Lääne County (Estonian:Lääne maakond orLäänemaa, literally "Western land";German:Wiek;Latin:Rotalia) is one of the 15counties of Estonia. It is located in western Estonia and borders theBaltic Sea to the north,Harju County to the north-east,Rapla County to the east,Pärnu County to the south, and the island counties ofSaare andHiiu to the west. In January 2009 Lääne County had a population of 23,810 – constituting 2.0% of the total population in Estonia.[1]
The county is subdivided intomunicipalities. There is one urban municipality,Haapsalu (Estonian:linn – town) and 2 rural municipalities (Estonian:vallad – parishes) in Lääne County.
The Lääne deanery of Saare-Lääne Diocese of theEstonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in the county includes the Haapsalu St. John's congregation, Kullamaa St. John's congregation, Lääne-Nigula St. Nicholas' congregation, Martna St. Martin's congregation, Noarootsi St. Catherine's congregation, Nõva St. Olav's congregation, Piirsalu congregation and Ridala St. Mary Magdalene's .congregation.[6] Regarding theOrthodox congregations in the county, the St.Prince-Alexander.Nevsky congregation, subordinate to the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, is located in Haapsalu.[7]
Baptist congregations in the county operate in the following places: Haapsalu, Palivere, Ridala, Sutlepa, Vormsi and Mäevalla.[8] Also two Methodist congregations and an Adventist congregation operate in Haapsalu. A Pentecostal congregation operates in Palivere. There is also a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Haapsalu.
Religious affiliations in Lääne County, census 2000–2021*[9]
In the first centuries AD political and administrative subdivisions began to emerge in Estonia. Two larger subdivisions appeared: the parish (Estonian:kihelkond) and the county (Estonian:maakond). A parish consisted of several villages. Nearly all parishes had at least one fortress. The defense of the local area was directed by the highest official, the parish elder. A county was composed of several parishes, also headed by an elder. By the 13th century the following major districts had developed in Estonia:Saaremaa (Osilia), Läänemaa (Rotalia or Maritima),Harjumaa (Harria),Rävala (Revalia),Virumaa (Vironia),Järvamaa (Jervia),Sakala (Saccala), and Ugandi (Ugaunia).[10]
Läänemaa (Latin:Rotalia, Maritima,[10]Low German:Wiek) was anindependent country on the east coast of theBaltic Sea, bordered byRevala,Harjumaa,Alempois, andSakala. Läänemaa had an area of approximately 1900hides. Early in 1220 troops fromSweden, initially led by KingJohn I, had invaded Läänemaa. The Swedish army took theLihulastronghold and set up a smallgarrison. Swedish JarlKarl Döve and BishopKarl Magnusson ofLinköping, both from the powerfulHouse of Bjälbo, also remained in the castle. On August 8, 1220, the unitedŒselian and Rotalian armies encircled the castle at dawn. It was set ablaze in the course of the fierce battle that ensued. The Swedish troops tried to make their way out, but were killed on site apart from a few who succeeded in escaping toTallinn, held byDenmark. The Jarl, the Bishop, and almost 500 other Swedes were killed, leaving no Swedish presence in Estonia at all. The short-lived Swedish attempt to gain foothold in Estonia was motivated by the quicklyadvancing Danish and Low German crusaders who had been able to conquer most of the area in the early 13th century. Defeat in theBattle of Lihula discouraged the Swedish expansion toEstonia for more than 300 years, and the country was left for theTeutonic Knights, Low German Bishops and Denmark to divide. In the meantime, Sweden focused onFinland and theSwedish-Novgorodian Wars. After theLivonian Crusade Läänemaa became the main territory of theBishopric of Ösel-Wiek, an independent Bishopric. Parts of theBishop's castle are still preserved inHaapsalu.
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