These are lists of political office-holders in

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

Overview

The ancient counties (''maakond'') and parishes (''kihelkond'') were headed by ''Seniores'' and ''Meliores'' (Elders) as noted by

Henry of Livonia Henry of Latvia (; ; ; ; 1187 – ), also known as Henry of Livonia, was a priest, missionary and historian. He wrote the '' Livonian Chronicle of Henry'' which describes the evangelization of the regions which are now part of Estonia and Latvi ...

. The administrative jurisdiction of the parish and county elders was limited, the counties themselves remained autonomous until the Teutonic and Danish conquest of Estonia in the 13th century. Ending with the

states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

and the rulers of states (starting from the time of the first successful Danish conquest in 1219) who either ruled or laid claims of

sovereignty Sovereignty can generally be defined as supreme authority. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within a state as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the person, body or institution that has the ultimate au ...

over some parts of the territory of present-day

, as well as the leaders of the independent

Republic of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

since 1918.

Ancient counties

Alempois

Title: Elder (-1224)

Harju

Title: Elder (-1224)

Järva

Title: Elder (-1224)

Jogentagana Jogentagana (Latin: ''Jogentagania'') was a small landlocked ancient Estonian county in the eastern part of the territory of Estonia. It was conquered by the Teutonic Order in the Estonian Crusade and became part of the Livonian Order. Settleme ...

Title: Elder (-1224)

Läänemaa

Title: Elder (-1224)

Mõhu Mõhu was a small landlocked ancient Estonian county in the central part of the territory of Estonia. It was later conquered by the Teutonic Order during the Estonian Crusade. See also *Livonian Crusade The Livonian crusade consists of th ...

Title: Elder (-1224)

Nurmekund Nurmekund (Low German: ''Nurmegunde'') was a small independent country (ancient Estonian county) on the north coast of Lake Võrtsjärv in Central Estonia, bordered by Sakala, Alempois, Järvamaa, Mõhu, and Ugandi. Nurmekund had an area of ...

Title: Elder (-1224)

Revala Revala (also ''Rävälä'', , by Henry of Livonia ''Revele'', by Danish Census Book ''Revælæ'') was an Ancient Estonian county. It was located in northern Estonia, by the Gulf of Finland and corresponded roughly to the present territory of H ...

Title: Elder (-1224)

Saaremaa Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring , its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hi ...

Title: Elder – It is probable that these men, whose names appear on a treaty with the Order of the Brethren of the Sword in 1251, were the chiefs of administrative units on Saaremaa, Muhu, and Sõrve. Their "signatures" were, in all likelihood, phonetically "Latinized" by the authors of the document. * Ylle * Culle * Enu * Muntelene * Tappete * Yalde *

Melete In Greek mythology, Melete () was one of the three original Boeotian muses before the Nine Olympian Muses were founded. Her sisters were Aoede and Mneme. She was the muse of thought and meditation. Melete literally means "ponder" and "cont ...

Cake Cake is a flour confection usually made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elabor ...

Sakala

Title: Elder (-1223) * before 1211–21 September 1217

Lembitu Lembitu (Estonian language, Estonian also: Lembit, died 21 September 1217) was an ancient Estonian senior (Elder (administrative title), elder) from Sakala County and military leader in the struggle against Livonian crusade, conquest of the Est ...

* 21 September 1217 – ? Unnepeve * Meeme

Ugandi Ugandi (Latin: ''Ungannia'' or ''Ugaunia''; ; Low German: ''Uggn'') was an Independence, independent county between the east coast of Lake Võrtsjärv and west coast of Lake Pskov, bordered by Vaiga, Mõhu, Nurmekund, Sackalia, Sakala, Tālava ...

Title: Elder (-1224)

Vaiga Vaiga was a small landlocked ancient Estonian county in the eastern part of the territory of Estonia. It territory now belongs to the eastern part of Jõgeva County. See also *Livonian Crusade The Livonian crusade consists of the various ...

Title: Elder (-1224)

Virumaa Virumaa (; Low German: ''Wierland''; Old Norse: ''Virland'') is a former independent county in Ancient Estonia. Now it is divided into Ida-Viru County or Eastern Vironia and Lääne-Viru County or Western Vironia. Vironians built many strongh ...

Title: Elder (-1224) * Kyriavanus * Tabelinus

Danish dukes of Estonia

Masters and bishops of the Livonian Order

Masters of the Livonian Order

Bishops of Riga

Bishops of Leal

Bishops of Dorpat

Prince-Bishops of Ösel-Wiek

Swedish dukes of Estonia

Imperial Russian governorates of Reval and Estonia (1721–1917)

The

Reval Governorate Reval Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') and one of the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire, which existed from 1719 to 1783. Its capital was in Reval (Tallinn). History Reval Governorate was originally ...

and the

Governorate of Estonia The Governorate of Estonia, also known as the Esthonia (Estland) Governorate, was a province (''guberniya'') and one of the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire. It was located in the northern Estonia with some islands in the West Estoni ...

were part of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

(1721–1917).

