Who was the king of Prussia in 1740?
Frederick William I of Prussia. Frederick William I ( German: Friedrich Wilhelm I) (14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740), known as the "Soldier King" ( German: Soldatenkönig ), was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death in 1740 as well as the father of Frederick the Great.
Who was Frederick William I of Prussia and what did he do?
Who was Frederick William I of Prussia? Frederick William I of Prussia was the second Prussian king and ruled from 1713 until his death in 1740. He was the son of Frederick III of Brandenburg, the first king of Prussia. When he took over the throne, his kingdom was financially drained.
When did King Frederick William I Die?
Written By: Frederick William I, German Friedrich Wilhelm I, (born August 14, 1688, Berlin—died May 31, 1740, Potsdam, Prussia), second Prussian king, who transformed his country from a second-rate power into the efficient and prosperous state that his son and successor, Frederick II the Great, made a major military power on the Continent.
Who was King Frederick the Great of Germany?
Frederick was born on August 14, 1688, in Berlin, to Frederick III of Brandenburg, the first king of the country, and Sophia of Hanover. He was born a few months after the death of his grandfather, the Great Elector.
Who was the 1st King of Prussia?
Frederick IFrederick I (German: Friedrich I.; 11 July 1657 – 25 February 1713), of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was (as Frederick III) Elector of Brandenburg (1688–1713) and Duke of Prussia in personal union (Brandenburg-Prussia). The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia (1701–1713).
Who was the King of Prussia before William 1?
William I, German EmperorWilhelm IPredecessorMonarchy establishedSuccessorFrederick IIIChancellorOtto von BismarckKing of Prussia35 more rows
Who was King of Prussia?
William I became King of Prussia in 1861 and German Emperor in 1871. He was son of Frederick William III and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
What is Frederick William IV known for?
Frederick William IV, (born Oct. 15, 1795, Cölln, near Berlin—died Jan. 2, 1861, Potsdam, Prussia), king of Prussia from 1840 until 1861, whose conservative policies helped spark the Revolution of 1848. In the aftermath of the failed revolution, Frederick William followed a reactionary course.
Who was the first German King?
Wilhelm of PrussiaWilhelm of Prussia proclaimed the first German emperor – archive, 1871 | Germany | The Guardian.
Who was the last King of Prussia?
William IIWilliam II, king of Prussia and last German emperor - he ruled the German Empire for 30 years before being toppled from the throne. But who was Emperor William II? Born in the Royal Palace in Potsdam, from the start of his life William was confronted with his country's history and the legacy of his ancestors.
Who founded King of Prussia?
The community took its unusual name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after King Frederick the Great of Prussia. Like the rest of Montgomery County, King of Prussia continues to experience rapid development....King of Prussia, PennsylvaniaGNIS feature ID117847322 more rows
Why is called King of Prussia?
King of Prussia's name comes from an inn and tavern opened in 1769 in a converted farmhouse originally built by Welsh Quakers in 1719. The owner named his tavern to honor King Frederick II of Prussia, an eighteenth-century monarch who opposed Britain's imperial ambitions.
Who founded Prussia?
The Prussian Kingdom was founded on January 18th, 1701, when the Elector Frederick III had himself crowned Frederick I at Konigsberg. Prussia, which was to become a byword for German militarism and authoritarianism, began its history outside Germany altogether.
Who ruled Prussia in 1850?
Kingdom of PrussiaKingdom of Prussia Königreich PreußenGovernmentAbsolute monarchy (until 1848) Constitutional monarchy (from 1848)King• 1701–1713 (first)Frederick I• 1888–1918 (last)Wilhelm II40 more rows
What nationality is Prussian?
GermanPrussia was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871....Prussia.Prussia Preußen (German) Prūsa (Prussian)CapitalKönigsberg (1525–1701; 1806) Berlin (1701–1806; 1806-1947)43 more rows
Who rejected the crown of united Germany?
Frederick William refused the crown of a united Germany offered him (1849) by the Frankfurt Parliament on the grounds that a monarch by divine right could not receive authority from an elected assembly.
What was Frederick II known for?
Frederick II (1712-1786) ruled Prussia from 1740 until his death, leading his nation through multiple wars with Austria and its allies. His daring military tactics expanded and consolidated Prussian lands, while his domestic policies transformed his kingdom into a modern state and formidable European power.
