{"slug": "baltic-sea", "label": "Baltic Sea", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Sea", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q545", "qid": "Q545", "description": "inland sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean basin", "entries": 37, "years": 33, "span": [-324, 1994], "span_label": ["325 BCE", "1994 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 11}, {"title": "Disasters & Accidents", "count": 9}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 6}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 4}, {"title": "Culture & Society", "count": 2}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 2}, {"title": "Technology & Infrastructure", "count": 2}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 1}], "also_known_as": [], "related": [{"slug": "great-northern-war", "label": "Great Northern War", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "north-sea", "label": "North Sea", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "estonia", "label": "Estonia", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "saaremaa", "label": "Saaremaa", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "teutonic-order", "label": "Teutonic Order", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "sweden", "label": "Sweden", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "holy-roman-empire", "label": "Holy Roman Empire", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "polishlithuanian-commonwealth", "label": "Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "denmarknorway", "label": "Denmark–Norway", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "peter-the-great", "label": "Peter the Great", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "latvia", "label": "Latvia", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "electorate-of-saxony", "label": "Electorate of Saxony", "shared": 2}], "items": [{"year": -324, "year_label": "325 BCE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "(around this year) – Pytheas made a voyage of naval exploration to northwestern Europe, reaching Britain and the Baltic Sea, and mentioning Thule as the furthest island to the north in the Atlantic.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372590647#Europe", "title": "325 BC", "revid": 1372590647, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 808, "year_label": "808 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Viking Age: First Viking raid, by Danes against the Baltic coast. Godfred destroys the Slav settlement of Reric (near present-day Wismar), used as a strategic trade route. The population is displaced or abducted, to Hedeby (Denmark).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340848803#Europe", "title": "AD 808", "revid": 1340848803, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 853, "year_label": "853 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Danish Vikings attempt to subjugate the Curonians on the shoreline of the Baltic Sea, but they are repulsed. King Olof leads Swedish Vikings in retaliation, and attacks the towns of Seeburg and Apuolė (modern Courland).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1267072185#Europe", "title": "853", "revid": 1267072185, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 980, "year_label": "980 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 11", "text": "June 11 – Vladimir I (the Great), grand prince of Kiev, consolidates the Kievan realm from modern Ukraine to the Baltic Sea. Vladimir is proclaimed ruler (knyaz) of all Kievan Rus'.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364109392#Europe", "title": "980", "revid": 1364109392, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 997, "year_label": "997 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "April 23", "text": "April 23 – Adalbert, exiled bishop of Prague, organises a mission to convert the Old Prussians in north-east Poland. On his way, Adalbert is murdered by pagans on the Baltic coast. His body is bought back for its weight in gold by Duke Bolesław I (the Brave).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364468397#Religion", "title": "997", "revid": 1364468397, "section": "Events › By topic › Religion"}}, {"year": 1008, "year_label": "1008 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Olaf Haraldsson, future king of Norway, makes raids in the Baltic Sea. He lands on the Estonian island of Saaremaa, wins a battle there, and forces the inhabitants to pay tribute.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1341910052#Europe", "title": "1008", "revid": 1341910052, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1210, "year_label": "1210 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "November 21", "text": "November 21 – Eric X is crowned – which is the first known coronation of a Swedish king. He strengthens his relationship with his brother-in-law, King Valdemar II of Denmark (\"the Conqueror\"). Shortly after, Valdemar conquers Danzig (modern-day Gdańsk) on the Baltic coast, and Eastern Pomerania from the Slavonic Wends.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1321284058#Europe", "title": "1210", "revid": 1321284058, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1237, "year_label": "1237 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Livonian Crusade: The Livonian Brothers of the Sword are absorbed into the Teutonic Order, as the autonomous Livonian Order. An Estonian rebellion begins on Saaremaa Island (located in the Baltic Sea).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1300110077#Europe", "title": "1237", "revid": 1300110077, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1259, "year_label": "1259 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "The German cities of Lübeck, Wismar, and Rostock enter into a pact to defend against pirates of the Baltic Sea, laying the groundwork for the Hanseatic League.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362482647#Europe", "title": "1259", "revid": 1362482647, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1270, "year_label": "1270 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "February 16", "text": "February 16 – Livonian Crusade - Battle of Karuse: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order decisively, on the frozen surface of the Baltic Sea.