| More about the Soldier King |
Friedrich I (1657-1713) was the first King of Prussia, and he modelled himself after luxury-loving
Louis XIV of France. He consequently left Prussia's finances in a state of disaster. When his son
Friedrich Wilhelm took the throne in 1713, he vowed to do things differently.
Louis XIV of France. He consequently left Prussia's finances in a state of disaster. When his son
Friedrich Wilhelm took the throne in 1713, he vowed to do things differently.
Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau was born in Dessau, the only
surviving son of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and
Princess Henriette Catherine of Orange. He was devoted to military
ideals and educated himself physically and mentally, becoming colonel
of a Prussian regiment in 1693, the same year he became a Prince. In
1698, he married an apothecary's daughter against his mother's
wishes, and their marriage was long and happy. She played an active
roll in military affairs and sometimes accompanied him into the field.
At the end of his life, however, he had two illegitimate sons by one
Sophie Eleonore Söldner (1710 - 1779), the first of whom was a
great-great-grandfather of the future Manfred von Richthofen.
surviving son of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and
Princess Henriette Catherine of Orange. He was devoted to military
ideals and educated himself physically and mentally, becoming colonel
of a Prussian regiment in 1693, the same year he became a Prince. In
1698, he married an apothecary's daughter against his mother's
wishes, and their marriage was long and happy. She played an active
roll in military affairs and sometimes accompanied him into the field.
At the end of his life, however, he had two illegitimate sons by one
Sophie Eleonore Söldner (1710 - 1779), the first of whom was a
great-great-grandfather of the future Manfred von Richthofen.
Ultimately, Friedrich's grandmother arranged for him to
marry George's sister, Sophia Dorothea of Great Britain
(1687-1757). It was apparently a lusty union according to
palace snoops, for shortly after the wedding, his
grandmother wrote to his father that he might be a
grandfather soon, adding "to which end, as I hear, they are
working night and day in Berlin". In spite of their
compatibility in some areas and lifelong faithfulness, all was
not bliss. They argued frequently and she frustrated him.
She had a reputation as a gossip and a snob and was a
spendthrift by Friedrich Wilhelm's standards, running up
huge gambling debts. He was miserly enough that once he
ascended to the throne, he fired so many servants that she
had to help wash the dinner dishes, maybe to teach her a
lesson. A son was born one year after their wedding, but
died when a few months old. The Queen bore 13 others.
marry George's sister, Sophia Dorothea of Great Britain
(1687-1757). It was apparently a lusty union according to
palace snoops, for shortly after the wedding, his
grandmother wrote to his father that he might be a
grandfather soon, adding "to which end, as I hear, they are
working night and day in Berlin". In spite of their
compatibility in some areas and lifelong faithfulness, all was
not bliss. They argued frequently and she frustrated him.
She had a reputation as a gossip and a snob and was a
spendthrift by Friedrich Wilhelm's standards, running up
huge gambling debts. He was miserly enough that once he
ascended to the throne, he fired so many servants that she
had to help wash the dinner dishes, maybe to teach her a
lesson. A son was born one year after their wedding, but
died when a few months old. The Queen bore 13 others.
Friedrich Wilhelm apparently suffered from porphyria, a hereditary disease which he had
inherited from his mother, Sophie Charlotte of Hannover, sister of George I of England. They
descended from Mary, Queen of Scots, the carrier of the disease. Thus, porphyria made its way
into the House of Hohenzollern and first manifested itself in Friedrich Wilhelm I at age 19, who
furthered the strain by marrying his first cousin Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the sister of
England's George II. (England's notorious "Mad George" III also allegedly had porphyria). He
had his first attack at the age of 19. Some of his children sadly suffered from this disorder as
well. The disease causes migraine-like headaches, acute bowel inflammation, difficulty
swallowing, painful weakness of the limbs and sometimes can progress to agitation, auditory
disturbances, visual disturbances, insomnia and even confusion, mania and delirium.
inherited from his mother, Sophie Charlotte of Hannover, sister of George I of England. They
descended from Mary, Queen of Scots, the carrier of the disease. Thus, porphyria made its way
into the House of Hohenzollern and first manifested itself in Friedrich Wilhelm I at age 19, who
furthered the strain by marrying his first cousin Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the sister of
England's George II. (England's notorious "Mad George" III also allegedly had porphyria). He
had his first attack at the age of 19. Some of his children sadly suffered from this disorder as
well. The disease causes migraine-like headaches, acute bowel inflammation, difficulty
swallowing, painful weakness of the limbs and sometimes can progress to agitation, auditory
disturbances, visual disturbances, insomnia and even confusion, mania and delirium.
