ESTONIA IN THE TSARISTIC PERIOD



In the 14th century Estonia was ruled by the Germans, the "Livonian Order". In 1466 the Livonian Order became tributary to the Polish king.
From 1561 Sweden ruled Estonia to 1709. Then Peter the Great of Russia defeated Carl XII of Sweden, and in 1721 (Peace of Nystad), Estlonia became officially Russian: divided into two governments, Estonia (north of contemporary Estonia) with the capital Reval (Tallinn) and Livonia (south of present Estonia and the north of present Latvia), with the capital Riga.

Long there were no postmarks used in the Russian Empire: letters had been registered indeed. Sometimes the weight and the received amount had been noticed on the backside of the letter.
However in some places already used, there came in 1782 official postmarks, which has been introduced as proof that the correct tariff is received.
In the postal regulations of 22 oktober 1830 has been decreeted that all letters, both by sending and arrival, must get a postmark with place and date.
And talking about dates: the Russian Empire uses to february 1918 the old Julian calender and by dates in association with this period I do also this. For our calendar, which the most countries also used in that period, there must 12 days count in for the period 1800-1899, and 13 days for the period after 1900.
Introduction of postage stamps: 1857. With this also the necessity of cancellation comes into existence. In the beginning still postmarks of the former period were used for this until the introduction of number-cancellations. Greater places, so the capitals of the governments, get a number, surrounded by points in the form of a circle. For Reval this was the mumber "37". For the backside also still the old postmarks were used.

ONE-RING-POSTMARKS


After 1860: one-ring-postmarks with only cyrillic letters (only Moscow and St. Petersburg became a double-ring-postmark).
The older postnarks have at the top the place name, under it month in cyrillic letters, underneath year. At the bottom an ornament. By more little places the name of government came in the place of the ornament.

In later postmarks thre comes to stay more information. After the suggestion of the U.P.U., the Russian post introduced Roman numerals for the month. The date came on three lines (after 1890):


This postmark gives already more information than the early on-ring-postmarks.

DOUBLE-RING-POSTMARKS


From 1903 double-ring-postmarks are been used: circular nr. 9 of 3 februar 1903 introduced the double-ring-postmarks. The old postmarks are been replaced when the are worn out. Also there is been geven a detailed description of the new postmarks.
The postmarks consist of two rings, with the name of place between. Day-month-year stood now on one line (by the year "19" has been omitted. There came two sorts of postmarks: greater for the mail and more little for receipts.

1916:




DESTRUCTION-POSTMARKS



On 16 oktober 1908 circular nr. 75 of the Post and Telegraph Department came out with the announcement of special postmarks. These postmarks punctured really the stamps and they were intended to use for moneytransfer-forms and pakket-labels. For letters and cards these postmarks were not suited, because then the contents should be damaged. In the great places double-ring-postmarks provided with pins were used for this. The intention was of course opposing of re-use of postage stamps with high values. As time goes on points were used instead of pins for the possibilty to use them also for letters and cards.

CHURCH LETTER



In the russian Empire letters from churches were free of postage. Churches had a special stamp for it:

On the foreside of this letter, we see the postmark of Pernau (Pärnu in Estonian):

Periodicals:
HBG = Het Baltische Gebied[in Dutch]
Lituania [in German]

De eerste spoorwegpost in het Baltisch gebied / S. Reurich In: Op het spoor van Oost-Europa. - Maarssen : Vereniging "Filatelistische Contactgroep Oost-Europa", cop. 1992. - p. 67-86
Eesti Estonia : philately & postal history / Vambola Hurt, Elmar Ojaste [S.l.] : Estonian Philatelic Society in Sweden, 1986. -
Russian postmarks : an introduction and guide / A.V. Kiryushkin and P.E. Robinson [S.l.] : J. Barefoot, cop. 1989. - 110 p.


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