Who was the ruler of Prussia in 1740?
Frederick IIFrederick II ascended the throne, becoming the king of Prussia, in 1740, following the death of his father, Frederick William I.
Who was King of Prussia in 1836?
Frederick William III (German: Friedrich Wilhelm III.; 3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840) was King of Prussia from 16 November 1797 until his death in 1840.
Who ruled Prussia in 1790?
Frederick William II (reigned 1786–97) was not nearly so successful a ruler as his uncle.
Who was the king of Prussia when he accepted the ruling of Charles VI?
Frederick William I of Prussia accepted the ruling of Emperor Charles VI, confirming his right of succession to Berg. In return, the king guaranteed the Pragmatic Sanction, asserting the right of the emperor’s daughter to succeed. Charles repudiated Prussia’s claim, however, in 1738 when he…
Who was Frederick the Great?
Frederick William I, German Friedrich Wilhelm I, (born August 14, 1688, Berlin—died May 31, 1740, Potsdam, Prussia), second Prussian king, who transformed his country from a second-rate power into the efficient and prosperous state that his son and successor, Frederick II the Great, made a major military power on the Continent.
What were Frederick William's major reforms?
The need for funds, coupled with Frederick William’s genuine concern for his subjects, led to a number of sweeping reforms and innovations. A thrifty, practical Protestant, the king on his accession all but dissolved his extravagant court. Prussia’s eastern territories, depopulated by the plague of 1709, were resettled and made prosperous once again. The lot of the peasantry improved. In his own domains, which eventually comprised one-third of all the land, Frederick William freed the serfs completely (1719) and abolished hereditary leases. In 1717 a yearly tax replaced the aristocracy’s feudal war service. Against considerable opposition, he levied additional taxes in Prussia and Lithuania. Prussia’s commercial policies were strictly mercantilist, encouraging industry and manufacture, especially the wool industry, which clothed the king’s army. Convinced that an efficient state could not afford illiterate subjects, Frederick William instituted compulsory primary education in 1717. In 1723 he centralized his administration under a general directory through which his ministers executed his orders. Near the end of his reign, he initiated a program of extensive legal codification. Thus, Frederick William left his heir an efficient, centralized state with sound finances and an excellent army.
What was Frederick William's goal in 1713?
Frederick William was to spend the rest of his life building the Prussian army into Europe’s best fighting instrument. Realizing that Prussia’s military and financial weakness made it dependent on the relations between the great powers, Frederick William resolved to make his state financially independent. In 1713 Prussia’s armed forces numbered ...
How many talers did Frederick William have?
When Frederick William died in 1740, he left his son an army of about 83,000 out of a population of 2,200,000, a war chest of more than 8,000,000 taler, and a Prussia that had become the third military power on the European continent, after Russia and France.
What was the tax policy of Prussia in 1717?
Prussia’s commercial policies were strictly mercantilist, encouraging industry and manufacture, especially the wool industry, which clothed the king’s army.
What happened to Prussia's eastern territories?
Prussia’s eastern territories, depopulated by the plague of 1709, were resettled and made prosperous once again. The lot of the peasantry improved. In his own domains, which eventually comprised one-third of all the land, Frederick William freed the serfs completely (1719) and abolished hereditary leases.
What was the name of the second king of Prussia?
Frederick William I of Prussia was the second Prussian king and ruled from 1713 until his death in 1740. He was the son of Frederick III of Brandenburg, the first king of Prussia. When he took over the throne, his kingdom was financially drained. The condition of the army was miserable, and there were no resources left by his father for him to fix the situation. In spite of this, by the end of his reign, he had a strong army, with able and well-equipped soldiers. He had even restored the condition of the treasury by then. However, Frederick William himself lived like a poor person to bring about this massive change and development in the kingdom. He worked hard for his people and introduced various reforms and changes, such as regulation of state officials, introduction of the canton system, and a new tax system, to help the economy and the military grow by leaps and bounds, all within 20 years. However, his harsh and violent nature repulsed his family and people. He eventually developed gout and died at the age of 51.
Who was Frederick the Great's wife?
Frederick married Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, his first cousin and daughter of King George I of Great Britain and Sophia Dorothea of Celle, on November 28, 1706. He loved his wife, but his temper became a problem for their relationship, as Sophia found it difficult to handle him.
