Knowra Frederick the Great Frederick the Great Frederick II ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786, expanding its territory through war while strengthening its administration and cultivating music and literature.
Silesian Wars : Three conflicts between Prussia and Austria from 1740 to 1763, fought chiefly over Silesia. Their outcome gave Frederick Silesia and established Prussia as a major power.
Prussian Army : The military forces of the Kingdom of Prussia, renowned for discipline and organization. Frederick relied on its training and rapid maneuver to fight stronger opponents.
Voltaire : A French Enlightenment writer and philosopher known for satire, histories, and advocacy of civil liberties. His long correspondence and personal visits connected Frederick's court to French Enlightenment culture.
Enlightened absolutism : A form of monarchy in which rulers adopted selected Enlightenment reforms while retaining concentrated political power. Frederick presented himself as a reforming ruler without surrendering royal authority.
Seven Years' War : A global conflict from 1756 to 1763 involving Prussia, Britain, France, Austria, Russia, and other powers. Frederick survived a coalition that threatened to erase Prussia's wartime gains.
Canton System : A Prussian military recruitment system assigning districts to supply soldiers while allowing many recruits to work locally. It helped maintain the army without removing every soldier from civilian life year-round.
Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau : A Prussian field marshal who helped train and reform the army under Frederick William I. His reforms shaped the army Frederick commanded during the Silesian Wars.
Anti-Machiavel : Frederick's 1740 critique of Machiavelli's The Prince, written before he became king. It set out his public claim that a monarch should govern for the common good.
Battle of Rossbach : A 1757 Prussian victory over French and Imperial forces during the Seven Years' War. Frederick's outnumbered victory became a celebrated example of his battlefield command.
Frederick William I of Prussia : King of Prussia from 1713 to 1740 who expanded the army and strengthened state finances. Frederick inherited the military and administrative foundations built by his father.
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