Regrettably, this is only an abbreviated translation, although the reduced length has made the work far more approachable. His most significant accomplishments during his reign included his military victories, his reorganization of prussian armies, his patronage of the arts and the enlightenment and his final success against great odds. He was the king of prussia who was more comfortable with the ideals of the french enlightenment, but with the morals of the medicis as he would have described it himself. He was a grandson of george i of great britain, and. The west and the rest, book by niall ferguson, 2011. The warrior king of prussia son of an abusive father, frederick ii blossomed when he took the throne. His most significant accomplishments during his reign included his military victories, his reorganization of prussian armies, his patronage of the arts and the. A spellbinding biography of prussia s soldierking who changed the face of europe. A major player in the war was frederick the great 17121786, the king of prussia and a great military leader. Frederick ii, king of prussia, was a legendary ruler, artistic patron, man of. Prussia germany history frederick ii, 17401786 subject. Widely acclaimed as a great biography of frederick the great, schieders text provides many valuable ideas and insights into both frederick and the prussia that he ruled. King of prussia, and although blanning asserts right away that to view the reign as a prolonged.
Blanning, is a biography of one of the most celebrated enlightenment despots of the 18th century. The son and heir of an abusive father, he grew up determined to emerge from the paternal shadow and accomplish great things in his own way. Frederick ii was prussia s third and longest reigning king. He was exceptionally dutiful, exceptionally intelligent and exceptionally gifted. Even though fredericks administration was not democratic by any means, his appointments and promotions were based on merit. See, history of friedrich ii of prussia, called frederick the great.
Frederick the great and the rise of prussia by w f reddaway. Although prussia had been an influential and important part of the holy roman empire for centuries, under fredericks rule the small kingdom rose to the status of a great european power and had a lasting effect on european politics in general and germany specifically. Cambridge scholar tim blannings frederick the great, a lengthy but never lagging biography of one of historys. When he inherited the prussian crown in 1740, he ruled over a kingdom of scattered territories, a minor germanic backwater. His lifetime saw the kingdom rise from a thirdrank state to one of europes five great powers alongside britain, france, russia, and austria. As king of prussia from 1740 until 1786, frederick the great helped transform prussia from a european backwater to an economically strong and politically reformed state. Frederick the great and the modernization of prussia. Blanning has a reach that exceeds that of most of his peers. Frederick ii of prussia, 1743, by david matthieu credit.
Frederick ii ruled the kingdom of prussia from 1740 until 1786, the longest reign of any. Fredericks improvements in individual rights and free thinking environment made prussia one of the outstanding countries for the philosophers of the age of enlightenment. An oval portrait of frederick the great hung in hitlers east prussian headquarters behind the russian front, yet the king can hardly be counted the spiritual progenitor of the dictator. Friedrich wilhelm i 14 august 1688 31 may 1740, known as the soldier king german. Frederick ruled for a period of 46 years in the 18th century and during his time as a monarch of prussia, the country won significant military victories. Frederick the great, king of prussia, dominated the 18th century in the same way that napoleon dominated the start of the 19th a force of nature, a caustic, ruthless, brilliant military commander, a monarch of exceptional energy and talent, and a knowledgeable patron of artists, architects and writers, most famously voltaire. The book was indeed a very courageous indictment of hitlers irrationalism and recklessness, his ideological fanaticism and insatiable. When he assumed the throne, prussia was a regional power with little influence in germany. Aug 29, 2015 frederick ii, king of prussia from 1740 to 1786, raised prussia to the status of a great european power. Top 25 quotes by frederick the great of 55 az quotes. The future frederick the great was born on january 24, 1712, in berlin, prussia, the son of frederick wilhelm i, a calvinist who ruled his household and kingdom with a stern, paternal intolerance.