How many children did Fritz and Frederick have?
With time, she started hating him, mostly because of his behavior with their eldest son (and the heir to the throne), Frederick, also known as Fritz. They had 14 children together.
When did William I die?
William I died on May 31, 1740, at the age of 51. In his final years, the father–son duo had reconciled to a great extent.
What did the Protestants do in 1732?
In 1732, he invited the Salzburg Protestants to make East Prussia their home. East Prussia had lost most of its population due to the plague in 1709. About 20,000 Protestants moved to Germany in the company of Prussian commissioners.
Who was the first president of Prussia?
The founding of the University of Halle (1694), the Academy of the Arts (1696), and the Academy of the Sciences (1700), of which the eminent philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz became the first president, further contributed to Prussia’s growing cultural importance.
What was the significance of Prussia's elevation to a monarchy?
Prussia’s elevation to a monarchy gave greater cohesion to the diverseand dispersed Hohenzollern lands , which now were turned into provinces. Frederick also freed the new kingdom from imperial judicial suzerainty and increased its revenues. An influx of Dutch and French Protestants was instrumental in the creation of new industries, the reclamation of land, and the stimulation of intellectuallife. The founding of the University of Halle (1694), the Academy of the Arts (1696), and the Academy of the Sciences (1700), of which the eminent philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnizbecame the first president, further contributed to Prussia’s growing cultural importance.
Who was Frederick the Great's grandson?
Only his son, Frederick William I, and his grandson, Frederick II the Great, were able to exploit Prussia’s enhanced position to the full and transform the new kingdom into a great European power.
When did Prussia emerge unrewarded?
Although, in the wars of the Grand Alliance against Louis XIV (1689–97), Prussia’s contingents in the imperial army distinguished themselves everywhere, Prussia emerged practically unrewarded at the Treaty of Rijswijk (1697).
Who was the first king of Prussia?
Frederick I ( German: Friedrich I.; 11 July 1657 – 25 February 1713), of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was (as Frederick III) Elector of Brandenburg (1688–1713) and Duke of Prussia in personal union ( Brandenburg-Prussia ). The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia (1701–1713). ...
Who was Frederick William I married to?
Frederick August (1685–1686) Frederick William I, born in 1688, who succeeded him. In 1708, he married Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who survived him but had no children by him.
What is the monogram of Frederick I?
Royal monogram of Frederick I. Further information: Brandenburg-Prussia and King in Prussia. The Hohenzollern state was then known as Brandenburg-Prussia. The family's main possessions were the Margraviate of Brandenburg within the Holy Roman Empire and the Duchy of Prussia outside of the Empire, ruled as a personal union.
What was Frederick II's patronage?
Frederick was a patron of the arts and learning . The Akademie der Künste in Berlin was founded by Frederick in 1696, as was the Academy of Sciences in 1700, though the latter was closed down by his son as an economic measure; it was reopened in 1740 by his grandson, Frederick II. Frederick also appointed Jacob Paul von Gundling as Professor of History and Law at the Berlin Knights Academy in 1705, and as historian at the Higher Herald's Office in 1706.
What was Frederick's military career?
Frederick took Brandenburg into the League of Augsburg against France and in 1689 led military forces into the field as part of the allied coalition.
Why was Frederick the Great called the mercenary king?
His grandson, Frederick the Great, referred to Frederick I as "the mercenary king", due to the fact that he greatly profited from the hiring of his Prussian troops to defend other territories, such as in northern Italy against the French. "All in all," he wrote of his grandfather, "he was great in small matters, and small in great matters."
Who was King William III's cousin?
Born in Königsberg, he was the third son of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg by his father's first marriage to Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau, eldest daughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels. His maternal cousin was King William III of England.
Who was the first king of Prussia?
Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was (as Frederick III) Elector of Brandenburg (1688–1713) and Duke of Prussia in personal union (Brandenburg-Prussia). The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia (1701–1713). From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel (German: Fürstentum Neuenburg). He was also the paternal grandfather of Frederick the Great.#N#Born in Königsberg, he was the third son of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg by his father's first marriage to Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau, eldest daughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels. His maternal cousin was King William III of England. Upon the death of his father on 29 April 1688, Frederick became Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia. Right after ascending the throne Frederick founded a new city southerly adjacent to Dorotheenstadt and named it after himself, the Friedrichstadt....
