Fredrick William the Great Elector was able to build Brandenburg-Prussia into a major power through his army. Aftermath [ edit] [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]. Our purpose is to excavate three major film biopics on the life of Protestant reformer Martin Luther and demonstrate where the use of excremental humor humanizes him. WebThe Great Elector is most famous for building a strong standing army, with an elite officer corps. He allowed the association to be titled "royal" and have its seat at the Knigsberg Castle, but he does not seem to have taken much interest in the work of the society. Frederick retained Jesuits as teachers in Silesia, Warmia, and the Netze District, recognising their educational activities as an asset for the nation. [26] Frederick and Katte were subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Kstrin. [53] Before his accession, Frederick was told by D'Alembert, "The philosophers and the men of letters in every land have long looked upon you, Sire, as their leader and model. 
Myth 5: His great-grandson brought the potato to Germany. Frederick also promoted the use of German instead of Latin in the field of law, as in the legal document Project des Corporis Juris Fridericiani (Project of the Frederician Body of Laws), which was written in German with the aim of being clear and easily understandable. Frederick would later admit to humiliation at his abdication of command[68] and would state that Mollwitz was his school. 
[202][c] Frederick was pragmatic about religious faith. This resulted in a shortage of ready money, but Frederick controlled prices by releasing the grain stocks he held in reserve for military campaigns. He had even restored the condition of the treasury by then. [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. His Majesty was brought up on beer, and so were both his ancestors and officers. [182] He protected his industries with high tariffs and minimal restrictions on domestic trade. [115] In the meantime, the Russian army had advanced within 100 miles (160km) east of Berlin. [177], In his earliest published work, the Anti-Machiavel,[178] and his later Testament politique (Political Testament),[179] Frederick wrote that the sovereign was the first servant of the state. Frederick was almost certainly homosexual, and his sexuality has been the subject of much study. This policy allowed Prussia's population to recover very quickly from its considerable losses during Frederick's three wars.[211]. [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. [257] He also disliked the German language,[258] thinking it was inharmonious and awkward. Under the terms of the Treaty of Dresden, signed on 25 December 1745, Austria was forced to adhere to the terms of the Treaty of Breslau giving Silesia to Prussia. [278] Other intellectuals attracted to the philosopher's kingdom were Francesco Algarotti, d'Argens, and Julien Offray de La Mettrie. As a child, his father, Frederick William I, made young Frederick work in the region's provinces, teaching the boy about the area's agriculture and geography. During the 1760s, the dissenters' political importance was out of proportion to their numbers. Less than a year after the treaty was signed, Maria Theresa was once more seeking allies, particularly Russia and France, to eventually renew the war with Prussia to regain Silesia. In a sense, he was not only a servant of the state, but a servant of his own reputation and prestige. [217] His membership legitimised the group's presence in Prussia and protected it against charges of subversion. When Gotzkowsky asked for a deferral during the Amsterdam banking crisis of 1763, Frederick took over his porcelain factory, now known as KPM. In the course of the fighting, Frederick's cavalry was disorganised by a charge of the Austrian horse. Friedrich der Groe: Die DDR und der Preuenknig", "Der bse Mann: Unterschiedlicher als der Preue Friedrich II. 
[153], Poland was vulnerable to partition due to poor governance, as well as the interference of foreign powers in its internal affairs. The more I see of men, the better I like my dog. [80] Although the combined Austrian and Saxon armies outnumbered Frederick's forces, they refused to directly engage with Frederick's army, harassing his supply lines instead. [136] With the threat to his eastern borders over, and France also seeking peace after its defeats by Britain, Frederick was able to fight the Austrians to a stalemate and finally brought them to the peace table. 18581865) emphasised the power of one great "hero", in this case Frederick, to shape history. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Frederick acquired most of Royal Prussia, annexing 38,000 square kilometres (15,000sqmi) and 600,000 inhabitants. He created the standing army and the bureaucracy 
Regardless, historians in the 21st century tend to view Frederick as an outstanding military leader and capable monarch, whose commitment to enlightenment culture and administrative reform built the foundation that allowed the Kingdom of Prussia to contest the Austrian Habsburgs for leadership among the German states. [129] In this battle, Frederick became a casualty when he was hit in the chest by a spent bullet. In Silesia, he disregarded canon law to install clergy who were loyal to him. In this respect, he was not very tolerant. The people say what they like and then I do what I like. He modernised the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service, and pursued religious policies throughout his realm that ranged from tolerance to segregation. WebFrederick II (1712-178) ( Photo Source) Usually referred to as Frederick the Great, Frederick II of Prussia is most famous for his long reign (1740-1786), his numerous military successes, and his support of enlightened absolutism.. [185] Working with his Grand Chancellor Samuel von Cocceji, he reformed the judicial system and made it more efficient, and he moved the courts toward greater legal equality of all citizens by removing special courts for special social classes. Though his reign was regularly involved in war, he did not advocate for protracted warfare. [65], In late March 1741, Frederick set out on campaign again to capture the few remaining fortresses within the province that were still holding out. Ihr Machtkampf spaltete das Reich", "Chapter I: What a Strong Prince Really is, and How One Can Reach That Point", "Of Manners, Customs, Industry, and the Progress of the Human Understanding in the Arts and Sciences", International Music Score Library Project, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frederick_the_Great&oldid=1148190614, German military personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession, German military personnel of the Seven Years' War, People of the War of the Bavarian Succession, Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland), Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles with German-language sources (de), Articles with French-language sources (fr), Articles with International Music Score Library Project links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 April 2023, at 16:32. [171], Moreover, Saxony and Russia, both of which had been Austria's allies in the Seven Years' War, were now allied with Prussia. Born in Berlin on Feb. 16, 1620, Frederick William was the only son of Elector George William and Elizabeth Charlotte of the In 1668 he introduced the Prussian General Staff; it became the model in controlling an army for other European powers. This was a project he believed would take a century or more. [187], Frederick strove to put Prussia's fiscal system in order. The author takes account of: * terrain and boundaries. Frederick William, also known as The Great Elector, was the elector of Brandenburg and duke of Prussia from 1620-1688. he became ruler aft his father, George William. [260] He considered the German culture of his time, particularly literature and theatre, to be inferior to that of France; believing that it had been hindered by the devastation of the Thirty Years' War. Frederick and his father were more or less reconciled at the latter's death, and Frederick later admitted, despite their constant conflict, that Frederick William had been an effective ruler: "What a terrible man he was. [Die Religionen mssen alle toleriert werden denn hier muss ein jeder nach seiner Fasson selig werden.]. 
[88] After linking up his army with Leopold's, Frederick occupied the Saxon capitol of Dresden, forcing the Saxon elector, Augustus III, to capitulate. In his biography Der Grosse Kurfrst (The Great Elector, 2020), historian Jrgen Luh views the traditional image of the ruler with skepticism. WebIn 1640 Frederick William, the 'Great Elector' of Brandenburg, inherited a minor territory devastated by the Thirty Years War. [310], Frederick's legacy has been subject to a wide variety of interpretations. [175] Finally, Catherine II of Russia threatened to enter the war on Frederick's side if peace was not negotiated, and Joseph reluctantly dropped his claim to Bavaria. In spite of his father's desire that his education be entirely religious and pragmatic, the young Frederick developed a preference for music, literature, and French culture. [197], Frederick modernised the Prussian civil service and promoted religious tolerance throughout his realm to attract more settlers in East Prussia. 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