Frederick II of Prussia

Frederick II Frederick II, aged 68, by Anton Graff King of Prussia; Elector of Brandenburg Reign 31 May 1740 – 17 August 1786 (46 years, 78 days) Predecessor Frederick William I Successor Frederick William II Chief Minister List Heinrich von Podewils Georg Dietlof von Arnim-Boitzenburg Count Karl-Wilhelm Finck von Finckenstein Friedrich Anton von Heinitz Born (1712-01-24)24 January 1712 Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia Died 17 August 1786(1786-08-17) (aged 74) Potsdam, Prussia Burial Sanssouci, Potsdam Spouse Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel House House of Hohenzollern Father Frederick William I of Prussia Mother Sophia Dorothea of Hanover

Frederick II (German: Friedrich II; 24 January 1712 – 17 August 1786) was a King in Prussia (1740–1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty.^[1] As a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was Frederick IV, Margrave of Brandenburg. He was also the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel. Victorious in war, he became known as Frederick the Great (German: Friedrich der Große) and was nicknamed der alte Fritz ("Old Fritz").

When he was young, Frederick was mostly interested in music and philosophy and not military affairs. Frederick tried to escape from his strict father, Frederick William I, with childhood friend, Hans Hermann von Katte. When they were captured Frederick was forced to watch von Kattel's execution. Many historians consider him to be bisexual and perhaps possibly celibate in his later life. After the death of Frederick William I in 1740, Frederick the Great only attended his wife with formal visits once a year.^[2]

Shortly after becoming King in Prussia, he attacked Austria and claimed Silesia during the Silesian Wars. Near the end of his life, Frederick united most of his separated parts of his kingdom through the First Partition of Poland.

For years Frederick exchanged letters with Voltaire. He modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service and promoted religious tolerance. Frederick patronized the arts and philosophers, and wrote flute music. Frederick is buried at his favorite residence, Sanssouci in Potsdam. Because he died childless, Frederick was succeeded by his nephew, Frederick William II of Prussia, son of his brother, Prince Augustus William of Prussia.

1. ↑ Frederick was the third and last "King in Prussia"; beginning in 1772 he used the title "King of Prussia".
2. ↑ L. Reiners, Frederick the Great, New York, 1960