Tsars and Emperors of Russia (1721–1917)

Governors of Reval (1721–1796)

Governors of Estonia (1796–1917)

World War I temporary governments

Russian Provisional Government, 1917

Title:

Chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

(1917) * Georgy Evgenyevich Lvov (15 March (2 March) – 21 July (8 July) 1917) Title:

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

(1917) *

Alexander Kerensky Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky ( – 11 June 1970) was a Russian lawyer and revolutionary who led the Russian Provisional Government and the short-lived Russian Republic for three months from late July to early November 1917 ( N.S.). After th ...

(21 July (8 July) – 7 November (25 October) 1917)

Soviet Executive Committee of Estonia 1917

(

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

'' de facto'') Title: Chairman of the Soviet Executive Committee of Estonia (''Eestimaa Nõukogude Täitevkomitee esimees'') (1917–18) * Jaan Anvelt (5 November (23 October) 1917 – 4 March 1918) (

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...

'') Title: Gouvernement Commissioner (''Kubermangukomissar'') (1917–18) * Jaan Poska (28 November (15 November) 1917 – 24 February 1918)

Republic of Estonia

State Elders of Estonia (1920–1937/8)

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia (1990–1992)

Title: Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia (in the body of Soviet Union) (1990–91) *

Arnold Rüütel Arnold Rüütel (, 10 May 1928 – 31 December 2024) was an Estonian politician. He was the third President of Estonia from 8 October 2001 to 9 October 2006. Rüütel was the second president of the country after the end of the 1944–1991 Sovie ...

(8 May 1990 – 20 August 1991) Title: Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia (''Eesti Vabariigi Ülemnõukogu esimees'') (1991–92) *

(20 August 1991 – 6 October 1992)

President of the Republic (1938–1940; 1992–present)

Prime Ministers of Estonia (1918–1944; 1990–present)

Acting Prime Ministers in exile (1953–1992)

United Baltic Duchy

Title: Regent Councillor (1918) * Adolf Pilar von Pilchau (9–19 November 1918)

Commune of the Working People of Estonia

Title: Chairman of the Council of The Commune of the Working People of Estonia (''Eesti Töörahva Komuuna Nõukogu esimees'') (1918–19) * Jaan Anvelt (29 November 1918 – 5 June 1919)

Estonia during the Soviet occupation

Title: Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Estonian SSR (''Eesti NSV Ülemnõukogu Presiidiumi esimees'') (1940–88) * Johannes Vares-Barbarus (21 July 1940 – 29 November 1946) *

Nigol Andresen Nigol Andresen (pen name, Ormi Arp; 2 October 1899 Haljala Parish, Wierland County – 24 February 1985 Tartu) was an Estonian and Soviet Union, Soviet politician, writer, literary critic, and translator. He was a member of V Riigikogu. He carri ...

(1946–47) * Eduard Päll (1947–50) * August Jakobson (1950–58) * Johan Eichfeld (1958–61) * Aleksei Müürisepp (1961 – 7 October 1970) * Aleksander Ansberg (1970) *

Artur Vader Artur Vader (16 February 1920 – 25 May 1978) was the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1970 – 1978. He was born in Gorbovo, Liozna District, Vitebsk Region, Byelorussian SSR. He ...

(22 December 1970 – 25 May 1978) * Meta Vannas (acting chairman; 1978) *

Johannes Käbin Johannes Käbin (), also known by his Russified name Ivan Gustavovich Kebin (; 24 September 1905 – 25 October 1999), was an Estonian Soviet politician who led the Communist Party of Estonia from 1950 to 1978. Käbin was an ethnic Estonian but h ...

(1978–83) *

(8 April 1983 – 8 May 1990) Title: Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia (1990–1992) *

(8 May 1990 – 6 October 1992)

Soviet Union

Title: Secretary General of the Central Committee of the

Communist Party of the Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),. Abbreviated in Russian as КПСС, ''KPSS''. at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (RCP), All-Union Communist Party and Bolshevik Party, and sometimes referred to as the Soviet ...

(1940–91) *

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

(1940–53) *

Nikita Khrushchev Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and the Premier of the Soviet Union, Chai ...

(1953–64) *

Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (19 December 190610 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until Death and state funeral of Leonid Brezhnev, his death in 1982 as w ...

(1964–82) *

Yuri Andropov Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov ( – 9 February 1984) was a Soviet politician who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from late 1982 until his death in 1984. He previously served as the List of Chairmen of t ...

(1982–84) *

Konstantin Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko ( – 10 March 1985) was a Soviet politician who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1984 until his death a year later. Born to a poor family in Siberia, Chernenko jo ...

(1984–85) *

Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who served as the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country's dissolution in 1991. He served a ...

(1985–91)

Reichskommissariat Ostland

Title: ''Führer und Reichskanzler'' (1941–44) *

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

(7 July 1941 – 24 November 1944) Title: ''Generalkomissar für Estland'' (1941–44) * Karl-Siegmund Litzmann (5 December 1941 – 18 September 1944) Title: ''Eesti Omavalitsuse juht'' (1941–45) *

Hjalmar Mäe Hjalmar-Johannes Mäe ( in Tuhala, Kreis Harrien, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire – 10 April 1978 in Graz, Austria) was an Estonian politician. Mäe was twice a candidate to the Riigikogu, in the 1929 Estonian parliamentary election as a ...

(15 September 1941 – 4 January 1945)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Estonia, political office-holders in Estonia history-related lists

Political office-holders Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of status or resources. The branch of social science that studies politic ...