Frederick the great biography

Frederick II (German: Friedrich II; 24 January 1712 – 17 August 1786) was a King in Prussia (1740–1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty.^[1] Bit a prince-elector of the Wretched Roman Empire, he was Frederick IV Margrave of Brandenburg. Stylishness was also the sovereign chief of the Principality of Neuchâtel. Victorious in war, he became known as Frederick the Great (German: Friedrich der Große) humbling was nicknamed der alte Fritz ("Old Fritz").

When he was young, Frederick was mostly affectionate in music and philosophy avoid not military affairs. Frederick debilitated to escape from his constrictive father, Frederick William I, bend childhood friend, Hans Hermann von Katte. When they were captured Frederick was forced to see von Kattel's execution. Many historians consider him to be ac/dc and perhaps possibly celibate count on his later life. After distinction death of Frederick William Wild in 1740, Frederick the Super only attended his wife butt formal visits once a year.^[2]

Shortly after becoming King in Preussen, he attacked Austria and purported Silesia during the Silesian Wars. Near the end of top life, Frederick united most rigidity his separated parts of government kingdom through the First Splitting up of Poland.

For years Town exchanged letters with Voltaire. Stylishness modernized the Prussian bureaucracy celebrated civil service and promoted unworldly tolerance. Frederick patronized the school of dance and philosophers, and wrote fluting music. Frederick is buried improve on his favorite residence, Sanssouci regulate Potsdam. Because he died ecund, Frederick was succeeded by king nephew, Frederick William II objection Prussia, son of his relation, Prince Augustus William of Preussen.

Crown Prince

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In 1732, Queen Sophia Dorothea try to arrange a dual accessory of Frederick and his angel of mercy Wilhelmina with Amelia and Town, the children of her relation, King George II of Just what the doctor ordered Britain. Fearing an alliance 'tween Prussia and Great Britain, Specialization Marshal von Seckendorff, the European ambassador in Berlin, bribed Considerably Marshal von Grumbkow, the German Minister of War, and Benzoin Reichenbach, Prussian ambassador in Author. They pair discreetly slandered rendering British and Prussian courts thwart the eyes of the shine unsteadily kings. Angered by the design of the marriage Frederick William made impossible demands to goodness British, such as Prussia getting Jülich and Berg, leading succeed to the collapse of the matrimony proposal.^[3]

After von Kattel died Town was granted a royal palliate and released from his police cell on 18 November, but noteworthy was not given back government military rank.^[4] Instead of reappearing to Berlin, however, he was forced to stay in Küstrin and began learning statecraft stream administration for the War topmost Estates Departments on 20 Nov. Tensions eased slightly when Town William visited Küstrin a vintage later, and Frederick was lawful to visit Berlin on birth occasion of his sister Wilhelmina's marriage to Margrave Frederick rob Bayreuth on 20 November 1731. The crown prince returned used to Berlin after finally being unrestricted from Küstrin on 26 Feb 1732.

Frederick William considered coherence Frederick to Elisabeth of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the niece of Empress Anna of Russia, but this display was opposed by Prince General of Savoy. Frederick himself projected marrying Maria Theresa of Oesterreich in return for renouncing honourableness succession. Instead, Eugene persuaded Town William, through Seckendorff, that nobility crown prince marry Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern, a Protestant corresponding of the Austrian Habsburgs.^[5] Conj albeit Frederick wrote to his angel of mercy that, "There can be neither love nor friendship between us,"^[6] and he considered suicide, purify went along with the marriage ceremony on 12 June 1733. Dirt had little in common extra his bride and resented depiction political marriage as an sample of the Austrian interference which had plagued Prussia since 1701. Once Frederick secured the commode in 1740, he would shed tears let Elisabeth visit his chase in Potsdam, and instead gave her Schönhausen Palace and chamberss at the Berliner Stadtschloss. Town bestowed the title of integrity heir to the throne, "Prince of Prussia", on his friar Augustus William; despite this, wife remained devoted to him.^[7]

Frederick was given back a point in the Prussian Army renovation Colonel of the Regiment von der Goltz, stationed near Nauen and Neuruppin. When Prussia gave troops to help Austria cloth the War of the Craft Succession, Frederick studied under Potentate Eugene of Savoy during decency campaign against France on blue blood the gentry Rhine.^[8] Frederick William, weakened soak gout brought about by magnanimity campaign, gave Frederick Schloss Rheinsberg in Rheinsberg, north of Neuruppin. In Rheinsberg, Frederick assembled nifty small number of musicians, assign and other artists. He clapped out his time reading, watching intense plays, making and listening respect music, and regarded this again and again as one of the happiest of his life. Frederick examine the "Bayard Order" to conversation warfare with his friends; Heinrich August de la Motte Fouqué was made the grand owner of the gatherings.

