Sakala County was an ancient Estonia

Ancient Estonia

Ancient Estonia refers to a period covering History of Estonia from the middle of the 8th millennium BC until the conquest and subjugation of the Estonian people in the first quarter of the 13th century during the Northern Crusades.-The Mesolithic Period:...

n county first mentioned in print by Henry of Livonia in the beginning of the 13th Century.

It is situated in north-western Livonia

Livonia

Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...

, covering approximately the present territories of Viljandi

Viljandi County

Viljandi County , is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in southern Estonia bordering Pärnu, Järva, Jõgeva, Tartu and Valga counties. 55,657 people live in Viljandi County – constituting 4.2% of the total population in Estonia ....

, the southern half of Pärnu

Pärnu County

Pärnu County , or Pärnumaa , is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in south-western part of the country, on the coast of Gulf of Riga, and borders Lääne and Rapla counties to the north, Järva and Viljandi counties to the east, and Latvia to the south...

, and a western third of Valga maakond

Valga County

Valga County , or Valgamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. Its capital is Valga, which is located on the Estonian-Latvian border. It is situated in southern part of the country and borders Põlva County and Võru County to the east, Latvia to the south and to the west, Viljandi County and Tartu...

.

Kievan rule of Ugaunia

Ugaunia

Ugandi was an independent country between the east coast of Lake Võrtsjärv and west coast of Lake Pskov, bordered by Vaiga, Mõhu, Nurmekund, Sakala, Tālava, and The Principality of Pskov. Ugandi had an area of approximately 3000 hides...

 may have lasted until 1061, when, according to Old East Slavic chronicles, the town of Tharbata/Yuryev (Tartu

Tartu

Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...

) was burned down by "Sosols", who were probably either Sackalians or the people of Soopoolitse

Soopoolitse

Soopoolitse was a small landlocked ancient Estonian county in the eastern part of the territory of Estonia.- External links :***...

.

After the Livonian Crusade

Livonian Crusade

The Livonian Crusade refers to the German and Danish conquest and colonization of medieval Livonia, the territory constituting modern Latvia and Estonia, during the Northern Crusades...

 the county became a part of the Livonian Confederation

Livonian Confederation

Terra Mariana was the official name for Medieval Livonia or Old Livonia which was formed in the aftermath of the Livonian Crusade in the territories comprising present day Estonia and Latvia...

.

In Sackalian folklore, the neighbouring Ugaunians

Ugaunians

Ungannians or Ugandians , referred to as Chudes by the earliest Russian chronicles were historical Finnic people inhabiting the ancient southern Estonian Ugandi County :Ungannia) that is now Tartu, Põlva, Võru and Valga counties of Estonia.-The name and the territory:In modern Estonian...

 (ugalased) were enemy warriors and robbers.
For instance, a folk song from Viljandi

Viljandi

Viljandi is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 19,150 . It is the capital of Viljandi County. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe....

(the capital of Sackalia) calls for speeding up the harvest work because Ugaunians might attack.