Frederick the great by david fraser is a very good book about the leader who took prussia from being a middling northern power to being a major european power. Frederick the great, king of prussia, dominated the eighteenth century in the same way that napoleon dominated the start of the nineteenth. Apr 01, 2016 the latest biography of the man to appear in english is tim blannings frederick the great. He is best known for his brilliance in military campaigning and organization of prussian armies. Frederick the great occasionally rises to greatness. He reinvigorated the prussian state, taking it to new heights of power and guaranteeing it as a major power in european politics. Paperback frederick the great books in english for sale in. Frederick the great and prussia boundless world history. It is wellwritten, interesting and very detailed about an interesting period in european history. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read frederick the great.
This book is about frederick the great who in the course of his reign 1740177 turned prussia into a major power. A longer work but always readable, blanning has provided a superb. Few figures loom as large in european history as frederick the great. At the time of his birth, his grandfather frederick i ruled only as king in prussia, a title conferred by the holy roman emperor, leopold i, in 1700.
Frederick ii, king of prussia, was a legendary ruler, artistic patron, man of letters, lawgiver, and commander in david frasers words, one of the most extraordinary men ever to sit on a throne or command an army. Oct 16, 2019 born in 1712, frederick william ii, known as frederick the great, was the third hohenzollern king of prussia. King of prussia book online at best prices in india on. Frederick ii, king of prussia, was a legendary ruler, artistic patron, man of letters, lawgiver, and commander in david frasers words, one of the most. Atheist and gay, frederick the great was more radical than. Frederick the great king of prussia by tim blanning is a stunning book. The first major work on the monarch and his role in the war for more than a century, this book will undoubtedly shed light on many aspects of military and european history. During his reign, the effects of the seven years war and the gaining of silesia greatly changed the economy. Through war, diplomacy and domestic reforms he created the core of an imperial germany that. The figure who emerges from this book is a brilliant general, an efficient. History frederick the great books for sale in stock ebay. When he inherited the prussian crown in 1740, he ruled over a kingdom of scattered. At least hitler wrote a book, mein kampf, in which he more or less said what he.
A spellbinding biography of prussias soldierking who changed. I think of nancy mitfords biography but i find this one more substantial. The warlike spirit that led to two world wars and the mighty fighting machine that germany unleashed during these wars also have prussian origins. Friedrich ii 24 january 1712 17 august 1786 was king in prussia 17401786 of the hohenzollern dynasty.
Frederick the great and the enlightenment prussian history. An excellent book for prussian history feinschmeckers. Frederick the greats most popular book is antimachiavel. Blanning, a professor of mine when i was at cambridge, has given us the definitive biography of frederick the great.
Frederick ii, also known as frederick the great, was the king of prussia who belonged to the hohenzollern dynasty and went on to become the longest ruling monarch from his dynasty. Frederick ii, king of prussia from 1740 to 1786, raised prussia to the status of a great european power. In this book on frederick the great she probably has more of a character than even she is used to dealing with. Friedrich ii 24 january 1712 17 august 1786 ruled the kingdom of prussia from 1740 until 1786, the longest reign of any hohenzollern king, at 46 years. King of prussia hardcover march 29 2016 by tim blanning author 4. Frederick the great transformed germany and hence europe during his reign, 17401786. Books by frederick the great author of antimachiavel. He attracted the great thinkers of europe to his court while establishing prussia as a. Soldatenkonig, was the king in prussia and elector of brandenburg from 17 until his death in 1740, as well as prince of neuchatel. Frederick the great has 173 books on goodreads with 972 ratings. A spellbinding biography of prussias soldierking who changed the face of europe. Attributed to frederick ii of prussia in civilization. By the end of his reign, the much larger and consolidated prussia ranked among the continents great powers. Frederick the great, king of prussia, dominated the 18th centur.
He was a force of nature, a ruthless, brilliant, charismatic military commander, a monarch of exceptional energy and talent, a gifted composer, performer, poet and philosopher, and a discerning patron of. Large portions of the book are used to describe the famous prussian army, its structure, planning and leaders. Atheist and gay, frederick the great was more radical than most leaders today tim blannings instructive, entertaining and surprising new biography of prussia s colourful king will become the standard englishlanguage account. This book is a rich, dense but accessible work of high scholarship.
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