WebIn the second half of the 17th century, Frederick William, the Great Elector, developed Brandenburg-Prussia into a major power. Paintings by different schools were displayed strictly separately: 17th-century Flemish and Dutch paintings filled the western wing and the gallery's central building, while Italian paintings from the High Renaissance and Baroque were exhibited in the eastern wing. With the death of FrederickI in 1713, his son Frederick William I became King in Prussia, thus making young Frederick the crown prince. I am up and about when I am ill, and in the most appalling weather. ", "The flutist of Sanssouci: Frederick "the Great" as composer and performer", "Frederick the Great: A singular life, variably reflected", "Friedrich II. [82], In January 1745, the Holy Roman Emperor CharlesVII of Bavaria died,[83] taking Bavaria out of the war and allowing Maria Theresa's husband Francis of Lorraine to be eventually elected Holy Roman Emperor. Perhaps even more significant, Frederick benefited from the defection of the senior prelate of the German Church, the Archbishop of Mainz, who was also the arch-chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, which further strengthened Frederick and Prussia's standing amid the German states. Although dissenters still had substantial rights, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had increasingly been reducing their civic rights after a period of considerable religious and political freedom. Though his reign was regularly involved in war, he did not advocate for protracted warfare. [286], Frederick's most notable military victories on the battlefield were the Battle of Hohenfriedberg, a tactical victory, fought during the War of Austrian Succession in June 1745;[287] the Battle of Rossbach, where Frederick defeated a combined Franco-Austrian army of 41,000 with only 21,000 soldiers (10,000 dead for the Franco-Austrian side with only 550 casualties for Prussia);[288] and the Battle of Leuthen, a follow-up victory to Rossbach[289] in which Frederick's 39,000 troops inflicted 22,000 casualties, including 12,000 prisoners, on Charles of Lorraine's Austrian force of 65,000. Frederick was almost certainly homosexual, and his sexuality has been the subject of much study. It is disgusting to notice the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects, and the amount of money that goes out of the country as a consequence. [308][f] After their separation, he would only see her on state occasions. He stated that for Prussia, wars should be short and quick: long wars would destroy the army's discipline, depopulate the country, and exhaust its resources. [36] Nevertheless, during their early married life, the royal couple resided at the Crown Prince's Palace in Berlin. The king briefly threatened the crown prince with execution, then considered forcing Frederick to renounce the succession in favour of his brother, Augustus William, although either option would have been difficult to justify to the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire. [27] The king condemned Katte to death and forced Frederick to watch his beheading at Kstrin on 6 November, leading the crown prince to faint just before the fatal blow. Frederick's army, which consisted of a substantial number of quickly recruited, half-trained soldiers,[119] attempted to check them at the Battle of Kunersdorf on 12 August, where he was defeated and his troops were routed. Frederick the Great. [72] Subsequently, he was elected as the Holy Roman Emperor CharlesVII on 24 January 1742. [151] By 1752, he had prepared the ground for the partition of PolandLithuania, aiming to achieve his goal of building a territorial bridge between Pomerania, Brandenburg, and his East Prussian provinces. [280] During his reign he commanded the Prussian Army at sixteen major battles and various sieges, skirmishes and other actions, ultimately obtaining almost all his political objectives. [49] Moreover, the Prussian infantry trained by Frederick William I were, at the time of Frederick's accession, arguably unrivalled in discipline and firepower. [305] Even in his late 60s and early 70s when he was increasingly crippled by asthma, gout and other ailments, he rose before dawn, drank six to eight cups of coffee a day, "laced with mustard and peppercorns", and attended to state business with characteristic tenacity. "Frederick William tried to put the country back on its feet," explains Luh. Frederick and Elisabeth Christine had no children, and Frederick bestowed the title of the heir to the throne, "Prince of Prussia", on his brother Augustus William. In the course of the fighting, Frederick's cavalry was disorganised by a charge of the Austrian horse. [331] He has been seen as an exemplar of enlightened absolutism,[332] though this label has been questioned in the 21st century as many enlightenment principles directly contrast with his military reputation.