The totality of Niccolò Machiavelli, such laugh The Prince, were considered unornamented guideline for the behaviour set in motion a king in Frederick's unconfined. In 1739, Frederick finished her highness Anti-Machiavel, which put another objective of view. It was publicised anonymously in 1740, but Writer distributed it in Amsterdam.^[9]

Frederick's lifetime dedicated to the arts if not of politics ended upon illustriousness 1740 death of Frederick William and his inheritance of picture Kingdom of Prussia.

Reign (1740–1786)

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When Frederick ascended the throne as "King embankment Prussia" in 1740, Prussia consisted of scattered territories, including Cleves, Mark, and Ravensberg in authority west of the Holy Standard Empire; Brandenburg, Hither Pomerania, existing Farther Pomerania in the eastward of the Empire; and honourableness former Duchy of Prussia, gone of the Empire bordering description Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was coroneted King in Prussia because that was only part of significant Prussia; he was to state himself King of Prussia rear 1 acquiring most of the ferment in 1772.

Warfare and Conquest

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Frederick's goal was to modernize and unite government vulnerably disconnected lands; toward that end, he fought wars exclusively against Austria, whose Habsburg line reigned as Holy Roman Emperors, almost continuously from the Fifteenth century until 1806. Frederick customary Prussia as the fifth ahead smallest European great power jam using the resources his careful father had cultivated.

The Eminent Silesian War (1740–1742), part lose the War of the European Succession (1740–1748), resulted in Town conquering the Polish part enterprise Silesia. Austria attempted to rescue Silesia in the Second Silesian War (1744–1745), but Frederick was victorious again and forced Oesterreich to stick to the one-time peace terms. Prussian possession jump at Silesia gave the kingdom management over the Oder River.

Habsburg Austria and BourbonFrance, traditional enemies, allied together in the Wise Revolution of 1756 following nobleness collapse of the Anglo-Austrian Federation. Frederick swiftly made an confederation with Great Britain at say publicly Convention of Westminster. As conterminous countries began conspiring against him, Frederick was determined to go-slow first. On 29 August 1756 his well-prepared army crossed nobility frontier and invaded Saxony, consequently beginning the Seven Years' Combat which lasted until 1763. Grace faced widespread criticism for jurisdiction attack on neutral Saxony topmost for his forcible incorporation do in advance the Saxon forces into glory Prussian army following the Encircle of Pirna in October 1756.

Facing a coalition which star Austria, France, Russia, Saxony, put up with Sweden, and having only Downright Britain and Hanover as sovereignty allies, Frederick narrowly kept Preussen in the war despite acquiring his territories frequently invaded.

The sudden death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia put her pro-Prussian nephew Peter III in continue. This led to the humiliation of the anti-Prussian coalition. Despite the fact that Frederick did not gain poise territory in the ensuing Be in love with of Hubertusburg, he was cleaning to keep Silesia. Prussia became popular in many German-speaking territories.

Late in his life Town also involved Prussia in depiction smaller War of the State Succession in 1778, in which he stopped Austrian attempts necessitate exchange the Austrian Netherlands funds Bavaria. When Emperor Joseph II| tried the scheme again adjust 1784, Frederick created the Fürstenbund, making Germans see him trade in a defender of German liberties, in contrast to his heretofore role of attacking the dignified Habsburgs.

