CHAPTER XI.

THE BALTIC LANDS.

Lands beyond the two Empires; the British islands; Scandinavia; Spain 462-463

_Quasi_-imperial position of certain powers 462-463

Comparison of Scandinavia and Spain; of Aragon and Sweden 463-464

Eastern and Western aspect of Scandinavia 464

General view of the Baltic lands; the Northern Slavonic lands, their relations to Germany and Hungary 465

Characteristics of Poland and Russia 465

The primitive nations, Aryan and non-Aryan 455-466

Central position of the North-Slavonic lands; barbarian neighbours of Russia and Scandinavia; Russian conquest and colonization by land 467

Relation of the Baltic lands to the two Empires; Norway always independent; relations of Sweden and Denmark to the Western Empire 467

The Western Empire and the West-Slavonic lands; relations of Poland to the Western Empire 467

Relations of Russia to the Eastern Church and Empire; Imperial style of Russia 468

§ 1. _The Scandinavian Lands after the Separation of the Empires._

The Baltic still mainly held by the earlier races; formation of the Scandinavian kingdom 468-499

Formation of the Danish kingdom; its extent; frontier of the Eider; the Danish march 469

Use of the name _Northmen_; formation of the kingdom of Norway 469-470

The Swedes and Gauts; the Swedish kingdom 470

Its fluctuations towards Norway and Denmark; its growth towards the north 470

Western conquests and settlements of the Danes and Northmen 471

Settlements in Britain and Gaul 471

Settlements in Orkney, Man, Iceland, Ireland, &c. 471

Expeditions to the East; Danish occupation of Samland; Jomsburg 471

Swedish conquest of Curland; Scandinavians in Russia 472

§ 2. _The Lands East and South of the Baltic at the Separation of the Empires._

Slaves between Elbe and Dnieper; their lack of sea-board 472-473

Kingdom of Samo; Great Moravia 473

Four Slavonic groups 473-474

Polabic group; Sorabi, Leuticii, Obotrites; their relations to the Empire 474-475

Early conquest of the Sorabi; marks of Meissen and Lusatia; long resistance of the Leuticians; takings of Branibor; mark of Brandenburg 475-476

Mark of the Billungs; kingdom of Sclavinia; house of Mecklenburg; relations to Denmark 476

Bohemia and Moravia; their relations to Poland, Hungary, and Germany 477

The Polish kingdom; its relations to Germany; rivalry of Poland and Russia 478

Lechs or Poles; their various tribes 478

Beginning of the Polish state; its conversion and relations to the Empire 479

Conquests of Boleslaf; union of the Northern Chrobatia with Poland 479

The Polish state survives, though divided 479-480

Relations of Russia to the Eastern Church and Empire; Russia created by the Scandinavian settlement; origin of the name 480

First centre at Novgorod; Russian advance; union of the Eastern Slaves 481

Second centre at Kief; the princes become Slavonic; attacks on Constantinople and Cherson 481-482

Conquests on the Caspian; isolation of Russia; Russian lands west of Dnieper 482

Russian principalities; supremacy of Kief 482

Supremacy of the northern Vladimir; commonwealths of Novgorod and Pskof; various principalities; kingdom of Halicz or Galicia 483

The Cuman power; Mongol invasion; Russia tributary to the Mongols; Russia represented by Novgorod 483-484

The earlier races; Finns in Livland and Esthland 484

The Lettic nations; Lithuania; Prussia 484

Survey in the twelfth century 485

§ 3. _German Dominion on the Baltic._

Time of Teutonic conquest on the Baltic; comparison of German and Scandinavian influence; German influence the stronger 485-486

Beginning of Swedish conquest in Finland; German conquest in Livland; its effect on Lithuania and Russia; the Military orders 487

Polish gains and losses 487

Character of the _Hansa_ 487

Temporary Swedish possession of Scania; union of Calmar; division and reunion; abiding union of Denmark and Norway 487-488

Union of Iceland with Norway; loss of the Scandinavian settlements in the British isles 488

Swedish advance in Finland 488

Temporary greatness of Denmark, settlement of Esthland; conquest of Sclavinia; Danish advance in Germany; Holstein, &c.; long retention of Rügen 488-490

Duchy of South-Jutland or Sleswick; its relations to Denmark and Holstein; royal and ducal lines; conquest of Ditmarschen 490-491

Effect of the Danish advance on the Slavonic lands; western losses of Poland; Pomerania; Silesia 491-492

