After the failed Saint George’s Night Uprising, Denmark sold its Estonian territories, Harria and Vironia, to the Teutonic Order for 10,000 marks in 1346. The Teutonic Order then transferred control of these areas to its branch, the Livonian Order, consolidating Germanic rule over the region.
Under the rule of the Teutonic and Livonian Orders, Estonia became part of Terra Mariana, governed by a coalition of the Livonian Order and ecclesiastical authorities. The German nobility, which already held power, solidified their dominance, while the native Estonian population was subjected to increased taxation, forced labor, and economic exploitation. The Catholic Church maintained strict religious control, and the construction of manor estates expanded, further entrenching the feudal system. This period, characterized by the rigid control of the foreign ruling class, lasted until the collapse of the Livonian Confederation in the 16th century.