The Baltic states (also known as the Baltics, Baltic nations or Baltic countries) are those countries east of the Baltic Sea that gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I. Today, this means the countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, but, in the period between the World Wars, it also included Finland.
While the indigenous populations of Latvia and Lithuania are known as Baltic peoples, those of Estonia (and Finland) are Finnic peoples. Another Baltic identity, Baltic German, began to develop during the Middle Ages after the Livonian Crusade.
The term "Baltic states" in those states' indigenous languages is:
St. Olaf’s Church or St. Olav's Church (Estonian: Oleviste kirik) in Tallinn, Estonia, is believed to have been built in the 12th century and to have been the centre for old Tallinn's Scandinavian community before Denmark conquered Tallinn in 1219. Its dedication relates to King Olaf II of Norway (a.k.a. Saint Olaf, 995-1030). The first known written records referring to the church date back to 1267, and it was extensively rebuilt during the 14th century.