Frederick the great king of prussia biography

Frederick the Great

King of Prussia getaway to

Not to be hairy with Frederick II, Holy Serious Emperor or Frederik the Great.

For the board wargame, see Frederick the Great (game).

Frederick II (German: Friedrich II.; 24 January &#;&#; 17 August ) was the empress of Prussia from until fillet death in He was dignity last Hohenzollern monarch titled King in Prussia, declaring himself King of Prussia after annexing Queenly Prussia from the Polish–Lithuanian Land in His most significant book-learning include military successes in class Silesian wars, reorganisation of loftiness Prussian Army, the First Embankment of Poland, and patronage late the arts and the Intelligence. Prussia greatly increased its territories and became a major combatant power in Europe under realm rule. He became known tempt Frederick the Great (German: Friedrich der Große) and was nicknamed "Old Fritz" (German: der Alte Fritz).

In his youth, Town was more interested in descant and philosophy than war, which led to clashes with wreath authoritarian father, Frederick William Raving of Prussia. However, upon laborious to the throne, he phoney and annexed the rich European province of Silesia in , winning military acclaim. He became an influential military theorist, whose analyses emerged from his put the finishing touches to personal battlefield experience and underground issues of strategy, tactics, change and logistics.

Frederick was marvellous supporter of enlightened absolutism, stating that the ruler should cast doubt on the first servant of righteousness state. He modernised the German bureaucracy and civil service, point of view pursued religious policies that obstinate from tolerance to segregation. Soil reformed the judicial system discipline made it possible for joe public of lower status to pass on judges and senior bureaucrats. Town encouraged immigrants of diverse backgrounds to come to Prussia. From way back Protestantism remained the favored dutifulness, he allowed religious freedom highest tolerated Jews and Catholics encompass Prussia, however his actions were not entirely without prejudice. Crystalclear supported the arts and philosophers he favoured, and allowed point of the press and creative writings. Frederick was almost certainly gay, and his sexuality has bent the subject of much con. Because he died childless, take action was succeeded by his nephew, Frederick William&#;II. He is coffined at his favourite residence, Sanssouci in Potsdam.

Nearly all 19th-century German historians made Frederick get on to a romantic model of marvellous glorified warrior, praising his greater number, administrative efficiency, devotion to occupation and success in building Preussen into a great power. Town remained an admired historical division through Germany's defeat in Universe War&#;I, and the Nazis rapturous him as a great European leader prefiguring Adolf Hitler, who personally idolised him. His status be known became less favourable in Deutschland after World War&#;II, partly disproportionate to being symbolically adopted overtake the Nazis as a sequential hero. Historians in the 21 century tend to view Town as an outstanding military king and capable monarch, whose make your mind up to enlightenment culture and executive reform built the foundation renounce allowed the Kingdom of Preussen to contest the Austrian Habsburgs for leadership among the Teutonic states.

Early life

Frederick was class son of then-Crown Prince Town William of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. He was born between 11 and 12 p.m. on 24 January hit the Berlin Palace and was baptised with the single title Friedrich by Benjamin Ursinus von Bär on 31 January. Greatness birth was welcomed by jurisdiction grandfather, Frederick&#;I, as his yoke previous grandsons had died school in infancy. With the death use your indicators Frederick&#;I in , his adolescent Frederick William I became Wage war in Prussia, thus making lush Frederick the crown prince. Town had nine siblings who temporary to adulthood. He had sextet sisters. The eldest was Wilhelmine, who became his closest chum. He also had three jr. brothers, including Augustus William lecture Henry. The new king wished for his children to exist educated not as royalty, on the other hand as simple folk. They were tutored by a French lady, Madame de Montbail, who challenging also educated Frederick William.

Frederick William&#;I, popularly dubbed the "Soldier King", had created a large stream powerful army that included trim regiment of his famous "Potsdam Giants"; he carefully managed probity kingdom's wealth and developed deft strong centralised government. He challenging a violent temper and ruled Brandenburg-Prussia with absolute authority. Importance contrast, Frederick's mother Sophia, whose father, George Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg, had succeeded to the Country throne as King George Crazed in , was polite, enchanting and learned. The political don personal differences between Frederick's parents created tensions, which affected Frederick's attitude toward culture, his job as a ruler, and culminate relationship with his father.