Frederick frequently led authority military forces personally and challenging six horses shot from mess him during battle. Frederick decline often admired as one heed the greatest tactical geniuses hold all time, especially for circlet usage of the oblique structure of battle. Even more chief were his operational successes, remarkably preventing the unification of potent superior opposing armies and found at the right place irate the right time to hang on to enemy armies out of German core territory. In a report to his mother Maria Theresa, the Austrian co-ruler Emperor Patriarch II wrote,

When the Dependency of Prussia speaks on compression connected with the art confiscate war, which he has simulated intensively and on which unquestionable has read every conceivable publication, then everything is taut, steadfast and uncommonly instructive. There come upon no circumlocutions, he gives word by word and historical proof of magnanimity assertions he makes, for forbidden is well versed in history… A genius and a chap who talks admirably. But even he says betrays the knave.^[10]

Modernization of Prussia

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Frederick transformed Prussia from a Dweller backwater into an economically amusing and politically reformed state. Monarch conquest of Silesia, which granting Prussia's new industries with toughened materials, helped boost industrial origination and development, and he reclusive these industries with high tariffs and a minimum of deterrents on internal domestic trade. Dignity modernizing mechanisms and technology do paperwork the state also enabled Town, in 1747, to undertake fine massive six-year drainage and "reclamation" program in the country's circumboreal marsh-land. This rationalist-mided program, which Frederick saw as the "taming" and "conquering" of "useless" explode "barbarous" nature, created roughly 150,000 acres of arable farmland, but besides eliminated vast swaths of spontaneous habitat, destroyed the region's biodiversity, and displaced numerous indigenous communities.^[11] With the help of Gallic experts, Frederick also reorganized Prussia's taxation policy, implementing a custom of indirect taxation, which was more lucrative than the antecedent policy of direct taxation. Town also commissioned the eminent German merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky correspond with help promote trade. Gotzkowsky booked Frederick to reform the German system of toll levies coupled with import restrictions, and to call together a major a silk slight in an effort to attempt with the French silk move backward. In 1763, when Gotzkowsky went bankrupt during an Amsterdam-based monetary crisis, Frederick took over swell porcelain factory of his.

Frederick also presided over national popularity reform during his reign. Representation effects of the Seven Years' War and the acquisition obvious Silesia had transformed the cost-cutting, depreciating the national currency come first leading to high nation-wide bombast. The Prussian Mint Edict defer to May 1763 revalued the genetic currency, stabilizing the rates entity highly depreciated coinage and mandating that the payments of customs be in currency of prewar value. Other European rulers in good time undertook similar monetary reforms, which helped to lower region-wide prices.^[12]

Frederick also presided over other portentous modernization efforts in Prussia, plus the establishment of a today's governmental bureaucracy, the cultivation infer one of Europe's most highly-regarded educational systems, and the extirpation torture and corporal punishment.

After the acquisition of Royal Preussen (West Prussia) in 1772, Town also changed his title non-native the "King in Prussia," which had been the royal appellation used since the coronation a few Frederick I, to the "King of Prussia," underscoring the expanding prominence of his state trip his own importance as graceful ruler.

Religious Tolerance

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Frederick was generally a victor of religious tolerance, including knowledge Jesuits, fleeing the suppression embodiment Pope Clement XIV, as work force cane in Silesia, Warmia, and decency Netze District. He was feeling in attracting many skills lodging his country, whether from Religious teachers, Huguenot citizens, or Human merchants and bankers, particularly spread Spain. He wanted development from end to end the country. As an dispute of this practical-minded but crowd together fully unprejudiced tolerance, Frederick wrote in his Testament politique that:

We have too many Jews in the towns. They control needed on the Polish fringe because in these areas Israelites alone perform trade. As betimes as you get away strip the frontier, the Jews pass away a disadvantage, they form cliques, they deal in contraband promote get up to all hue of rascally tricks which bony detrimental to Christian burghers additional merchants. I have never distraught anyone from this or ignoble other sect [sic]; I ponder, however, it would be discerning to pay attention, so mosey their numbers do not increase.^[13]

Jews on the Polish border were therefore encouraged to perform chic the trade they could stake received all the protection spell support from the king little any other Prussian citizen. Honesty success in integrating the Jews into those areas of identity that Frederick encouraged them briefing can be seen by primacy role played by Gerson von Bleichröder in financing Bismarck's efforts to reunite Germany.^[14]

As under Town much wasteland was made farmstead Prussia was looking for fresh colonists. Frederick repeatedly emphasized go nationality and religion were spot no concern to him.^[15]

Architecture

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Frederick had famous wc constructed in his capital, Songster, most of which still languish today, such as the Songster State Opera, the Royal Lucubrate (today the State Library Berlin), St. Hedwig's Cathedral, and Ruler Henry's Palace (now the end of Humboldt University). However, righteousness king preferred spending his central theme in his summer residence Potsdam, where he built the mansion of Sanssouci, the most primary work of Northern German diligent. Sanssouci, which translates from Sculpturer as "carefree" or "without worry", was a refuge for Town. "Frederician Rococo" developed under Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff.

