View source for Virumaa

{{Short description|County in Ancient Estonia}}
{{For|the academic corporation|Korporatsioon Vironia}}
{{unreferenced|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox Former Subdivision
|native_name  = Virumaa
|conventional_long_name = Vironia
|common_name  = Virumaa
|subdivision  = County
|nation       = [[Ancient Estonia|Estonia]]
|event_start  = 
|year_start   =
|event_end    = 
|year_end     = 1227
|p1           = 
|s1           = Danish Estonia
|flag_s1      = Flag of Denmark.svg
|image_flag   = 
|image_coat   = Ida-Virumaa_coatofarms.png
|image_map    = Ancient_Estonian_counties.png
|image_map_caption = [[Ancient Estonia]]
| coordinates             = {{coord|source:Wikidata|format=dms|display=it}}
|capital      = [[Tarvanpää]]
|title_leader = [[Elder (administrative title)|Elder]]
|leader1      = Kyriavanus
|year_leader1 = 
|leader2      = Tabelinus
|year_leader2 = 
|stat_area1   = 7387 
|stat_year1   = 1220
}}

'''Virumaa''' ({{langx|la|Vironia}}; [[Low German]]: ''Wierland''; [[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: ''Virland'') is a former [[independent (nation)|independent]] [[county]] in [[Ancient Estonia]]. Now it is divided into [[Ida-Viru County]] or Eastern Vironia and [[Lääne-Viru County]] or Western Vironia. [[Vironians]] built many [[stronghold]]s, like [[Tarwanpe]] (modern [[Rakvere]]) and [[Agelinde]] (now Punamägi Hill in [[Äntu]] village).

Vironian was divided into five [[clan]]s (''kilikunda''), ''Maum'' (in Estonian "Mahu"), ''Laemund''  (Lemmu) also known as ''Pudiviru'', ''Askele'', ''Revele'' (Rebala), ''Alentagh'' (Alutaguse). Like other Estonian tribes, Vironians remained predominantly [[pagan]] before [[Northern Crusades]] in the 13th century.

== History ==

According to the [[Livonian Chronicle of Henry]], Vironians believed that Tharapita, a god worshipped by [[Œsel|Osilians]] (the tribe inhabiting [[Saaremaa]]) was born in Vironia. However, Vironian elder Thabelin of Pudiviru had endorsed Christianity before the German and Danish crusaders reached Estonia. Thabelin (Tabellinus) was baptized by Germans in [[Gotland]] island. Later, when competing Danish crusaders arrived to Vironia, Thabelin was suspected of being too pro-German and hanged.

In 1219, the German crusaders of the [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword]] made a raid against Vironians together with recently christened [[Latvians|Letts]], [[Livonians]], and several proto-Estonian tribes ([[Sakalians]], [[Ugaunians]] and [[Jervians]]). After five days of killing and pillaging, Kyriavan, Thabelin and other Vironian elders asked for a truce. According to the chronicle, Kyriavan told he had a "very bad god" before and therefore was ready to accept the Christian god. After truce was made, Vironian elders accepted Christianity. Some sons of elders from all five Vironian clans were taken hostages by the crusaders as part of the truce. In 1221, Vironians took part in failed attempt to oust Danes who had built a fortress in the place of modern [[Tallinn]] in the neighboring province of [[Revelia]]. Danes retaliated, killed several Vironian elders and put Vironians under heavy taxes.

In 1225, Danes and German crusaders clashed with each other over the ownership of Vironia. In 1226, The [[papal legate]] [[William of Modena]] arrived to Vironian stronghold of [[Tarwanpe]] and mediated peace between Germans, Danes and Estonians. A year later the Vironian territories were taken by [[Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights|Brothers of the Sword]]. Vironians sided with the new Papal Legate [[Baldwin of Alna]] who in 1230 tried to create a Papal Vassal State in Northern Estonia, including Vironia. In 1233, the supporters of Baldwin were defeated by the Order in the city of Reval (Tallinn). Vironian territories were snatched by the Order again as Baldwin of Alna complained in his report to the Pope in 1234. The Order was also accused of oppressing Vironian converts and expelling local supporters of Church.

[[Image:Medieval Livonia 1260.svg|right|200px|thumb|Vironia to [[Denmark]] ([[Danish Estonia]]).]]

In 1238, Vironia was given to Denmark again according to the [[:da:Stensby-aftalen|Treaty of Stensby]]. The area went into hands of powerful vassals of Danish king, many of which were of local origin, like Dietrich of Kievel (probably 'Kivela' - 'land of stone' in Estonian) who controlled Eastern part of Vironia, where he started to build the stronghold of [[Narva]]. Vironians and Vironian vassals took part in Order's and Denmark's failed crusade against [[Novgorod Republic]] 1240-1242. The names ''Virumaa'', ''Vironia'' and ''Virland'' have been continuously used for the North-Eastern Estonia. For example, in 1266, [[Margaret Sambiria]], [[Queen dowager|Dowager Queen]] of Denmark was named the Lady of Estonia and Virland.

== Parishes ==
*[[Maum (parish)|Maum]] (Mahu)
*[[Laemund]] (Lemmu, also known as [[Pudiviru]])
*Askælæ (Äskälä)
*Repel (Rebala)
*Alentagh (Alutaguse)

== See also ==

*[[Danish Estonia]]
*[[Kunda culture]]
*[[Livonian Crusade]]
*[[Vironians]]
*[[List of Estonian rulers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ee_stud.html The flag of Vironia (see: Vironia)]
{{Historic counties of Estonia}}

[[Category:Ancient counties of Estonia]]
[[Category:Ida-Viru County]]
[[Category:Lääne-Viru County]]