During the Viking Age, Estonia was a focal point for both trade and conflict, involving Scandinavian and local tribes, particularly the Oeselians from Saaremaa. The Heimskringla saga recounts an event from 967, where Norwegian Queen Astrid and her young son, Olaf Tryggvason (the future king of Norway), were attacked by Oeselian Vikings while fleeing to Novgorod. Some of the crew were killed, and others, including Olaf, were taken into slavery. Olaf was later freed when his uncle, Sigurd Eirikson, recognized him during a tax collection trip to Estonia.
Baltic tribes, c. 1200. © Marija Gimbutas
The Oeselians, known for their seafaring and piracy, often clashed with other Viking groups. A battle between Oeselian and Icelandic Vikings near Saaremaa is described in Njál's Saga, taking place in 972. Around 1008, Olaf the Holy (later king of Norway) led a raid on Saaremaa. Although initially successful in negotiations, the Oeselians launched a surprise attack, but Olaf claimed victory in the battle that followed.
The Chudes, an early name for Estonians, are mentioned in Old East Slavic chronicles as being involved in the foundation of the Rus’ state in the 9th century. By 1030, Yaroslav the Wise of Kievan Rus invaded Estonian lands, establishing the fort of Yuriev (modern-day Tartu).
Throughout the 11th century, Scandinavians increasingly encountered the Vikings from the eastern Baltic, including Estonians, in battle. As Christianity spread and centralized power grew in Scandinavia and Germany, these interactions laid the groundwork for the later Baltic Crusades, where German, Danish, and Swedish forces would subjugate and Christianize the Estonian tribes by the early 13th century.