| Hohenzollern Prussia and its Rise to a Great Power |
The main feature of Friedrich Wilhelm's internal policy was the establishment
of a system of permanent taxation, the revenue from which funded a strong,
standing army. By the time the Great Elector's grandson Friedrich Wilhelm I
took power, the Prussian army amounted to 80,000 men, a whole 4% of the
population, in a system which kept many armed men as a highly trained citizen
army without damage to the economy. Half of the army was made up of foreign
mercenaries, and half were drafted from peasants throughout Prussia and
Brandenburg. After training, they could return to their homes and regular jobs
for ten months a year. Nobles served as well, but merchants were exempt.
of a system of permanent taxation, the revenue from which funded a strong,
standing army. By the time the Great Elector's grandson Friedrich Wilhelm I
took power, the Prussian army amounted to 80,000 men, a whole 4% of the
population, in a system which kept many armed men as a highly trained citizen
army without damage to the economy. Half of the army was made up of foreign
mercenaries, and half were drafted from peasants throughout Prussia and
Brandenburg. After training, they could return to their homes and regular jobs
for ten months a year. Nobles served as well, but merchants were exempt.
The capital was moved from the town of Brandenburg to Potsdam as the Hohenzollern
dukes and electors became Kings of Prussia, and they steadily attained even greater
prestige and power, in good part from the reforms of the administration and the army
undertaken by Friedrich Wilhelm, the Great Elector of Brandenburg from 1640 and
continued by his son and grandson, the first two Prussian kings. With connections
to Frankish Nurnberg, Ansbach and the southern German Hohenzollerns, as well
as to eastern Europe, the Hohenzollerns were one of the most important and oldest
royal families of Europe.
dukes and electors became Kings of Prussia, and they steadily attained even greater
prestige and power, in good part from the reforms of the administration and the army
undertaken by Friedrich Wilhelm, the Great Elector of Brandenburg from 1640 and
continued by his son and grandson, the first two Prussian kings. With connections
to Frankish Nurnberg, Ansbach and the southern German Hohenzollerns, as well
as to eastern Europe, the Hohenzollerns were one of the most important and oldest
royal families of Europe.
Since there was a Polish region between two German regions. Brandenburg acquired
another stretch of Baltic coast in eastern Pomerania in 1648, bridging the territorial
gap between Brandenburg and ducal Prussia. Elector Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded
in the year 1657, through minor warfare and diplomacy, in severing the feudal link
between his duchy and the Polish kingdom, and Poland conceded its loss of ducal
Prussia in the treaty of Wehlau in 1657. With the peace of Oliva in 1660, the
international community recognized Prussia as an independent duchy belonging to
Brandenburg.
another stretch of Baltic coast in eastern Pomerania in 1648, bridging the territorial
gap between Brandenburg and ducal Prussia. Elector Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded
in the year 1657, through minor warfare and diplomacy, in severing the feudal link
between his duchy and the Polish kingdom, and Poland conceded its loss of ducal
Prussia in the treaty of Wehlau in 1657. With the peace of Oliva in 1660, the
international community recognized Prussia as an independent duchy belonging to
Brandenburg.
Soon, however, Napoleon would ride into Prussia's history. Prussia attempted to remain neutral, but
Napoleon was less than gracious with Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III and his dear wife.
Napoleon was less than gracious with Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III and his dear wife.
After Friedrich's first victory over the Austrians in April of 1741, he convinced
the French and Bavarians to join him against Maria Theresa. A series of three
later victories in 1745 won him the title of "the Great". By the treaty of Dresden
in 1745, Maria Theresa ceded the greater part of Silesia to Prussia and about
50% more people were added to the population of Prussia. On August 29, 1756,
70,000 Prussian soldiers under Friedrich the Great marched into Saxony and
launched the Seven Years War in order to keep it.
the French and Bavarians to join him against Maria Theresa. A series of three
later victories in 1745 won him the title of "the Great". By the treaty of Dresden
in 1745, Maria Theresa ceded the greater part of Silesia to Prussia and about
50% more people were added to the population of Prussia. On August 29, 1756,
70,000 Prussian soldiers under Friedrich the Great marched into Saxony and
launched the Seven Years War in order to keep it.
Friedrich Wilhelm I bequeathed a strong economy with a cash surplus and Europe's best-trained
army to his son, the future Friedrich the Great. Friedrich II inherited the Prussian throne in 1740 at
age twenty-eight. Cultured and intelligent, Friedrich not only read poetry, established a court
orchestra and provided Berlin with an opera house, he jumped to attention when Emperor Karl VI
of Austria died on October 20, 1740. Less than two months later, Friedrich II astonished Europe by
marching a Prussian army into the rich Habsburg province of Silesia. The new Habsburg ruler, 23
year old Maria Theresa, was strong but her Habsburg armies proved no match for the Prussians.
army to his son, the future Friedrich the Great. Friedrich II inherited the Prussian throne in 1740 at
age twenty-eight. Cultured and intelligent, Friedrich not only read poetry, established a court
orchestra and provided Berlin with an opera house, he jumped to attention when Emperor Karl VI
of Austria died on October 20, 1740. Less than two months later, Friedrich II astonished Europe by
marching a Prussian army into the rich Habsburg province of Silesia. The new Habsburg ruler, 23
year old Maria Theresa, was strong but her Habsburg armies proved no match for the Prussians.