Kingdom of Bohemia; dominion of Ottocar; the Luxemburg kings 492-493

Annexation of Silesia and Lusatia; territory lost to Matthias Corvinus 493

Union with Austria; later losses 493

German corporations; the Hansa; its nature; not strictly a territorial power 494-495

The Military Orders; Sword-brothers and Teutonic knights; their connexion with the Empire; effects of their rule 495

The Sword-brothers in Livland and Esthland; extent of their dominion 495-496

The Teutonic order in Prussia; union with the Sword-brothers; acquisition of Culm, Pomerelia, Samogitia, Gotland; the New Mark 496

Losses of the order; cession of Pomerelia and part of Prussia to Poland; the remainder a Polish fief 496-497

Advance of Christianity; Lithuania the last heathen power; its great advance 497-498

Consolidation of Poland; conquests of Casimir the Great; shiftings of Red Russia 498

Union of Poland and Lithuania; recovery of the Polish duchies; Lithuanian advance; closer union 498-499

Revival of Russia; power of Moscow; name of _Muscovy_ 499-500

Break-up of the Mongol power; the Khanats of Crim, Kazan, Siberia, Astrakhan 501

Deliverance of Russia; Crim dependent on the Turk 501

Advance of Moscow; annexation of Novgorod, &c.; Russia united and independent 501

Survey at the end of the fifteenth century 502

§ 4. _The Growth of Russia and Sweden._

Growth of Russia; creation of Prussia; temporary greatness of Sweden 503

Separation of the Prussian and Livonian knights; duchy of Prussia; union of Prussia and Brandenburg; Prussia independent of Poland 503-504

Fall of the Livonian knights; partition of their dominions; duchy of Curland; shares of Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and Russia 504

Greatest Baltic extent of Poland and Lithuania; union of Lublin 505

Advance of Russia; its order; the Euxine reached last 505-506

Recovery of Russian lands from Lithuania; Polish conquest of Russia; second Russian advance; Peace of Andraszovo; recovery of Kief 506

Russian superiority over the Cossacks; Podolia ceded to the Turk 506-507

Comparison of Swedish and Russian advance 507

Advance under and after Gustavus Adolphus; conquests from Russia and Poland; Ingermanland; Livland 507-508

Conquests from Denmark and Norway; Dago and Oesel; Scania, &c.; restoration of Trondhjem 508-509

Fiefs of Sweden within the Empire; Pomerania; Bremen and Verden 509

Fluctuations in the duchies; Danish possession of Oldenburg 509

Sweden after the peace of Oliva 510

Eastern advance of Russia; Kasan and Astrakhan; Siberia 511

§ 5. _The Decline of Sweden and Poland._

Decline of Sweden; extinction of Poland; kingdom of Prussia; empire of Russia 511-512

Russia on the Baltic; conquest of Livland, &c.; foundation of Saint Petersburg; advance in Finland 512

German losses of Sweden: Bremen, Verden, part of Pomerania 513

Union of the Gottorp lands and Denmark 513

First partition of Poland; recovery of lost lands by Russia; geographical union of Prussia and Brandenburg; Polish and Russian lands acquired by Austria 513-514

Second partition: Russian and Prussian shares 514

Third partition: extinction of Poland and Lithuania 514-515

No strictly Polish territory acquired by Russia; the old Poland passes to Prussia, Chrobatia to Austria 515

Russian advance on the Euxine, Azof; Crim; Jedisan 515-516

Temporary Russian advance on the Caspian; superiority over Georgia 516

Survey at the end of the eighteenth century 517

§ 6. _The Modern Geography of the Baltic Lands._

Effects of the fall of the Empire; incorporation of the German lands of Sweden and Denmark 518

Russian conquest of Finland 518

Union of Sweden and Norway; loss of Swedish Pomerania 518-519

Denmark enters the German Confederation for Holstein and Lauenburg; loss of these duchies and of Sleswick 519

Polish losses of Prussia; commonwealth of Danzig; Duchy of Warsaw 519-520

Polish territory recovered by Prussia; Russian kingdom of Poland; commonwealth of Cracow; its annexation by Austria 520

Fluctuation on the Moldavian border 521

Russian advance in the Caucasus and on the Caspian 521

Advance in Turkestan and Eastern Asia; extent and character of the Russian dominion 522-523

Russian America 523

Final survey of the Baltic lands 523-524