Frederick II | Biography, Accomplishments, Wars, Enlightenment, & Facts (2024)

king of Prussia

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

  • Frederick the Great - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • Frederick the Great - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

printPrint

Please select which sections you would like to print:

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

  • Frederick the Great - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • Frederick the Great - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Also known as: Frederick the Great, Friedrich der Grosse

Written by

Matthew Smith Anderson Emeritus Professor of International History, University of London. Author of Europe in the Eighteenth Century, 1713–1783 and others.

Matthew Smith Anderson

Fact-checked by

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Article History

Quick Facts

Byname:
Frederick the Great
German:
Friedrich der Grosse
Born:
January 24, 1712, Berlin, Prussia [Germany]
Died:
August 17, 1786, Potsdam, near Berlin (aged 74)
Title / Office:
king (1740-1786), Prussia
House / Dynasty:
Hohenzollern dynasty
Notable Family Members:
father Frederick William I
sister Wilhelmina

See all related content →

Top Questions

What is Frederick II known for?

Frederick II, king of Prussia (1740–86), was a brilliant military campaigner who, in a series of diplomatic stratagems and wars against Austria and other powers, greatly enlarged Prussia’s territories and made Prussia the foremost military power in Europe.

When was Frederick II born?

Frederick II was born on January 24, 1712, in Berlin, Prussia (now in Germany).

When did Frederick II ascend the throne?

Frederick II ascended the throne, becoming the king of Prussia, in 1740, following the death of his father, Frederick William I.

Frederick II (born January 24, 1712, Berlin, Prussia [Germany]—died August 17, 1786, Potsdam, near Berlin) was the king of Prussia (1740–86), a brilliant military campaigner who, in a series of diplomatic stratagems and wars against Austria and other powers, greatly enlarged Prussia’s territories and made Prussia the foremost military power in Europe. An enlightened absolute monarch, he favoured French language and art and built a French Rococo palace, Sanssouci, near Berlin.

Frederick, the third king of Prussia, ranks among the two or three dominant figures in the history of modern Germany. Under his leadership Prussia became one of the great states of Europe. Its territories were greatly increased and its military strength displayed to striking effect. From early in his reign Frederick achieved a high reputation as a military commander, and the Prussian army rapidly became a model admired and imitated in many other states. He also emerged quickly as a leading exponent of the ideas of enlightened government, which were then becoming influential throughout much of Europe; indeed, his example did much to spread and strengthen those ideas. Notably, his insistence on the primacy of state over personal or dynastic interests and his religious toleration widely affected the dominant intellectual currents of the age. Even more than his younger contemporaries, Catherine II the Great of Russia and Joseph II in the Habsburg territories, it was Frederick who, during the mid-18th century, established in the minds of educated Europeans a notion of what “enlightened despotism” should be. His actual achievements, however, were sometimes less than they appeared on the surface; indeed, his inevitable reliance on the landowning officer (Junker) class set severe limits in several respects to what he could even attempt. Nevertheless, his reign saw a revolutionary change in the importance and prestige of Prussia, which was to have profound implications for much of the subsequent history of Europe.

Early life

Frederick was the eldest surviving son of Frederick William I, king of Prussia, and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, daughter of George I of Britain. Frederick’s upbringing and education were strictly controlled by his father, who was a martinet as well as a paranoiac. Encouraged and supported by his mother and his sister Wilhelmina, Frederick soon came into bitter conflict with his father. Frederick William I deeply despised the artistic and intellectual tastes of his son and was infuriated by Frederick’s lack of sympathy with his own rigidly puritanical and militaristic outlook. His disappointment and contempt took the form of bitter public criticism and even outright physical violence, and Frederick, beaten and humiliated by his father, often over trifling details of behaviour, took refuge in evasion and deceit. This personal and family feud culminated spectacularly in 1730, when Frederick was imprisoned in the fortress of Küstrin after planning unsuccessfully to flee initially to France or Holland. Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte, the young officer who had been his accomplice in the plan, was executed in Frederick’s presence, and there was for a short time a real possibility that the prince might share his fate. During the next year or more Frederick, as a punishment, was employed as a junior official in local administration and deprived of his military rank. The effects of this terrible early life are impossible to measure with accuracy, but there is little doubt that the violent and capricious bullying of his father influenced him deeply.

In 1733, after a partial reconciliation with his father, Frederick was married to a member of a minor German princely family, Elizabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern, for whom he never cared and whom he systematically neglected. In the following year he saw active military service for the first time under the great Austrian commander Eugene of Savoy against the French army in the Rhineland. In the later 1730s, in semiretirement in the castle of Rheinsberg near Berlin and able for the first time to give free rein to his own tastes, he read voraciously, absorbing the ideas on government and international relations that were to guide him throughout his life. These years were perhaps the happiest that Frederick ever experienced. However, his relations with his father, though somewhat improved, remained strained.

