East Prussia, along the southeastern coast of the Baltic Sea where
it enclosed the bulk of lands of the now-extinct old Prussians, was
ruled by the Teutonic Order who since 1220 dotted the landscape
with castles at a distance of 20 miles from one another throughout
the area (click on map, left) and founded numerous towns and
fortressess, including Königsberg. The Knights eventually faced
conflict with the newly reunited Kingdom of Poland, and after
several wars were defeated at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410.
Eastern, or "Ducal Prussia", was almost entirely German as a
result of German settlers from the 13th century on. Although it
remained under the control of the Knights, it was a fief of Poland.
it enclosed the bulk of lands of the now-extinct old Prussians, was
ruled by the Teutonic Order who since 1220 dotted the landscape
with castles at a distance of 20 miles from one another throughout
the area (click on map, left) and founded numerous towns and
fortressess, including Königsberg. The Knights eventually faced
conflict with the newly reunited Kingdom of Poland, and after
several wars were defeated at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410.
Eastern, or "Ducal Prussia", was almost entirely German as a
result of German settlers from the 13th century on. Although it
remained under the control of the Knights, it was a fief of Poland.
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.
This achievement enabled Friedrich Wilhelm's son, Friedrich III of Brandenburg,
to achieve prominence in 1700 when the Austrian emperor Leopold I needed
Friedrich's 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 Friedrich I of Prussia in Königsberg in 1701. The
Hohenzollern, as kings in Prussia, attained greater prestige and power during the
18th century 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.
to achieve prominence in 1700 when the Austrian emperor Leopold I needed
Friedrich's 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 Friedrich I of Prussia in Königsberg in 1701. The
Hohenzollern, as kings in Prussia, attained greater prestige and power during the
18th century 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.
Problematically, there was a Polish region between the two German regions.
Brandenburg acquired another stretch of Baltic coast in eastern Pomerania in
1648, bridging the territorial gap between Brandenburg and ducal Prussia. In
1657, the elector Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg succeeded in that year,
through minor warfare and diplomacy, in severing the feudal link between his
duchy and the Polish kingdom. 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.
Brandenburg acquired another stretch of Baltic coast in eastern Pomerania in
1648, bridging the territorial gap between Brandenburg and ducal Prussia. In
1657, the elector Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg succeeded in that year,
through minor warfare and diplomacy, in severing the feudal link between his
duchy and the Polish kingdom. 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.
East Prussia had been destroyed by plague and famine when Friedrich Wilhelm I took the throne.
He continued Prussia's tradition of giving refuge to countless religious and political refugees from
other regions of Europe, including our Salzburgers, and thereby repopulated the devastated land.
Upon his death, 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.
He continued Prussia's tradition of giving refuge to countless religious and political refugees from
other regions of Europe, including our Salzburgers, and thereby repopulated the devastated land.
Upon his death, 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.
| A Short Background of East Prussia |
In 1525, the Hochmeister Albrecht of Brandenburg-Anspach became Lutheran and secularized the
Order's Prussian holdings into the duchy of Prussia. He resigned from the order and gave homage for
the duchy to the Polish king. Western, or "Royal Prussia" was left under Polish control and provided
with a corridor to the Baltic Sea. It was at this time that the port city of Danzig was designated a
"free city." The portion of Prussia on the Baltic Sea became a hereditary duchy belonging to the
Hohenzollern family and remained almost exclusively German. In 1618, the Hohenzollern line in
Prussia died out and the duchy passed to a Hohenzollern cousin, the Elector of Brandenburg.
Order's Prussian holdings into the duchy of Prussia. He resigned from the order and gave homage for
the duchy to the Polish king. Western, or "Royal Prussia" was left under Polish control and provided
with a corridor to the Baltic Sea. It was at this time that the port city of Danzig was designated a
"free city." The portion of Prussia on the Baltic Sea became a hereditary duchy belonging to the
Hohenzollern family and remained almost exclusively German. In 1618, the Hohenzollern line in
Prussia died out and the duchy passed to a Hohenzollern cousin, the Elector of Brandenburg.
