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Reval

Reval is the historical German name for Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. In German, Russian, and some other languages, the city has long been referred to as Reval. Today, Tallinn is the official name in Estonian and in most contemporary usages; Reval appears primarily in historical sources, literature, and older maps.

Overview and significance

Reval developed as a Baltic port on the Gulf of Finland and emerged as a major trading

Political history

The town came under various rulers over the centuries. After the Livonian War, it passed into Swedish

Modern usage

In modern contexts, Reval is largely confined to historical discussion, cartography, and scholarly works about the

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center
in
the
Middle
Ages.
It
was
a
prominent
member
of
the
Hanseatic
League
and
served
as
a
key
gateway
between
Western
Europe
and
the
Baltic
region.
The
city’s
merchants
traded
in
timber,
grain,
and
amber,
helping
to
shape
maritime
commerce
in
the
area.
control
in
the
16th
century.
In
the
early
18th
century,
following
the
Great
Northern
War,
Reval
was
ceded
to
the
Russian
Empire
by
the
Treaty
of
Nystad
in
1721.
The
name
Reval
continued
to
be
used
in
Russian
and
some
other
languages
for
a
time,
even
as
Tallinn
became
established
as
the
capital
of
the
independent
Estonian
state
in
the
20th
century.
city’s
medieval
past.
The
name
Tallinn
is
used
in
official
and
everyday
references,
while
Reval
remains
a
historical
exonym
encountered
mainly
in
older
sources.