The Baltic States

= Prince bishoprics = Livonian order = Teutonic order	= Duke Magnus' lands = Courland = Prussia	= Estonia = Latvia = Lithuania

The Baltic region was Christianised during the 13^th century by German crusaders who created several petty states that was held together in a loose confederation led by the Teutonic order. Lithuania escaped that fate and created a state of their own that would evolve into a great power and later unite with Poland. The confederation collapsed during the 16^th century and its components met different fates, though the larger part subjected to Poland-Lithuania. During the 17^th century were Estonia and northern Latvia under Swedish rule but during the 18^th century was the entire Baltic region except Prussia conquered by Russia. The Baltic states became independent after the First World War but were conquered again together with Prussia by the Russians during the Second World War. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regained its independence 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.