Frederick the Great was king of Prussia during the 18th Century.
This week’s article resumes the history of Prussia, focusing on its most famous ruler, Frederick the Great (r.1740-1786). Son of Frederick William, the “Soldier King,” Frederick the Great was nothing like his crude, sometimes violent father. While Frederick William saw little use for formal education or the arts his son, Frederick the Great embraced learning and cultural refinement. He was also surprisingly tolerant for a monarch of the 18th Century. He allowed religious freedom and was passionate about freedom of the press.
One way Frederick the Great did resemble his soldier-father was as a military tactician. Under Frederick the Great, Prussia gained territories from the area of Silesia (part of modern-day Austria) during the War of the Austrian Succession, doubling its population and making it a preeminent power in Europe.
Even though he was greatly influenced by the Enlightenment, Frederick the Great did adhere to some old traditions, such as serfdom and the protection of the Junker, or ruling nobility.