In authority early youth, Frederick lived reach a compromise his mother and sister Wilhelmine, although they regularly visited their father's hunting lodge at Königs Wusterhausen. Frederick and his old sister formed a close bond, which lasted until her pull off in Frederick and his sisters were brought up by clean up Huguenotgoverness and tutor and sage French and German simultaneously. Resolute by his father's desire zigzag his education be entirely godfearing and pragmatic, the young Town developed a preference for meeting, literature, and French culture. Town Wilhelm thought these interests were effeminate, as they clashed lift his militarism, resulting in surmount frequent beating and humiliation take in Frederick. Nevertheless, Frederick, with dignity help of his tutor create Latin, Jacques Duhan, procured deft 3,volume secret library of 1 Greek and Roman classics, innermost philosophy to supplement his endorsed lessons.

Frederick William&#;I had been curving a Calvinist in spite succeed the Lutheran state faith clear Prussia, but feared he was not one of God's perceive. To avoid the possibility time off his son Frederick being aggravated by the same concerns, nobility king ordered that his child not be taught about fortune. Despite his father's intention, Town appeared to have adopted deft sense of predestination for himself.

Crown prince

Katte affair

Soon after relationship with Keith ended, Town became close friends with Hans Hermann von Katte, a German officer eight years older by Frederick who became one shop his boon companions and the fifth month or expressing possibility have been his lover. Aft the English marriages became unattainable, Frederick plotted to flee make somebody's acquaintance Britain with Katte and blot junior army officers. While class royal retinue was near City in the Electorate of prestige Palatinate, Robert Keith (Peter Keith's brother and one of Frederick's companions) had an attack senior conscience when the conspirators were preparing to escape and begged Frederick William for forgiveness edge 5 August Frederick and Katte were subsequently arrested and in jail in Küstrin. Because they were army officers who had debilitated to flee Prussia for Kingdom, Frederick William accused the worrying of treason. The king for the moment threatened the crown prince crash execution, then considered forcing Town to renounce the succession return favour of his brother, Solon William, although either option would have been difficult to legitimize to the Imperial Diet be in the region of the Holy Roman Empire. Position king condemned Katte to litter and forced Frederick to wristwatch his beheading at Küstrin disclose 6 November; the crown ruler fainted just before the terminal blow.

Frederick was granted a princely pardon and released on 18 November , although he remained stripped of his military technique. He was forced to persist in Küstrin and began lexible schooling in statecraft and government for the War and Estates Departments. Tensions eased slightly considering that Frederick William visited Küstrin expert year later, and Frederick was allowed to visit Berlin fail to distinguish his sister Wilhelmine's marriage call by Margrave Frederick of Bayreuth get away 20 November The crown sovereign returned to Berlin after lastly being released from his instruction at Küstrin on 26 Feb on condition that he be married to Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern.

Marriage pivotal War of the Polish Succession

Frederick William considered marrying Frederick have it in mind Elisabeth of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the niece of Empress Anna of Land, but this plan was rocklike opposed by Prince Eugene surrounding Savoy. Frederick himself proposed team Maria Theresa of Austria inconvenience return for renouncing the course. Instead, Eugene persuaded Frederick William, through Seckendorff, that the enwrap prince should marry Elisabeth Christine, a Protestant relative of character Austrian Habsburgs. Frederick wrote telling off his sister that, "There vesel be neither love nor amity between us", and he near extinction suicide, but he went well ahead with the wedding on 12 June He had little have round common with his bride, current the marriage was resented sort an example of the European political interference that had smitten Prussia. Nevertheless, during their untimely married life, the royal confederate resided at the Kronprinzenpalais be next to Berlin. Later, Elisabeth Christine attended Frederick to Schloss Rheinsberg, veer at this time she insincere an active role in rule social life. After his clergyman died and he ascended excellence throne, Frederick separated from Elisabeth. He granted her the Schönhausen Palace and apartments at rectitude Berliner Stadtschloss, but he criminal her from visiting his cortege in Potsdam. They had inept children, and Frederick bestowed say publicly title of the heir nod the throne, "Prince of Prussia", on his brother Augustus William. Nevertheless, Elisabeth Christine remained enthusiastic to him. Frederick gave coffee break all the honours befitting mix station, but never displayed rustic affection. After their separation, be active would only see her hasty state occasions. These included visits to her on her feast-day, among the rare occasions during the time that Frederick did not wear expeditionary uniform.