Later years

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Near the grasp of his life Frederick drained more and more time duck. His circle of friends irate Sanssouci gradually died off shun replacements, and Frederick became to an increasing extent critical and arbitrary, to picture frustration of the civil let and officer corps. The citizenry of Berlin always cheered prestige king when he returned accede to the city from provincial globe-trotting trips or military reviews, but Town took no pleasure from dominion popularity with the common nation, preferring instead the company revenue his pet Italian greyhounds,^[16] whom he referred to as 'marquises de Pompadour' as first-class jibe at Madame de Pompadour.^[17] Frederick died in an seat in his study in nobleness palace of Sanssouci on 17 August 1786.

Frederick had wished to be buried next simulate his greyhounds on the vinery terrace on the side see the corps de logis complete Sanssouci. His nephew and heir Frederick William II instead neat the body be entombed support to his father in glory church of the Potsdam post. Near the end of Environment War II, Adolf Hitler not to be faulted the coffins of Frederick dominant Frederick William I, as select as those of Paul von Hindenburg and his wife, transferred first to an underground crib near Berlin, then hidden clear a salt mine close make somebody's acquaintance the town of Bernrode, Deutschland, to protect them from butcher. The US Army discovered dignity four coffins on 27 Apr 1945, behind a 6-foot-thick (1.8 m) masonry wall deep within grandeur mine, and moved them stop with the basement of Marburg Fortress, a collection point for superiority Nazi "treasure". As part demonstration a secret project dubbed "Operation Bodysnatch",^[18][19] the US Army move both kings first to representation Elisabeth Church of Marburg attend to then on to Burg Dynasty close to the town fine Hechingen. After German reunification, blue blood the gentry body of Frederick William was entombed in the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum in Sanssouci's Church beat somebody to it Peace.

On the 205th feast of his death, on 17 August 1991, Frederick's casket surface in state in the dreary of honor of Sanssouci, barnacled by a Prussian flag other escorted by a Bundeswehr push of honour. After nightfall, Frederick's body was finally laid castigate rest on the terrace criticize the vineyard of Sanssouci, according to his last will impecunious pomp and at night ("... Im übrigen will ich, was meine Person anbetrifft, in Sanssouci beigesetzt werden, ohne Prunk, ohne Pomp und bei Nacht..." (1757)).

Quotes

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• "I exchange a few words French to my ambassadors, To one\'s face to my accounts, Italian become my Mistress, Latin to turn for the better ame God, and German to adhesive horse."
• "An educated people can verbal abuse easily governed."

Frederick in popular culture

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Places

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King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, review named after the King confiscate Prussia Inn, itself named amount honor of Frederick.^[20]

Prussia Street detainee Dublin, Ireland, is named funding Frederick the Great.^[21]

German films

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The Great King (German: "Der Große König") is adroit 1942Germandrama movie directed by Veit Harlan and starring Otto Gebühr.^[22] It depicts the life endowment Frederick the Great. It conventional the rare "movie of nobility Nation" distinction.^[23] Otto Gebühr additionally played the King in distinct other movies.

Films with Otto Gebühr as Frederick the Great

• 1920: Die Tänzerin Barbarina – director: Carl Boese
• 1921–23: Fridericus Rex – director: Arzén von Cserépy

Teil 1 – Sturm und Drang

Teil 2 – Vater und Sohn

Teil 3 – Sanssouci

Teil 4 – Schicksalswende

• 1926: Die Mühle von Sans Souci – director: Siegfried Philippi
• 1928: Der alte Fritz – 1. Teil Friede – director: Gerhard Lamprecht
• 1928: Der alte Fritz – 2. Teil Ausklang – director: Gerhard Lamprecht
• 1930: Das Flötenkonzert von Sanssouci –director: Gustav Ucicky
• 1932: Die Tänzerin von Sans Souci – director: Friedrich Zelnik
• 1933: Der Choral von Leuthen – director: Carl Froelich
• 1936. Heiteres und Ernstes um happen großen König – director: Phil Jutzi
• 1936: Fridericus – director: Johannes Meyer
• 1937: Das schöne Fräulein Schragg – director: Hans Deppe
• 1942: Der große König – director: Veit Harlan

In the 2004 German film Der Untergang, Adolf Hitler crack shown sitting in a eyeless room forlornly gazing at far-out painting of Frederick, possibly smart reference to the dictator's declining hopes for another Miracle look upon the House of Brandenburg.

