Denmark–Estonia relations
Encyclopedia
Denmark-Estonia relations are foreign relations between Denmark
and Estonia
. Denmark has an embassy in Tallinn
, Estonia has an embassy in Hellerup
. Both countries are members of EU, NATO and the Council of the Baltic Sea States
.
Denmark has been the largest provider of bilateral assistance to Estonia. From 1992-2003, Denmark supported Estonia with a total of 147 million EUR.
and Couronian
pirate attacks that threatened its Baltic trade. Danish fleets attacked Estonia in 1170, 1194, and 1197. In 1206, King Valdemar II and archbishop Andreas Sunonis led a raid on Ösel island, Saaremaa
. The Kings of Denmark laid a claim on Estonia as their possession, which was recognised by the pope
. In 1219 the Danish fleet landed in the major harbor of Estonia and defeated the Estonians in the Battle of Lyndanisse
that brought Northern Estonia
under Danish reign until the Estonian uprising in 1343
, when the territories were taken over by the Teutonic Order and sold by Denmark in 1346.
commission. On 13 May 1930, an agreement on reciprocity
was signed. After Estonia's independence in 1991, Denmark was the second country to reestablish diplomatic relations with Estonia
on 24 August 1991. In 1994, a defence cooperation agreement was signed. In 1993, Denmark signed an agreement on abolition of visa requirements with Estonia. Denmark was the first country to ratify the Treaty of Accession 2003
.
visited Estonia five times. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark visited Estonia in July 2001, and Foreign Minister
Per Stig Møller
visited Estonia in August 2009. Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves
visited Denmark in September 2007, and president Arnold Rüütel
visited Denmark in 2004.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. Denmark has an embassy in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia has an embassy in Hellerup
Hellerup
Hellerup is a Danish town of Region Hovedstaden, located in the Gentofte Municipality in Denmark. It is bordered to the east by the sound Øresund and to the South by Copenhagen and counted among the most affluent areas in Denmark....
. Both countries are members of EU, NATO and the Council of the Baltic Sea States
Council of the Baltic Sea States
The Council of the Baltic Sea States is an overall political forum for regional intergovernmental cooperation which addresses the five priority areas of the environment, economic development, energy, education and culture, civil security and human dimension, including trafficking in human...
.
Denmark has been the largest provider of bilateral assistance to Estonia. From 1992-2003, Denmark supported Estonia with a total of 147 million EUR.
Danish Estonia
Danish Estonia refers to the territories of present-day Estonia that were ruled by Denmark firstly during the 13th–14th centuries and again in the 16th–17th centuries.Denmark rose as a great military and mercantile power in the 12th century. It had an interest to end the occasional EstonianOeselians
The Oeselians were a historical Finnic people inhabiting Saaremaa , an Estonian island in the Baltic Sea. They are first thought to be mentioned as early as the 2nd century BC in Ptolemy's Geography III. The Oeselians along with Curonians were known in the Old Norse Icelandic Sagas and in...
and Couronian
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
pirate attacks that threatened its Baltic trade. Danish fleets attacked Estonia in 1170, 1194, and 1197. In 1206, King Valdemar II and archbishop Andreas Sunonis led a raid on Ösel island, Saaremaa
Saaremaa
Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
. The Kings of Denmark laid a claim on Estonia as their possession, which was recognised by the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. In 1219 the Danish fleet landed in the major harbor of Estonia and defeated the Estonians in the Battle of Lyndanisse
Battle of Lyndanisse
The Battle of Lyndanisse was a battle which helped King Valdemar II of Denmark establish the territory of Danish Estonia during the Northern Crusades. Valdemar II defeated the Estonians at Lyndanisse , during the Northern Crusades, by orders from the Pope...
that brought Northern Estonia
Northern Estonia
Northern Estonia denotes a region of Estonia including Harju County and Virumaa. The region was ruled by Denmark in the 13th century until the St. George's Night Uprising....
under Danish reign until the Estonian uprising in 1343
St. George's Night Uprising
St. George’s Night Uprising in 1343–1346 was an unsuccessful attempt by the indigenous Estonian population in the Duchy of Estonia, the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, and the insular territories of the State of the Teutonic Order to annihilate the Danish and German rulers and landlords, who had conquered...
, when the territories were taken over by the Teutonic Order and sold by Denmark in 1346.
Modern Estonia
Denmark recognised Estonia's independence in 1921. On 18 December 1926, both counties established a conciliationConciliation
Conciliation is an alternative dispute resolution process whereby the parties to a dispute agree to utilize the services of a conciliator, who then meets with the parties separately in an attempt to resolve their differences...
commission. On 13 May 1930, an agreement on reciprocity
Reciprocity (international relations)
In international relations and treaties, the principle of reciprocity states that favours, benefits, or penalties that are granted by one state to the citizens or legal entities of another, should be returned in kind....
was signed. After Estonia's independence in 1991, Denmark was the second country to reestablish diplomatic relations with Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
on 24 August 1991. In 1994, a defence cooperation agreement was signed. In 1993, Denmark signed an agreement on abolition of visa requirements with Estonia. Denmark was the first country to ratify the Treaty of Accession 2003
Treaty of Accession 2003
The Treaty of Accession 2003 was the agreement between the European Union and ten countries , concerning these countries' accession into the EU...
.
Visits
From 2002 to 2009, Anders Fogh RasmussenAnders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
visited Estonia five times. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark visited Estonia in July 2001, and Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Per Stig Møller
Per Stig Møller
Per Stig Møller was Culture Minister of Denmark. He has been a member of Folketinget for the Conservative People's Party since 1984, and was Minister for the Environment from December 18, 1990 to January 24, 1993 as part of the Cabinet of Poul Schlüter IV and Foreign Minister from November 27,...
visited Estonia in August 2009. Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Toomas Hendrik Ilves is the fourth and current President of Estonia. He is a former diplomat and journalist, was the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the 1990s and later a member of the European Parliament...
visited Denmark in September 2007, and president Arnold Rüütel
Arnold Rüütel
Arnold Rüütel OIH was the third President of the Republic of Estonia from October 8, 2001 to October 9, 2006. He was the second President since Estonia regained its independence in 1991....
visited Denmark in 2004.