Frederick I of Prussia

The rise of Prussia within the German Empire began with Frederick William, the “Great Elector” (1640-1688), through shrewd diplomatic maneuvering and efficient domestic governance. Frederick William unified many of the scattered territories into the most powerful Protestant state and turned these territories into a unified state, to become a leading political player in northern Europe. This was a critical step in the rise of Prussia because if the smaller territories could not have been unified then they would have most likely been attacked by outsiders or within their territories due to socio-political differences. Frederick William’s son Frederick III of Brandenburg was known as one of the most wasteful and least effective of the four Prussian…

Prussia The Prussian Kingdom existed from 1701 to 1918. It was ruled by the Hohenzollern dynasty for the entirety of its existence. From beginning to end there were a total of ten kings that ruled as the Prussian monarchy. It began with Frederick I declaring himself king, and it ended with William II’s abdication. The first King of Prussia was Frederick I. He was born in Königsberg, Prussia on July 11, 1657. It was an ambition of his to become king, and in 1701 he succeeded due to a treaty…

Those differences focus on the power of the nobility and the serfdom still existent in the eastern countries. In France, the power of the nobility was limited by the monarch. Louis XIV built the Versailles Palace as a distraction for the noble so they would not interfere with Louis’s political affairs. This differed greatly in eastern Europe. In Prussia, the Junkers, the nobility, formed the backbone of the Prussian military officer unit. They had power and a strong influence in political…

A famous figure in France who led the French army, and many others, to victories in Europe, Napoleon lived from 1769-1821 and ruled France during the French Revolution. Authors Herold and Roberts debated the legacy of Napoleon, each choosing very different opinions about his decisions as a ruler. Events such as John Hunter’s nightly sojourns as a body snatcher, Fredrick the Great and his Father’s experiences in Prussia, and Great Britain’s road-building parliament exemplify the themes of the…

members who had power were fighting this revolutionary movement so that they could maintain their power. Then, in the enemy countries of Russia and Prussia, came along two monarchs whose views and reforms almost changed everything. These rulers were Frederick II of Prussia and Catherine II of Russia and are now coined with the term “Enlightened Despots.” (Ellis, Esler 191). These monarchs managed to play both sides of the Enlightenment: reform and absolutism. Frederick and Catherine…

September 10, Frederick II, King of Prussia wrote on October 26, 1756, “The enemy apparently made more mistakes than my officers, to the point where, this year, we have succeeded. However, this whole campaign is but the arrangement of the chessboard. This coming year, the game will begin and it is a difficult task that I have proposed to myself to be wise still.” Frederick had now to await the forthcoming of the next campaign, when France, Austria, Sweden and Russia would be ready to “enter the…

Frederick II, the 3rd king of Prussia, is among one of the few dominant people in modern Germany's history. Under his rule, Frederick made Prussia one of the great states of Europe. He quickly became known as a good military leader and the Prussian army became a model that was copied by others. He also became a leader for the idea of enlightened government. His example of insisting the state over personal interest and religious toleration spread this idea and effected the main currents of the…

was the way to rule and the society didn’t need to rule with bureaucracy. These absolutists included Catherine II of Russia, Frederick II of Prussia, and Joseph ll of Austria. They followed the acronym of TRAP where, “T” stands for religious views, “R” for reform of institutions, “A” for absolutism, and “P” for patronage of the philosopher. Each of these philosophers had different views on the consolidation of power from each other. Catherine the Great was very light to reform, Frederick the…

To the people of Fontenay-le-Comte, I thank you all for having provided me with the opportunity to represent you in the National Assembly. In the past few months, I had listened to and voted on each proposition with only your best interest in mind. Despite my efforts, not only have we lost the National Assembly, we have lost our beloved country of France to Austro-Prussia. Despite the loss of our country, I write to you in good faith that the invasion and takeover of France will in fact greatly…

country for a long time. Then in 1772 she came together with Frederick William II of Prussia and Maria Theresa, the three of them divided a large section of Poland between their three states so Russia grew much bigger than it was before (McGuire 86). Under Catherine’s rule they defeated the Turks so Russia also spread southward to the Black Sea (Spielvogel 410). Many people have said that during Catherine’s reign not only did Russia expand but European culture was also greatly encouraged in…