[333]. To stop Joseph II's attempts to acquire Bavaria, Frederick enlisted the help of the Electors of Hanover and Saxony along with several other minor German princes. Frederick's goal was to make Berlin a European cultural centre that rivalled London and Paris in the arts and sciences. [279] He frequently led his military forces personally and had a number of horses shot from under him during battle. [315], Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazis glorified Frederick as a precursor to Adolf Hitler and presented Frederick as holding out hope that another miracle would again save Germany at the last moment. Here's why you might hear about German royals today, even though the country's monarchy was abolished a century ago. [96], In 1756, Frederick attempted to forestall Britain's financing of a Russian army on Prussia's border by negotiating an alliance with Britain at the Convention of Westminster, by which Prussia would protect Hanover against French attack, and Britain would no longer subsidise Russia. [199], Though Frederick started many reforms during his reign, his ability to see them to fulfilment was not as disciplined or thorough as his military successes. [262] Frederick's love of French culture was not without limits either. [135] More significantly, Russia's about-face from an enemy of Prussia to its patron rattled the leadership of Sweden, who hastily made peace with Frederick as well. Nearly all 19th-century German historians made Frederick into a romantic model of a glorified warrior, praising his leadership, administrative efficiency, devotion to duty and success in building Prussia into a great power in Europe. [209] He also accepted countless Protestant weavers from Bohemia, who were fleeing from the devoutly Catholic rule of Maria Theresa, granting them freedom from taxes and military service. [187], Frederick strove to put Prussia's fiscal system in order. These claims particularly were popular in the 19th century. WebEarly life. Frederick would later admit to humiliation at his abdication of command[68] and would state that Mollwitz was his school. WebFrederick William, Elector of Brandenburg aliases The Great Elector Frederick William (German: Friedrich Wilhelm) (16 February 1620 29 April 1688) was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia and thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia [316] In an attempt to legitimise the Nazi regime, Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels commissioned artists to render fanciful images of Frederick, Bismarck, and Hitler together in order to create a sense of a historical continuum amongst them. [137], Frederick's ultimate success in the Seven Years' War came at a heavy financial cost to Prussia. [63] It nearly doubled Prussia's population and increased its territory by a third. [221] He told Voltaire, "Whoever improves the soil, cultivates land lying waste and drains swamps, is making conquests from barbarism". He is often admired for his tactical skills, especially for his use of the oblique order of battle,[281] an attack focused on one flank of the opposing line, allowing a local advantage even if his forces were outnumbered overall. [84] Now able to focus solely on Frederick's army, the Austrians, who were reinforced by the Saxons, crossed the mountains to invade Silesia. [103] This action, along with his initial invasion of neutral Saxony brought him widespread international criticism;[104] but the conquest of Saxony also provided him with significant financial, military, and strategic assets that helped him sustain the war. [86] Frederick subsequently advanced into Bohemia and defeated a counterattack by the Austrians at the Battle of Soor. He was surprised by the arrival of an Austrian army, which he fought at the Battle of Mollwitz on 10 April 1741. Luh however disagrees:The ruler gave himself this title and made sure his lofty name was spread throughout Europe by his diplomats. His sense of aesthetics can be seen in the picture gallery at Sanssouci, which presents architecture, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts as a unified whole. Known as the Great Elector, he augmented and integrated the Hohenzollern possessions in northern Germany and Prussia. With the help of French experts, he organised a system of indirect taxation, which provided the state with more revenue than direct taxation; though French officials administering it may have pocketed some of the profit. [219], Frederick's religious views were sometimes criticised. [191] In addition, Frederick estimated that he earned about one million thalers in profits on the seignorage. His nephew and successor Frederick William II instead ordered Frederick's body to be entombed next to his father, Frederick William I, in the Potsdam Garrison Church. Has the reintroduction of cheetahs to India been a success? Frederick Wilhelm thought these interests were effeminate,[12] as they clashed with his militarism, resulting in his frequent beating and humiliation of Frederick. Compared to the pre-1945 period, Frederick's reputation was downgraded in both East[320] and West Germany,[321] partly due to the Nazis' fascination with him and his supposed connection with Prussian militarism. [116] He then headed south to face the Austrian army in Saxony. June 1998. There, he was defeated at the Battle of Hochkirch on 14 October, although the Austrian forces were not able to exploit their victory. This was a project he believed would take a century or more. [123] His effort cost him further losses when his general Friedrich August von Finck capitulated at Maxen on 20 November. No one can be great, or good, or happy except through the inward efforts of themselves. [220], Frederick was keenly interested in land use, especially draining swamps and opening new farmland for colonisers who would increase the kingdom's food supply. [230] A meeting with Johann Sebastian Bach in 1747 in Potsdam led to Bach's writing The Musical Offering. A man with his heart in his profession imagines and finds resources where the worthless and lazy despair. (14.08.2019), Since the last German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, unceremoniously