Who was the Hohenzollern king of Prussia?
Frederick the Great was the Hohenzollern King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786 and is regarded as one of the "enlightened despots" of 18th century Europe. He was highly educated and built his government as a model of efficiency, creating the first modern...
What were Otto von Guericke's major achievements?
His major scientific achievements were the establishment of the physics of vacuums, the discovery of an experimental method for clearly demonstrating electrostatic repulsion, and his...
Who was the great Elector of Brandenburg?
Frederick William was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia – and thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia – from 1640 until his death. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is popularly known as "the Great Elector" (der Große Kurfürst) because of...
Who was Frederick III's cousin?
His maternal cousin was King William III of England. Upon the death of his father on 29 April 1688, Frederick became Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia. Right after ascending the throne Frederick founded a new city southerly adjacent to Dorotheenstadt and named it after himself, the Friedrichstadt....
Who was the Prince of Orange?
John William Friso became the titular Prince of Orange in 1702. He was stadtholder of Friesland until his death by drowning in the Hollands Diep in 1711. He was the son of Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, and Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-De...
Who was William III?
William III (Dutch: Willem III) was a sovereign Prince of Orange by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange (Dutch: Willem III van Oranje) over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From...
When was Frederick William crowned king?
Frederick William was crowned the king on August 17, 1786. To everyone's surprise, as a king, he introduced several schemes that reduced the burdens of his subjects.
How did Frederick William's military reforms affect Prussia?
On the flip side, despite the growth of the Prussian army, the debts incurred by the state treasury reduced the quality of military training programs. It was also an obstacle to Frederick William’s plans of intervening in European affairs.
What was Prussia's foreign policy?
Among his prominent foreign policies was the Austro-Prussian alliance that he signed with Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, to oppose the French Revolution. However, he later entered into a coalition with France, which led to Prussia being boycotted in Europe.
How did the religious act affect Prussia?
The religious act prevented the people of the kingdom from speaking on religious topics in public and maintained a stable civil society. Even though it was forcefully imposed and was a significant stabilizing factor, the act turned out to be ineffective in turning Prussia into a complete Christian state.
What was the main cause of the downfall of Prussia?
Nevertheless, when Frederick William became the king, he did prove himself to be an able ruler. However, his lack of interest in military issues caused the downfall of Prussia's greatest strength, the army. Despite this, Prussia expanded its territories. Among his prominent foreign policies was the Austro-Prussian alliance ...
What did Frederick the Great believe about William?
Frederick the Great publicly objected to Frederick William's artistic pursuits and believe d that his artistic spirit would not let him become an able ruler. The former expected the latter to act responsibly during the French Revolution.
Why did the Emperor lose faith in the King's promise?
The emperor had lost faith in the king's promise due to his artistic temperament and the weak Prussian finances. Nevertheless, on February 7, 1792, A formal Austro-Prussian alliance was signed. Frederick William participated in the campaigns of 1792 and 1793. However, the lack of funds still haunted him.
Reign
He was born in Berlin to Frederick I of Prussia and Sophia Charlotte of Hanover. His father had successfully acquired the title King for the margraves of Brandenburg. During his own reign, Frederick William I did much to centralize and improve Prussia.
Burial and reburials
Frederick William died in 1740 at age 51 and was interred at the Garrison Church in Potsdam. During World War II, in order to protect it from advancing allied forces, Hitler ordered the king’s coffin, as well as those of Frederick the Great and Paul von Hindenburg, into hiding, first to Berlin and later to a salt mine outside of Bernterode.
Relationship with Frederick II
His eldest surviving son was Frederick II (Fritz), born in 1712. Frederick William wanted him to become a fine soldier. As a small child, Fritz was awakened each morning by the firing of a cannon. At the age of 6, he was given his own regiment of children [citation needed] to drill as cadets, and a year later, he was given a miniature arsenal.
Marriage and family
Frederick William married his first cousin Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, George II 's younger sister (daughter of his uncle, King George I of Great Britain and Sophia Dorothea of Celle) on 28 November 1706. They had fourteen children, including:
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frederick William I of Prussia.
