The Children of Adam and Eve

During his reign, he was considered among the most notable of enlightened despots in 18th century Europe.

As crown prince he was trained, under his father's supervision, to become a soldier and a thrifty administrator. Frederick, However, encouraged by his mother and his tutors, showed a preference for courtly life, music, and French literature.Fred erick William, failing to understand the tastes of his son, developed an open dislike for him. At the age of 18, Frederick decided to escape to England; his proposed plan was discovered, and he was arrested, imprisoned, temporarily deprivedof hi s status as crown prince, and forced to witness the execution of one of his two confederates. After he had subsequently applied himself diligently to fiscal and military affairs, Frederick was reinstated to his position as crown prince. Hethen went to live for seven years on his estate at Rheinsburg, where, in his leisure time, he studied philosophy, history, and poetry and corresponded with the French philosoph ers, notably Voltaire. In his Antimachiavell, written during thatperiod and published by Voltaire in 1740, Frederick idealistically opposed the political doctrines of the Italian statesman and philosopher Niccol chiavelli, favoring peaceful and enlightened rule.

King and Military Leader

On the Death of his father in 1740 Frederick became king and embarked almost immediately on a policy of Prussian aggrandizement. When Maria Theresa became archduchess of Austria in that same year, Frederick demanded the cession of duchies ofSile sia in return for Prussian recognition of the Pragmatic Sanction, which gave the Austrian Habsburg dominions to Maria Theresa. Refused by Austria, Frederick invaded Silesia, commencing the War of the Austrian Succession. He led his forcesto vict ory at Mollwitz in 1741 and at Chotusitz in 1742; in the latter year, by the Treaty of Breslau, Maria Theresa was obliged to yield the Silesian territory demanded by Prussia. Frederick acquired East Friesland (now a region of Germany) in1744, on the Death of the last ruler without heirs of that principality, and in 1745 he fought and won a second war with Austria, terminated by the Peace of Dresden, which assured Prussia the possession of Silesia. By this time Frederick wasrecognized a s an able military leader, and the position of Prussia in Europe had risen considerably. The military greatness of Frederick was demonstrated during the Seven Years' War, fought from 1756 to 1763. Frederick and his forces, aidedonly by financial assistance from Great Britain, which was at war with France, opposed the armies of Austria, Russia, Sweden, Saxony, and France. The Peace of Hubertusburg in 1763 awarded Prussia no new territory, as it merely confirmed theboundaries that had existed before the war; at the end of the war, however, Prussia was established as a rival to Austria for domination of the German states. Frederick made an alliance with Catherine II of Russia, in 1764, and by the firstpartition of Poland in 1772 he received Polish Prussia, thus uniting the regions of Brandenburg and Pomerania. By the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, after the War of the Bavarian Succession, a short conflict with Austria, Prussia was awarded theFranconian principalities of Bavaria; Austria retained only a part of Lower Bavaria. A further step was made toward destroying Austrian dominance in 1785, when Frederick gathered the German princes into a union of princes, the F?bund, topreserve the constitution of the Holy Roman Empire.

Administrator

Frederick was extremely sympathetic to the American Revolution and was an admirer of George Washington. He was one of the first sovereigns to conclude a commercial treaty with the United States. He did not, however, limit his activities to thein ternational scene; internal affairs flourished during his reign. His rule was absolute; he was a ubiquitous administrator, constantly checking the work of his officials, from whom he exacted the utmost in conscientiousness. Under his rulenew me thods of agriculture and manufacturing were introduced. Marshes were drained, providing new lands for cultivation and colonization and the institution of serfdom, while not abolished, was somewhat liberalized. Under Frederick's personalsupervisi on the efficiency and size of the army were increased. He reviewed the troops frequently, concerned himself with the discipline of his officers and men, and wrote works for his generals on the science of warfare. In 1747 Frederick, whowas partic ularly interested in the equitable distribution of justice to all classes, issued a new codification of Prussian law, the Codex Fridericianus.

Patron of Culture

Frederick continued to patronize the arts and sciences throughout his life. The Academy of Sciences again became an important center of learning during his reign, and elementary education progressed as under no previous Prussian sovereign. Inhis favorite residence, the palace of Sans Souci, Frederick held court, but always entertained with judicious economy. Contemptuous of the German language and culture, Frederick spoke French at court and patronized French writers, many of whom,incl uding Voltaire, paid him visits in Berlin. Frederick himself was a musician, spending many hours with his flute. He was also a prolific writer; his complete works were published in 30 volumes between 1846 and 1857.