Helmut Piirimäe (September 8, 1930 — 21 August 2017) was an Estonian historian. He was born Põltsamaa, Estonia. He was "professor emeritus" of University of Tartu, and an honorary doctor of University of Uppsala. Piirimäe researched Estonian history under the Swedish Empire in the 17th century, but also the Enlightenment in the 18th century, especially the French Revolution.