude or acquisitiveness.  Despite the cold and dark winters they are active all year long.  

Between their ethnic/cultural origins, language, occupiers, and religion, the Baltic countries each are unique, but share a common heritage - The Baltic.

Next Post:  Finland and Estonia.