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362480805#Europe", "title": "1270", "revid": 1362480805, "section": "Events › Europe"}}, {"year": 1308, "year_label": "1308 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "November 13", "text": "November 13 – The Teutonic Knights capture Gdańsk by treachery – while a Brandenburger force of 100 knights and 200 followers led by Heinrich von Plötzke and Günther von Schwarzburg lay siege to the city. The garrison of Gdańsk castle is too weak to defend itself against the Brandenburgers. Meanwhile, the Polish ruler of Gdańsk Pomerania, Władysław I Łokietek (\"Wladyslaw the Elbow-High\"), is unable to send reinforcements. The citizens call upon the Teutonic Knights for military help and offer to pay their costs. The arrival of the knights, lead the Brandenburgers to beat a hasty retreat. In an act of supreme treachery, the Teutonic Knights attack the city they have come to save. The houses of both Polish and German are burnt and destroyed. Many people are slaughtered without mercy, including women and children who have sought sanctuary in churches. Within a year, the German Crusaders occupy the whole of Eastern Pomerania and consolidate their power at the Baltic Sea.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367315343#October_–_December", "title": "1308", "revid": 1367315343, "section": "Events › October – December"}}, {"year": 1370, "year_label": "1370 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "May 24", "text": "May 24 – The Treaty of Stralsund ends the second war between Denmark and the Hanseatic League, an alliance of market towns across northern Europe along the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370872148#April–June", "title": "1370", "revid": 1370872148, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1409, "year_label": "1409 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen of the Teutonic Knights guarantees peace with the Kalmar Union of Scandinavia by selling the Baltic Sea island of Gotland to Queen Margaret of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1361998092#Date_unknown", "title": "1409", "revid": 1361998092, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}, {"year": 1564, "year_label": "1564 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "May 31", "text": "May 31 – The Swedish warship Mars, flagship of the Swedish Navy, catches fire while fighting against the navy of Denmark in the battle of Öland off of the coast of the island of the same name in the Baltic Sea, and sinks along with its crew of 350 sailors and 450 soldiers it had been transporting. The wreckage of the ship will go undiscovered for 447 years until being found on August 19, 2011.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1363117508#April–June", "title": "1564", "revid": 1363117508, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1643, "year_label": "1643 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "January", "text": "Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna issues an order that all archives, letters, and records seized during military campaigns must be inventoried, secured, and transported across the Baltic Sea to the Imperial Archives in Stockholm.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1318356785#January", "title": "1643 in Sweden", "revid": 1318356785, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 1659, "year_label": "1659 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "May 21", "text": "21 May – Signing of the Concert of The Hague, an outline of the common stance of England, France and the Dutch Republic regarding the Second Northern War. The powers agree that the Swedish and Denmark shall settle for a peace treaty based on the Treaty of Roskilde, including free navigation through The Sound and the Baltic Sea based on the Treaty of Elbing. The subsequent Dano-Swedish Peace of Copenhagen largely followed the terms dictated by the Concert of the Hague.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1342966388", "title": "1659 in Denmark", "revid": 1342966388, "section": "Events › April"}}, {"year": 1700, "year_label": "1700 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "February 12", "text": "February 12 – The Great Northern War begins with a joint invasion of Swedish territory in Germany and Latvia by Denmark and Poland/Saxony. Sweden has control of the Baltic Sea and holds territory that includes Finland, Estonia, Latvia and parts of northern Germany. To challenge its power, an alliance is formed between Tsar Peter I of Russia, King Frederick IV of Denmark and Augustus II the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. Sweden's ruler is the militaristic Charles XII, known as the \"Swedish Meteor\".", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1323720034#Events", "title": "1700 in Sweden", "revid": 1323720034, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1700, "year_label": "1700 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "February 22", "text": "February 22 (Gregorian), February 12 (Julian) – The Great Northern War begins with a joint invasion of Swedish territory in Germany and Latvia, by Denmark and Poland/Saxony. Sweden has control of the Baltic Sea and holds territory that includes Finland, Estonia, Latvia and parts of northern Germany. To challenge its power, an alliance is formed between Tsar Peter I of Russia, King Frederick IV of Denmark and Augustus II the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. Sweden's ruler is the militaristic Charles XII, known as the \"Swedish Meteor\".", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366570351#January–March", "title": "1700", "revid": 1366570351, "section": "Events › January–March"}}, {"year": 1715, "year_label": "1715 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "April 24", "text": "April 24 – The Battle of Fehmarn takes place in the Baltic Sea as part of the Great Northern War. Ten warships of Denmark, under the command of Christian Gabel, overwhelm a force of Swedish Navy ships led by Carl Wachtmeister. By the time the battle ends the next day, five Swedish ships and 1,626 crewmen have been captured, and another 353 killed. The Danish navy suffers 65 deaths.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1355668843#April–June", "title": "1715", "revid": 1355668843, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1719, "year_label": "1719 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "July 11", "text": "July 11 – Russia's Baltic Sea fleet is first spotted from the Swedish coast, starting the Russian Pillage of 1719–21 as part of the Great Northern War.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365415998#July–September", "title": "1719", "revid": 1365415998, "section": "Events › July–September"}}, {"year": 1790, "year_label": "1790 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "July 9", "text": "July 9 – Russo-Swedish War – Second Battle of Svensksund: In a massive Baltic Sea battle of 300 ships, the Swedish Navy captures one third of the Russian galley fleet: 304 Swedes are killed, 3,500 Russians killed and 6,000 captured, 51 Russian galleys and other rowing craft are sunk and 22 are taken.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1361336081#July–September", "title": "1790", "revid": 1361336081, "section": "Events › July–September"}}, {"year": 1895, "year_label": "1895 CE", "section": "Technology & Infrastructure", "date": "June 21", "text": "June 21 – The Kiel Canal, connecting the North Sea to the Baltic across the base of the Jutland peninsula in Germany, is officially opened.