abdicated in 1918, the heirs of the Prussian royals have been trying to regain properties and riches expropriated after both wars. [51] By using the resources his frugal father had cultivated, Frederick was eventually able to establish Prussia as the fifth and smallest European great power. He had little in common with his bride, and the marriage was resented as an example of the Austrian political interference that had plagued Prussia. Frederick William was eventually succeeded by Frederick I To avoid the possibility of his son Frederick being motivated by the same concerns, the king ordered that his heir not be taught about predestination. As soon as you get away from the frontier, the Jews become a disadvantage, they form cliques, they deal in contraband and get up to all manner of rascally tricks which are detrimental to Christian burghers and merchants. [188] Graumann's currency reform slightly lowered the silver content of Prussian thaler from .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}112 Cologne mark of silver to 114,[189] which brought the metal content of the thaler into alignment with its face value,[190] and it standardised the Prussian coinage system. Robert Citino describes Frederick's strategic approach: The historian Dennis Showalter argues: "The King was also more consistently willing than any of his contemporaries to seek decision through offensive operations. However, Frederick William himself lived like a poor person to bring about this massive change and development in the kingdom. It is pardonable to be defeated, but never to be surprised. [265], Despite his distaste for the German language, Frederick did sponsor the Knigliche Deutsche Gesellschaft (Royal German Society), founded in Knigsberg in 1741, the aim of which was to promote and develop the German language. WebWilliam, the 'Great Elector' of Brandenburg. [243], Frederick also wrote philosophical works,[244] publishing some of his writings under the title of The Works of a Sans-Souci Philosopher. For example, the mathematicians he recruited for the Berlin Academy including Leonhard Euler, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Johann Heinrich Lambert, and Johann Castillon made it a world-class centre for mathematical research. [144] Saxony, occupied by Prussia for most of the conflict, was left nearly destitute as a result. [19], In the mid-1720s, Queen Sophia Dorothea attempted to arrange the marriage of Frederick and his sister Wilhelmine to her brother King George II's children Amelia and Frederick, who was the heir apparent. The money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress. After the Austrians pulled their army out of Silesia to defend Bohemia, Frederick pursued them and blocked their path to Prague. There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet. WebFrederick The Great. Nevertheless, Elisabeth Christine remained devoted to him. Friedrich August von Finck capitulated at Maxen on 20 November < /iframe ultimate success the... I am ill, and in the arts and sciences [ 63 ] It nearly doubled 's. ; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress the ;! Would only see her on state occasions August von Finck capitulated at on... 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[209] He also accepted countless Protestant weavers from Bohemia, who were fleeing from the devoutly Catholic rule of Maria Theresa, granting them freedom from taxes and military service. [187], Frederick strove to put Prussia's fiscal system in order. These claims particularly were popular in the 19th century. WebEarly life. Frederick would later admit to humiliation at his abdication of command[68] and would state that Mollwitz was his school. WebFrederick William, Elector of Brandenburg aliases The Great Elector Frederick William (German: Friedrich Wilhelm) (16 February 1620 29 April 1688) was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia and thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia [316] In an attempt to legitimise the Nazi regime, Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels commissioned artists to render fanciful images of Frederick, Bismarck, and Hitler together in order to create a sense of a historical continuum amongst them. [137], Frederick's ultimate success in the Seven Years' War came at a heavy financial cost to Prussia. [63] It nearly doubled Prussia's population and increased its territory by a third. [221] He told Voltaire, "Whoever improves the soil, cultivates land lying waste and drains swamps, is making conquests from barbarism". He is often admired for his tactical skills, especially for his use of the oblique order of battle,[281] an attack focused on one flank of the opposing line, allowing a local advantage even if his forces were outnumbered overall. [84] Now able to focus solely on Frederick's army, the Austrians, who were reinforced by the Saxons, crossed the mountains to invade Silesia. [103] This action, along with his initial invasion of neutral Saxony brought him widespread international criticism;[104] but the conquest of Saxony also provided him with significant financial, military, and strategic assets that helped him sustain the war. 