The disease probably accounted for his fits of rage, rashes and fainting spells almost daily from
around age forty. His moodiness and irrationality caused immense anguish to not only his family,
but to himself. He broke down completely in 1727, and from then on his symptoms steadily
grew more severe. Drinking brought him some consolation, but by the end of his life, he had
become extremely fat, swollen and gouty and was in constant pain. At the beginning of May of
1740, he gave detailed instructions for his inevitable funeral, and on May 31st, he woke up and
had himself wheeled into the Queen's apartments where he informed her to wake up, for this
was the day he would die. He then ordered the royal horses to be brought before his window. As
the hours ticked away that day, so did his life.
around age forty. His moodiness and irrationality caused immense anguish to not only his family,
but to himself. He broke down completely in 1727, and from then on his symptoms steadily
grew more severe. Drinking brought him some consolation, but by the end of his life, he had
become extremely fat, swollen and gouty and was in constant pain. At the beginning of May of
1740, he gave detailed instructions for his inevitable funeral, and on May 31st, he woke up and
had himself wheeled into the Queen's apartments where he informed her to wake up, for this
was the day he would die. He then ordered the royal horses to be brought before his window. As
the hours ticked away that day, so did his life.
Friedrich Wilhelm painted the self portrait left. He also liked to paint
portraits of his soldiers. In later life, he signed his paintings with "In
tormentis pinxit" or "painted in pain", because of his illness.
portraits of his soldiers. In later life, he signed his paintings with "In
tormentis pinxit" or "painted in pain", because of his illness.
| During the Salzburg emigration march through Schwaben, one of the hymns of comfort they sang was an unusually beautiful creation of Paul Gerhardt from 1653, Warum sollt' ich mich denn grämen. It was written based upon Psalm 73:23: “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand.” This hymn was one of many that went with the Salzburg exiles who emigrated to America |
| Gerhardt recited the words of the fourth stanza of this hymn when he lay dying. King Friederich Wilhelm, who gave refuge to thousands of exiled Salzburgers, also asked that this hymn be played on his death bed, above. You can listen to it on a page elsewhere on this site. |
Immediately, he took steps to drastically reduce royal expenses and
he himself led a frugal, almost Spartan life. He worked tirelessly on
the behalf of his people, drawing up manuals in great detail to guide
the farmers in the correct way to store grain and in new methods of
ploughing, to teach hunters how to kill predatory animals and to show
workingmen how to erect earthworks as a protection against flooding.
He detested idleness and told market women to knit stockings during
idle hours at their stalls. He loathed extravagance and chided those
who wore "extravagant finery". He hated waste, even of time, and
threatened to fine any minister who preached for over one hour.
he himself led a frugal, almost Spartan life. He worked tirelessly on
the behalf of his people, drawing up manuals in great detail to guide
the farmers in the correct way to store grain and in new methods of
ploughing, to teach hunters how to kill predatory animals and to show
workingmen how to erect earthworks as a protection against flooding.
He detested idleness and told market women to knit stockings during
idle hours at their stalls. He loathed extravagance and chided those
who wore "extravagant finery". He hated waste, even of time, and
threatened to fine any minister who preached for over one hour.
Prussia's highly disciplined army can be credited to the excellent quality of its officers. The King
did not sell commissions, as was the tradition, but awarded them only according to merit. With
the guidance and help of soldier-strategist Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau (1676-1747), the
remarkable monarch Friedrich saw to it that one in every nine men in Prussia was a soldier and
another 40,000 men were foreign mercenaries.
did not sell commissions, as was the tradition, but awarded them only according to merit. With
the guidance and help of soldier-strategist Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau (1676-1747), the
remarkable monarch Friedrich saw to it that one in every nine men in Prussia was a soldier and
another 40,000 men were foreign mercenaries.
Karoline Von Brandenburg-Ansbach, the Soldier King's first love and later
the German wife of George II of Great Britain, was born on March 1, 1683.
Beautiful and intelligent, she exercised a great influence over her husband.
After her German father-in-law became King George I of Great Britain in
1714, she helped ease the difficult situation created by the bitter quarrel
between the king and her husband during the three years (1717–20) when her
husband was banned from court, and she made their London residence a lively
center of opposition to the crown until George II's accession to the throne in
1727. In 1737, she died from complications of a ruptured uterus.
the German wife of George II of Great Britain, was born on March 1, 1683.
Beautiful and intelligent, she exercised a great influence over her husband.
After her German father-in-law became King George I of Great Britain in
1714, she helped ease the difficult situation created by the bitter quarrel
between the king and her husband during the three years (1717–20) when her
husband was banned from court, and she made their London residence a lively
center of opposition to the crown until George II's accession to the throne in
1727. In 1737, she died from complications of a ruptured uterus.
Friedrich Wilhelm's first love was Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1683-1737), but she was
older and the feelings were not mutual, and she ended up marrying his detested Hannoverian
cousin, George II of Great-Britain (1683-1760).
older and the feelings were not mutual, and she ended up marrying his detested Hannoverian
cousin, George II of Great-Britain (1683-1760).
She had given birth to ten children during their marriage. George II, at the age of 60, was the last
British sovereign to fight along side his soldiers, at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 in Germany,
against the French.
British sovereign to fight along side his soldiers, at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 in Germany,
against the French.
One birth was a surprise. On November 8, 1723, the Queen was feeling poorly and, nobody
guessing what was wrong, doctors were summoned. To everyone's surprise, including her own,
she gave birth to her twelfth child, never having known she was pregnant.
guessing what was wrong, doctors were summoned. To everyone's surprise, including her own,
she gave birth to her twelfth child, never having known she was pregnant.