Accession to the throne and foreign policy

Britannica QuizKings and Emperors (Part III) Quiz

Frederick William I died on May 31, 1740, and Frederick, on his accession, immediately made it clear to his ministers that he alone would decide policy. Within a few months he was given a chance to do so in a way that revolutionized Prussia’s international position. The Holy Roman emperor Charles VI, of the Austrian house of Habsburg, died on October 20, leaving as his heir a daughter, the archduchess Maria Theresa, whose claims to several of the heterogeneous Habsburg territories were certain to be disputed. Moreover, her army was in a poor state, the financial position of the Habsburg government very difficult, and her ministers mediocre and in many cases old. Frederick, however, thanks to his father, had a fine army and ample funds at his disposal. He therefore decided shortly after the emperor’s death to attack the Habsburg province of Silesia, a wealthy and strategically important area to which the Hohenzollerns, the ruling family of Prussia, had dynastic claims, though weak ones. The most important threat to his plans was Russian support for Maria Theresa, which he hoped to avert by judicious bribery in St. Petersburg and by exploiting the confusion that was likely to follow the imminent death of the empress Anna. He also hoped that Maria Theresa would cede most of Silesia in return for a promise of Prussian support against her other enemies, but her refusal to do so made war inevitable.

The first military victory of Frederick’s reign was the battle of Mollwitz (April 1741), though it owed nothing to his own leadership; in October Maria Theresa, now threatened by a hostile coalition of France, Spain, and Bavaria, had to agree to the Convention of Klein-Schnellendorf, by which Frederick was allowed to occupy the whole of Lower Silesia. However, the Habsburg successes against the French and Bavarians that followed so alarmed Frederick that early in 1742 he invaded Moravia, the region south of Silesia, which was under Austrian rule. His rather incomplete victory at Chotusitz in May nonetheless forced Maria Theresa to cede almost all of Silesia by the Treaty of Berlin of 1742 in July. This once more allowed Habsburg forces to be concentrated against France and Bavaria, and 1743 and the early months of 1744 saw Maria Theresa’s position in Germany become markedly stronger. Frederick, again alarmed by this, invaded Bohemia in August 1744 and rapidly overran it. However, by the end of the year lack of French support and threats to his lines of communication had forced him to retreat. Moreover, the elector Augustus III (king of Poland and the elector of Saxony) now joined Maria Theresa in attacking him in Silesia. He was rescued from this threatening situation by the prowess of his army; victories at Hohenfriedberg in June 1745 and at Soor in September were followed by a Prussian invasion of Saxony. The Treaty of Dresden, signed on December 25, 1745, finally established Prussian rule in Silesia and ended for the time being the complex series of struggles that had begun five years earlier.

Frederick II | Biography, Accomplishments, Wars, Enlightenment, & Facts (3)

Are you a student?

Get a special academic rate on Britannica Premium.

Subscribe

Silesia was a valuable acquisition, being more developed economically than any other major part of the Hohenzollern dominions. Moreover, military victory had now made Prussia at least a semigreat power and marked Frederick as the most successful ruler in Europe. He was well aware, however, that his situation was far from secure. Maria Theresa was determined to recover Silesia, and the peace she signed with France and Spain at Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 allowed her to accelerate significant improvements in the administration of her territories and the organization of her army. Frederick’s alliance with France, which dated from an agreement of June 1741, was based merely on mutual hostility toward the Habsburgs and had never been effective. More serious, anti-Prussian feeling was now running high in Russia, where both the empress Elizabeth, who had ascended the throne in 1741, and her chancellor, Aleksey Bestuzhev-Ryumin, bitterly disliked Frederick. Moreover, Great Britain, under George II, seeking an effective continental ally against France, seemed to be moving closer to Maria Theresa and Elizabeth. In September 1755 Britain signed an agreement with Russia by which Russia, in return for British subsidies, was to provide a large military force in its Baltic provinces to protect, if necessary, the electorate of Hanover, ruled by George II, against possible French or Prussian attack. Frederick was deeply alarmed by this: a hostile Austro-Russian alliance backed by British money seemed to threaten the destruction of Prussia. In January 1756 he attempted to escape from this menacing situation by an agreement with Britain for the neutralization of Germany in the Anglo-French colonial and naval war that had just begun. This, however, deeply antagonized Louis XV and the French government, who saw the agreement as an insulting desertion of France, Frederick’s ostensible ally. The result was the signature in May of a Franco-Austrian defensive alliance. This did not in itself threaten Frederick, but he soon became convinced that a Russo-Austrian attack on him, with French support, was imminent. He determined to forestall his enemies and, in a daring move, invaded Saxony in August 1756 and marched on into Bohemia. This action has been more actively debated by historians than any other event of Frederick’s reign because it raised in an acute form the general issue regarding the morality of preventive military action. Though Frederick took the offensive and thus unleashed a great military struggle, there is no doubt that he was by 1756 seriously threatened, indeed, even more seriously than he himself realized, and that his enemies, most of all the empress Elizabeth, meant to destroy Prussia’s newly won international status.