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364324653#June", "title": "1895", "revid": 1364324653, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1899, "year_label": "1899 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 15", "text": "June 15 – Sweden's Department of Foreign Affairs hosts a conference for delegates from Germany, Denmark, Norway, the UK, the Netherlands, Russia and Sweden to make agreements on fishing in the Arctic Ocean, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371393177#June", "title": "1899", "revid": 1371393177, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1915, "year_label": "1915 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "October 23", "text": "October 23 – WWI: The torpedoing of armored cruiser SMS Prinz Adalbert results in only 3 men being rescued from a crew of 675, the greatest single loss of life for the Imperial German Navy in the Baltic Sea during the war.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373518749#October", "title": "1915", "revid": 1373518749, "section": "Events › October"}}, {"year": 1918, "year_label": "1918 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "December 5", "text": "December 5 – Estonian War of Independence: The British light cruiser HMS Cassandra strikes a mine and sinks near Saaremaa in the Baltic Sea, killing 11 sailors.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373520023#December", "title": "1918", "revid": 1373520023, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 1919, "year_label": "1919 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "August 18", "text": "August 18 – Russian Civil War: North Russia intervention – The Bolshevik fleet at Kronstadt, protecting Petrograd on the Baltic Sea, is substantially damaged by British Royal Navy Coastal Motor Boats (torpedo boats) and military aircraft in a combined operation.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373508849#August", "title": "1919", "revid": 1373508849, "section": "Events › August"}}, {"year": 1920, "year_label": "1920 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "February 10", "text": "February 10 – General Józef Haller first performs Poland's Wedding to the Sea, a symbolic celebration of the restitution of Polish access to the Baltic Sea.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369258210#February", "title": "1920", "revid": 1369258210, "section": "Events › February"}}, {"year": 1933, "year_label": "1933 CE", "section": "Technology & Infrastructure", "date": "August 2", "text": "August 2 – The White Sea–Baltic Canal, Stalin's 227 km ship canal constructed using forced labour in the Soviet Union, opens, connecting the White Sea with Lake Onega and the Baltic.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371108771#August", "title": "1933", "revid": 1371108771, "section": "Events › August"}}, {"year": 1942, "year_label": "1942 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "September", "text": "September - sweden place explosion mine in baltic sea shipping route to defend the ship from Soviet and german", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371903131#Events", "title": "1942 in Sweden", "revid": 1371903131, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1945, "year_label": "1945 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "January 30", "text": "January 30 – MV Wilhelm Gustloff, with over 10,000 mainly civilian Germans from Gotenhafen (Gdynia) is sunk in Gdańsk Bay by three torpedoes from Soviet submarine S-13 in the Baltic Sea; up to 9,400, 5,000 of whom are children, are thought to have died – the greatest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371513862#January", "title": "1945", "revid": 1371513862, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 1945, "year_label": "1945 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "April 16", "text": "April 16 – MV Goya is sunk by Soviet submarine L-3 in the Baltic Sea while evacuating German troops and civilians as part of Operation Hannibal; 7,000–8,000 drown.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371513862#April", "title": "1945", "revid": 1371513862, "section": "Events › April"}}, {"year": 1952, "year_label": "1952 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "June 13", "text": "June 13 – \"Catalina affair\": Soviet MiG-15 fighter planes shoot down a Swedish military Douglas C-47 Skytrain, carrying out signals intelligence gathering operations over the Baltic Sea, killing all 8 crew; three days later they shoot down a Catalina flying boat, searching for possible survivors.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373187098#May–June", "title": "1952", "revid": 1373187098, "section": "Events › May–June"}}, {"year": 1952, "year_label": "1952 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "June 13", "text": "June 13 — Catalina affair: Two Swedish aircraft are shot down by Soviet fighter jets over the Baltic.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1320020597#June", "title": "1952 in the Soviet Union", "revid": 1320020597, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1979, "year_label": "1979 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "February 27", "text": "February 27 – The Soviet oil tanker Antonio Gramsci suffers a minor shipwreck in shallow waters shortly after leaving shore in Ventspils, resulting in a 5,000 ton oil spill, the largest that has ever occurred on the Baltic Sea.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371786119#February", "title": "1979", "revid": 1371786119, "section": "Events › February"}}, {"year": 1993, "year_label": "1993 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "January 14", "text": "January 14 – The Polish ferry MS Jan Heweliusz sinks off the coast of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, killing 54 people.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366430372#January", "title": "1993", "revid": 1366430372, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 1994, "year_label": "1994 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "September 28", "text": "September 28 – The car ferry MS Estonia sinks in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369917016#September", "title": "1994", "revid": 1369917016, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 1994, "year_label": "1994 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "September 28", "text": "28 September – Sinking of the MS Estonia: the car ferry MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea, killing 852.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1320477074#Events", "title": "1994 in Estonia", "revid": 1320477074, "section": "Events"}}]}