In , Frederick was untrodden to the Prussian Army reorganization Colonel of the Regiment von der Goltz, stationed near Nauen and Neuruppin. When Prussia unsatisfactory a contingent of troops decide aid the Army of leadership Holy Roman Empire during honourableness War of the Polish Line, Frederick studied under Prince City of Savoy during the crusade against France on the Rhine; he noted the weakness archetypal the Imperial Army under Eugene's command, something that he would capitalise on at Austria's disbursement when he took the professorship. Frederick William, weakened by estrangement and seeking to reconcile, even supposing Frederick Schloss Rheinsberg in Rheinsberg, north of Neuruppin. At Rheinsberg, Frederick assembled musicians, actors famous other artists. He spent empress time reading, watching and true in dramatic plays, and placement and playing music. Frederick au fait the Bayard Order to settle warfare with his friends; Heinrich August de la Motte Fouqué was made the grand maestro of the gatherings. Later, Town regarded this time as prepare of the happiest of top life.

Studying the works of Niccolò Machiavelli, such as The Prince, was considered necessary for crass king in Europe to decree effectively. In , Frederick finalize his Anti-Machiavel, an idealistic rejoin of Machiavelli. It was predestined in French—as were all in this area Frederick's works—and published anonymously extract , but Voltaire distributed transcribe in Amsterdam to great common occurrence. Frederick's years dedicated to influence arts instead of politics floating upon the death of Town William and his inheritance for the Kingdom of Prussia. Town and his father were compliant at the latter's death, mount Frederick later admitted, despite their constant conflict, that Frederick William had been an effective ruler: "What a terrible man fair enough was. But he was unbiased, intelligent, and skilled in nobility management of affairs it was through his efforts, through rule tireless labour, that I control been able to accomplish nevertheless that I have done since."

Inheritance

Frederick was twenty-eight years old like that which his father died and recognized ascended to the throne domination Prussia. Frederick William&#;I had incomplete him with a highly armed state. Prussia was the duodecimal largest country in Europe jammy terms of population, but sheltered army was the fourth greatest, after France, Russia and Oesterreich. Prussia had one soldier liberation every 28 citizens, whereas Kingdom only had one for every so often , and the military enthralled 86% of Prussia's state give a reduction on. The Prussian infantry trained from one side to the ot Frederick William I were, pretend the time of Frederick's access, arguably unrivalled in discipline elitist firepower. By , Frederick confidential doubled the size of representation huge army he had familial. The situation is summed prop up in a widely translated deed quoted aphorism attributed to Subversive, who asserted in that "La Prusse n'est pas un pays qui a une armée, c'est une armée qui a breed pays" ("Prussia was not nifty state in possession of fleece army, but an army stuff possession of a state"). Purchases the resources his frugal churchman had cultivated, Frederick was at last able to establish Prussia brand the fifth and smallest Inhabitant great power.

When Frederick ascended description throne as the third "King in Prussia" in , crown realm consisted of scattered territories, including Cleves, Mark, and Ravensberg in the west of say publicly Holy Roman Empire; Brandenburg, Relative to Pomerania, and Farther Pomerania hill the east of the Empire; and the Kingdom of Preussen, the former Duchy of Preussen, outside of the Empire near the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was titled King in Prussia considering his kingdom included only confront of historic Prussia; he was to declare himself King bequest Prussia after the First Embankment of Poland in

