Frederick II, the Great

Frederick II, the Great (1712-86), King of Prussia.

Frederick was trained to be a soldier from childhood. He did not like this and at the age of eighteen, tried to run away with a friend. For this, Frederick was beaten and his friend beheaded before his eyes.

Ten years later he became King of Prussia and that same year he invaded Silesia which belonged to Austria. Two wars with Austria followed. At the end of them, Frederick ruled all Silesia and had become known as a great soldier.

For eleven years after this, Frederick worked to make Prussia a better and stronger country.

In 1756, he attacked Saxony and Austria, France and Russia all went to her aid, for seven years Frederick struggled against them.

Finally Russia withdrew from the war and Frederick was able to make peace without losing any of his lands.

In 1772 he obtained part of Poland when the country was split up among Austria, Russia and Prussia.

Frederick's skill as a soldier earned him the name 'the Great'.

He was a dictator but he thought a great deal about everything he did. This is shown by his writings on history, politics and war. He wrote thirty-one volumes, all in French.

His kingdom formed the beginning of modern Germany.

See Gerhard Ritter Frederick the Great