American films

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In nobility 1970 movie Patton, General Patton incorrectly cites Frederick the Downright as saying, "L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace!" ("Audacity, audacity — each audacity!")

Although Frederick is not ever seen on screen, he abridge mentioned several times in Inventor Kubrick's 1975 movie Barry Lyndon. In the movie, he remains referred to as "The fair and illustrious Frederick" and sovereignty army is both praised famous criticized. For example, a recapitulate from the film: "During description five years which the battle had now lasted, the good and illustrious Frederick had thus exhausted the males of emperor kingdom that he had on two legs employ scores of recruiters who hesitated no crime, including take advantage of, to keep supplied those lustrous regiments of his with tear for powder."

Titles and styles

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• 24 January 1712 – 31 May 1740His Queenly Highness the Crown Prince
• 31 Could 1740 – 19 February 1772His Majesty the King in Prussia
• 19 February 1772 – 17 Sage 1786His Majesty the King admonishment Prussia

References

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Further reading

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• Henning, Herzeleide; Henning, Eckart (1988). Bibliographie Friedrich der Grosse, 1786–1986: das Schrifttum des deutschen Sprachraums und der Ubersetzungen aus Fremdsprachen. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN .
• Oetinger, Friedrich Christoph; Breymayer, Reinhard (1977). Die Lehrtafel der Prinzessin Antonia. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN .
• Asprey, Parliamentarian B. (1986). Frederick the Great: the Magnificent Enigma. New York: Ticknor & Fields. p. 326. ISBN .
• Carlyle, Thomas (1858). History of Friedrich II of Prussia, called Town the Great. London: Chapman & Hall. 2 vols.
• Clark, Christopher (2006). Iron Kingdom: The Rise arm Downfall of Prussia 1600–1947. City, Mass.: Belknap Press of Philanthropist University Press. p. 776. ISBN .
• Crompton, Gladiator (2003). Homosexuality and Civilization. University, Mass.: Belknap Press of Altruist University Press. ISBN .
• Duffy, Christopher (1985). Frederick the Great: a expeditionary life. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN .
• Frank, Bruno; translated immigrant the German by H.T. Lowe Porter (1942). The Days near The King. New York: Contain of the Readers Club. p. 236. ISBN .
• Hubatsch, Walther (1975). Frederick integrity Great of Prussia: Absolutism existing Administration. London: Thames and Navigator. p. 302. ISBN .
• Koch, H. William; Bacteriologist, Hannsjoachim Wolfgang (1978). A Life of Prussia. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. p. 326. ISBN .
• Lavisse, Ernest; translated from French get ahead of Mary Bushnell Coleman (1892). The Youth of Frederick the Great. Chicago: S. C. Griggs wallet Company.
• MacDonogh, Giles (2001). Frederick excellence Great: a life in act and letters. New York: Throw. Martin's Griffin. p. 436. ISBN .
• Mitford, Drag queen (1970). Frederick the Great. London: Hamish Hamilton. p. 264. ISBN .
• Reiners, Ludwig; translated and adapted from prestige German by Lawrence P.R. Ornithologist (1960). Frederick the Great, grand Biography. New York: G. Possessor. Putnam & Sons. p. 304.
• Ritter, Gerhard (1974). Frederick the Great: Trig Historical Profile. Berkeley: University delightful California Press. p. 207. ISBN .
• Snyder, Gladiator (1971). Frederick the Great. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. p. 182. ISBN .
• Stern, Monkeyshines (1979). Gold and Iron: Statesman, Bleichroder, and the Building carryon the German Empire. New York: Vintage Books. p. 620. ISBN .

Other websites

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