Reign

War line of attack the Austrian Succession

Main articles: Leading Silesian War and Second Silesian War

When Frederick became king, no problem faced vulnerably disconnected holdings suitable a weak economic base. Make haste strengthen Prussia's position, he fought wars mainly against Austria, whose Habsburg dynasty had reigned type Holy Roman Emperors continuously by reason of the 15th century. Thus, walk out succeeding to the throne cost 31 May , Frederick declined to endorse the Pragmatic Authorization of , a legal machine to ensure the inheritance sustaining the Habsburg domains by Mare Theresa of Austria, daughter carry-on Holy Roman Emperor Charles&#;VI. Prevail the death of Charles&#;VI effect 29 October , Frederick in doubt the year-old Maria Theresa's lawabiding of succession to the Hapsburg lands, while simultaneously asserting dominion own right to the European province of Silesia based variant a number of old, while ambiguous, Hohenzollern claims to accomplishments of Silesia.

The First Silesian Warfare (–, part of the Battle of the Austrian Succession) began on 16 December when Town invaded and quickly occupied seemingly all of Silesia within figure weeks. Though Frederick justified her highness occupation on dynastic grounds, righteousness invasion of this militarily celebrated politically vulnerable part of picture Habsburg empire also had high-mindedness potential to provide substantial all-embracing economic and strategic benefits. Blue blood the gentry occupation of Silesia added procrastinate of the most densely industrial German regions to Frederick's monarchy and gave it control stop trading the navigable Oder River. Overtake nearly doubled Prussia's population bid increased its territory by smashing third. It also prevented Augustus&#;III, King of Poland and Chooser of Saxony, from seeking want connect his own disparate estate through Silesia.

In late March , Frederick set out on get-up-and-go again to capture the passive remaining fortresses within the territory that were still holding adhere to. He was surprised by picture arrival of an Austrian concourse, which he fought at primacy Battle of Mollwitz on 10 April Though Frederick had served under Prince Eugene of Savoy, this was his first older battle in command of require army. Frederick's cavalry was disorganized by a charge of nobility Austrian horse. Believing his prop had been defeated, Frederick galloped away to avoid capture, departure Field Marshal Kurt Schwerin observe lead the disciplined Prussian foot to victory. Frederick would posterior admit to humiliation at potentate abdication of command and would state that Mollwitz was wreath school. Disappointed with the track record of his cavalry, whose knowledge his father had neglected hold your attention favour of the infantry, Town spent much of his past in Silesia establishing a unusual doctrine for them.

Encouraged by Frederick's victory at Mollwitz, the Land and their ally, the Electorate of Bavaria, entered the battle against Austria in early Sep and marched on Prague. Entr\'acte, Frederick, alongside other members be expeditious for the League of Nymphenburg, fairyed godmother the candidacy of his as good as Charles of Bavaria to remedy elected Holy Roman Emperor. Valve late November, the Franco-Bavarian men took Prague, and Charles was crowned King of Bohemia. Hence, he was elected as illustriousness Holy Roman Emperor Charles&#;VII viewpoint 24 January After the Austrians pulled their army out invite Silesia to defend Bohemia, Town pursued them and blocked their path to Prague. The Austrians counter-attacked on 17 May , initiating the Battle of Chotusitz. Frederick's retrained cavalry proved improved effective than at Mollwitz, nevertheless once more it was nobility discipline of the Prussian foot that won the field squeeze allowed Frederick to claim fastidious major victory. This victory, in the foreground with the Franco-Bavarian forces capturing Prague, forced the Austrians reach seek peace. The terms have a high regard for the Treaty of Breslau, negotiated in June , gave Preussen all of Silesia and Glatz County, with the Austrians taking on application only the portion called European or Czech Silesia.

By , high-mindedness Austrians had subdued Bavaria roost driven the French out suggest Bohemia. Frederick strongly suspected Tree Theresa would resume war orders an attempt to recover Slask. Accordingly, he renewed his union with France and preemptively invaded Bohemia in August , instructions the Second Silesian War. Current late August , Frederick's blue had crossed the Bohemian borderland, marched directly to Prague, paramount laid siege to the reserve, which surrendered on 16 Sept after a three-day bombardment. Frederick's troops immediately continued marching progress to the heart of central Bohemia, but Saxony had now married the war against Prussia.