East Prussia had been destroyed by plague and famine when Friedrich Wilhelm I took the throne.
Called the 'Soldier King', he continued Prussia's tradition of giving refuge to countless religious and
political refugees from other regions of Europe and thereby repopulated the devastated land. 20,000
Salzburg Protestant exiles and 8,000 French Huguenots who had arrived in 1685 and 1732 mingled
with immigrants from French Switzerland, Nassau, the Pfalz, Magdeburg and Halberstädt, and the
total population in East Prussia between 1713 and 1740 rose from 400,000 to 600,000 inhabitants.
Called the 'Soldier King', he continued Prussia's tradition of giving refuge to countless religious and
political refugees from other regions of Europe and thereby repopulated the devastated land. 20,000
Salzburg Protestant exiles and 8,000 French Huguenots who had arrived in 1685 and 1732 mingled
with immigrants from French Switzerland, Nassau, the Pfalz, Magdeburg and Halberstädt, and the
total population in East Prussia between 1713 and 1740 rose from 400,000 to 600,000 inhabitants.
When Friedrich took the throne, Prussia had 2,400,000 people, 600,000 of them religious or political
refugees and/or their descendants. In his reign, he introduced another 300,000 more. By 1786, one
third of Prussia's population was of foreign (non Prussian) birth or foreign descent.
refugees and/or their descendants. In his reign, he introduced another 300,000 more. By 1786, one
third of Prussia's population was of foreign (non Prussian) birth or foreign descent.
Friedrich disassociated Prussia from what he considered the corrupt judicial systems of the greater
German Reich. He reorganized a system of indirect taxes which provided the state with greater
revenue and completely revised the civil service code. Prussia became the first country in continental
Europe to abolish torture, give people total equality and fairness under the law and enjoy complete
religious tolerance. He allowed freedom of speech and print. Prussia had the reputation of having the
best educational system and the finest administration and legal system in Europe. Between 1772 and
1796, Poland was partitioned between Russia, Prussia and Austria.
German Reich. He reorganized a system of indirect taxes which provided the state with greater
revenue and completely revised the civil service code. Prussia became the first country in continental
Europe to abolish torture, give people total equality and fairness under the law and enjoy complete
religious tolerance. He allowed freedom of speech and print. Prussia had the reputation of having the
best educational system and the finest administration and legal system in Europe. Between 1772 and
1796, Poland was partitioned between Russia, Prussia and Austria.
Since then, both Brandenburg and Prussia were ruled by the Hohenzollerns, and beginning with the
Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm I. after the devastation of the Thirty Years War, its brilliant leaders
managed to take backwater Brandenburg to a pinnacle of power and prosperity in Europe.
Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm I. after the devastation of the Thirty Years War, its brilliant leaders
managed to take backwater Brandenburg to a pinnacle of power and prosperity in Europe.
By the time Germany became an Empire, her fortunes were the fortunes of Prussia. To understand
how this came about, one must begin with a brief background of the Kingdom of Prussia.
how this came about, one must begin with a brief background of the Kingdom of Prussia.
Brandenburg was one of seven Electorships of the Holy Roman Empire from the late medieval
period, and controlled by the Bavarian royal Wittelsbach family from 1323 until 1415 when Emperor
Sigismund granted it to the House of Hohenzollern. From the year 1442, Berlin became the residence
of the Hohenzollerns. The Hohenzollerns embraced Lutheranism and acquired Ducal Prussia in 1525
and Albrecht of Brandenburg-Anspach secularized the Prussian holdings of the Teutonic Order. In
1618, Brandenburg then expanded its lands to include, among other territories, the Duchy of Prussia.
period, and controlled by the Bavarian royal Wittelsbach family from 1323 until 1415 when Emperor
Sigismund granted it to the House of Hohenzollern. From the year 1442, Berlin became the residence
of the Hohenzollerns. The Hohenzollerns embraced Lutheranism and acquired Ducal Prussia in 1525
and Albrecht of Brandenburg-Anspach secularized the Prussian holdings of the Teutonic Order. In
1618, Brandenburg then expanded its lands to include, among other territories, the Duchy of Prussia.
This achievement enabled Friedrich Wilhelm's son, Friedrich III of Brandenburg, to achieve
prominence in 1700 when the Austrian emperor Leopold I needed his help in the War of the Spanish
Succession. Since there were no German kings within the Holy Roman empire apart from the
Habsburg kingdom of Bohemia, Leopold allowed Friedrich to become the King of Prussia and
Friedrich III was crowned King Friedrich I of Prussia in Königsberg in 1701.
prominence in 1700 when the Austrian emperor Leopold I needed his help in the War of the Spanish
Succession. Since there were no German kings within the Holy Roman empire apart from the
Habsburg kingdom of Bohemia, Leopold allowed Friedrich to become the King of Prussia and
Friedrich III was crowned King Friedrich I of Prussia in Königsberg in 1701.