Editing History of Estonia (section)

===The Estophile enlightenment period (1750–1840)===
{{Main|Estophilia}}

Educated German immigrants and local [[Baltic Germans]] in Estonia, educated at German universities, introduced [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment ideas]] of rational thinking, ideas that propagated freedom of thinking and brotherhood and equality. The [[French Revolution]] provided a powerful motive for the "enlightened" local upper class to create literature for the commoners.<ref name="EstophileDictionary">{{Cite book
| last1 = Miljan
| first1 = Toivo
| title = Historical Dictionary of Estonia
| year = 2004
| publisher = [[Scarecrow Press]]
| location = Lanham, MD
| isbn = 0-8108-4904-6
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XKWRct15XfkC&q=estophile&pg=PA313
| page = 313
}}</ref> The abolition of serfdom on in 1816 in southern Estonia (then [[Governorate of Livonia]]), and 1819 in northern Estonia (then [[Governorate of Estonia]]) by Emperor [[Alexander I of Russia]] gave rise to a debate as to the future fate of the Estonian-speaking population. Although many Baltic Germans regarded the future of the Estonians as being a fusion with the Germans, many other educated and [[Estophilia|Estophile]] Germans admired the ancient culture of the Estonians and their era of freedom before the conquests by Danes and Germans in the 13th century.<ref>{{Harvnb|Subrenat|2004|p=84}}</ref> The Estophile Enlightenment Period formed the transition from religious Estonian literature to newspapers printed in Estonian for the general public.