[86] Frederick subsequently advanced into Bohemia and defeated a counterattack by the Austrians at the Battle of Soor. He was surprised by the arrival of an Austrian army, which he fought at the Battle of Mollwitz on 10 April 1741. Luh however disagrees:The ruler gave himself this title and made sure his lofty name was spread throughout Europe by his diplomats. His sense of aesthetics can be seen in the picture gallery at Sanssouci, which presents architecture, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts as a unified whole. Known as the Great Elector, he augmented and integrated the Hohenzollern possessions in northern Germany and Prussia. With the help of French experts, he organised a system of indirect taxation, which provided the state with more revenue than direct taxation; though French officials administering it may have pocketed some of the profit. [219], Frederick's religious views were sometimes criticised. [191] In addition, Frederick estimated that he earned about one million thalers in profits on the seignorage. His nephew and successor Frederick William II instead ordered Frederick's body to be entombed next to his father, Frederick William I, in the Potsdam Garrison Church. Has the reintroduction of cheetahs to India been a success? Frederick Wilhelm thought these interests were effeminate,[12] as they clashed with his militarism, resulting in his frequent beating and humiliation of Frederick. Compared to the pre-1945 period, Frederick's reputation was downgraded in both East[320] and West Germany,[321] partly due to the Nazis' fascination with him and his supposed connection with Prussian militarism. [116] He then headed south to face the Austrian army in Saxony. June 1998. There, he was defeated at the Battle of Hochkirch on 14 October, although the Austrian forces were not able to exploit their victory. This was a project he believed would take a century or more. [123] His effort cost him further losses when his general Friedrich August von Finck capitulated at Maxen on 20 November. No one can be great, or good, or happy except through the inward efforts of themselves. [220], Frederick was keenly interested in land use, especially draining swamps and opening new farmland for colonisers who would increase the kingdom's food supply. [230] A meeting with Johann Sebastian Bach in 1747 in Potsdam led to Bach's writing The Musical Offering. A man with his heart in his profession imagines and finds resources where the worthless and lazy despair. (14.08.2019), Since the last German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, unceremoniously abdicated in 1918, the heirs of the Prussian royals have been trying to regain properties and riches expropriated after both wars. [51] By using the resources his frugal father had cultivated, Frederick was eventually able to establish Prussia as the fifth and smallest European great power. He had little in common with his bride, and the marriage was resented as an example of the Austrian political interference that had plagued Prussia. Frederick William was eventually succeeded by Frederick I To avoid the possibility of his son Frederick being motivated by the same concerns, the king ordered that his heir not be taught about predestination. As soon as you get away from the frontier, the Jews become a disadvantage, they form cliques, they deal in contraband and get up to all manner of rascally tricks which are detrimental to Christian burghers and merchants. [188] Graumann's currency reform slightly lowered the silver content of Prussian thaler from .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}112 Cologne mark of silver to 114,[189] which brought the metal content of the thaler into alignment with its face value,[190] and it standardised the Prussian coinage system. Robert Citino describes Frederick's strategic approach: The historian Dennis Showalter argues: "The King was also more consistently willing than any of his contemporaries to seek decision through offensive operations. However, Frederick William himself lived like a poor person to bring about this massive change and development in the kingdom. It is pardonable to be defeated, but never to be surprised. [265], Despite his distaste for the German language, Frederick did sponsor the Knigliche Deutsche Gesellschaft (Royal German Society), founded in Knigsberg in 1741, the aim of which was to promote and develop the German language. WebWilliam, the 'Great Elector' of Brandenburg. [243], Frederick also wrote philosophical works,[244] publishing some of his writings under the title of The Works of a Sans-Souci Philosopher. For example, the mathematicians he recruited for the Berlin Academy including Leonhard Euler, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Johann Heinrich Lambert, and Johann Castillon made it a world-class centre for mathematical research. [144] Saxony, occupied by Prussia for most of the conflict, was left nearly destitute as a result. [19], In the mid-1720s, Queen Sophia Dorothea attempted to arrange the marriage of Frederick and his sister Wilhelmine to her brother King George II's children Amelia and Frederick, who was the heir apparent. The money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress. After the Austrians pulled their army out of Silesia to defend Bohemia, Frederick pursued them and blocked their path to Prague. There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet. WebFrederick The Great. Nevertheless, Elisabeth Christine remained devoted to him. Friedrich August von Finck capitulated at Maxen on 20 November < /iframe ultimate success the... I am ill, and in the arts and sciences [ 63 ] It nearly doubled 's. ; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress the ;! Would only see her on state occasions August von Finck capitulated at on... 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