Frederick II | Biography, Accomplishments, Wars, Enlightenment, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Frederick II | Biography, Accomplishments, Wars, Enlightenment, & Facts? ›

His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Silesian wars

Silesian wars
The Silesian Wars (German: Schlesische Kriege) were three wars fought in the mid-18th century between Prussia (under King Frederick the Great) and Habsburg Austria (under Empress Maria Theresa) for control of the Central European region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland).
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Silesian_Wars
, his reorganisation of the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army (1701–1919, German: Königlich Preußische Armee) served as the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It became vital to the development of Prussia as a European power. Prussian Army. War ensign of Prussia.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Prussian_Army
, the First Partition of Poland, and his patronage of the arts and the Enlightenment
. Prussia greatly increased its territories and became a major military power in Europe under his rule.

What were the accomplishments of Frederick the Great Enlightenment? ›

Over the next decade, Frederick was responsible for major Enlightenment reforms throughout the nation. He standardized and revamped Prussia's judicial system, abolished torture in the military, established religious toleration, and granted a basic form of freedom of the press.

How was Frederick II enlightened? ›

Frederick modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service and pursued religious policies throughout his realm that ranged from tolerance to segregation. Following the common interest among enlightened despots, he supported arts, philosophers that he favored, and complete freedom of the press and literature.

What did Frederick William accomplish? ›

His notable decisions included selling Prussian overseas colonies and the foundation of the Canton system, as well as the conquest of the port of Stettin. His death in 1740 marked the end of a reign characterized by military and administrative reform. He was succeeded by his son, Frederick the Great.

What did Frederick do in the Enlightenment? ›

Frederick was a supporter of enlightened absolutism, stating that the ruler should be the first servant of the state. He modernised the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service, and pursued religious policies that ranged from tolerance to segregation.

What wars did Frederick the Great fight in? ›

Frederick the Great: The War of Austrian Succession

Frederick II took the throne on May 31, 1740, and immediately launched an unprovoked attack on the Austrian region of Silesia (in what is now southwestern Poland), triggering the eight-year War of Austrian Succession.

What was Frederick II known for? ›

What is Frederick II known for? Frederick II, king of Prussia (1740–86), was a brilliant military campaigner who, in a series of diplomatic stratagems and wars against Austria and other powers, greatly enlarged Prussia's territories and made Prussia the foremost military power in Europe.

What was Frederick most famous for? ›

Frederick Douglass is the Father of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

What are some fun facts about Frederick I? ›

Frederick I, nephew of Emperor Conrad III of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was one of the greatest monarchs of medieval Germany - brave, intelligent and chivalrous. He was Holy Roman Emperor from 1152 to 1190, and, simultanously, King of both Germany and Italy.

What military tactics did Frederick the Great use? ›

Frederick made considerable use of a military concept known as "interior lines," where a central force can rapidly mobilize against a series of enemies around the periphery who cannot coordinate their attacks and bring overwhelming numbers against the central opponent.

What was Frederick the Great absolute power? ›

Frederick William I of Prussia was known as the “Soldier's King” in reference to his high prioritization of strong government and his elimination of local self-government and parliamentary estates. He is accredited with having consolidated absolute rule in Prussia and for transforming his country into a military state.

What did Frederick the Great say? ›

He who defends everything defends nothing. It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches. The greatest and noblest pleasure which we have in this world is to discover new truths, and the next is to shake off old prejudices.

What did Frederick II reform? ›

He reformed the judicial system and made it possible for men not of noble stock to become judges and senior bureaucrats. He also allowed freedom of speech, the press and literature, and abolished most uses of judicial torture, except the flogging of soldiers as punishment for desertion.

Was Frederick the Great a good leader? ›

At the time of his death in 1786, Frederick the Great's territories spanned much of northern, central, and eastern Europe and he is still considered one of the greatest military tacticians to ever live. In addition to his military prowess, Frederick the Great was a statesman known for encouraging modernization.

How did Frederick the Great help the economy? ›

Sugar refining, metal forging, and armaments all became important industries under the guiding hand of Frederick II. Two surprising industries that became important to the economy of Prussia were porcelain and silk. The silk industry was of particular interest to Frederick II.

What were the goals of Frederick the Great? ›

His goal was to modernize and unite his vulnerably disconnected lands, which he largely succeeded at through aggressive military and foreign policies. Contrary to his father's fears, Frederick proved himself a courageous soldier and an extremely skillful strategist.

What did Frederick the Great do to Poland? ›

It's necessary to vilify a country and its people to prepare the grounds for the dismembering of this country, as was the case with the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where Frederick the Great annexed 141,400 km2 (54,600 sq mi) of Poland's western territory.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Prof. Nancy Dach

Last Updated:

Views: 5259

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. Nancy Dach

Birthday: 1993-08-23

Address: 569 Waelchi Ports, South Blainebury, LA 11589

Phone: +9958996486049

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Web surfing, Scuba diving, Mountaineering, Writing, Sailing, Dance, Blacksmithing

Introduction: My name is Prof. Nancy Dach, I am a lively, joyous, courageous, lovely, tender, charming, open person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.