Oesel Noble Corporation
The island of Oesel (Saaremaa) was conquered by crusaders between in 1227. During this period most of the island and the county of Wiek (Läänemaa) on neighboring mainland, became episcopal property, while the island of Moon (Muhu) and the eastern section of Oesel fell to the Teutonic Order. In 1238, the Seeland Convention recognized the Oesel Noble Corporation's right of co-govern the territory with the episcopal chapter.
The island and its noble corporation were subordinated to the Kings of Denmark from 1560 to 1645, to the Swedish Crown from 1645 to 1713, and the Russian Tsar between 1713 and 1917. In 1920 the newly independent Republic of Estonia abolished the institution of nobility and its privileges, liquidating the Oesel Noble Corporation and expropriating the vast majority of their estates.
Read more about this topic: Baltic Noble Corporations
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