Frederick the great king of prussia book

Frederick the greats most popular book is antimachiavel. It works at many levels and it is almost as good as mr blanning best book, the pursuit of glory. A spellbinding biography of prussias soldierking who changed the face of europe. Frederick ii ruled the kingdom of prussia from 1740 until 1786, the longest reign of any. Famed for his military successes and domestic reforms, his campaigns were a watershed in the history of europe, securing prussias place as a continental power and inaugurating a new pattern of total war that was to endure until 1916. King of prussia by tim blanning 2016, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Its territories were greatly increased and its military strength displayed to striking effect.

But in the case of frederick the great, its almost inevitable. 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. Frederick the great dennis showalter 9781526774927. A longer work but always readable, blanning has provided a superb. It is wellwritten, interesting and very detailed about an interesting period in european history. Frederick i, elector of brandenburg as frederick iii, who became the first king in prussia 1701, freed his domains from imperial suzerainty, and continued the policy of territorial aggrandizement begun by his father, frederick william, the great elector. Frederick ii, king of prussia, was a legendary ruler, artistic patron, man of. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Regrettably, this is only an abbreviated translation, although the reduced length has made the work far more approachable. Frederick ii, king of prussia, 17121786 publisher new york, n. 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. In his role as a princeelector of the holy roman empire, he was frederick iv friedrich iv.

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. Blanning the romantic revolution, retired professor of modern european history at cambridge university, ambitiously explores the origins, outlook, and impact of frederick ii 17121786 in. Oct 16, 2019 born in 1712, frederick william ii, known as frederick the great, was the third hohenzollern king of prussia. This book is a rich, dense but accessible work of high scholarship. Aug 29, 2015 indeed, thomas carlyle had in mind frederick and napoleon when he famously declared the history of the world to be but the biography of great men. Military instructions of frederick the greatnook book. 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. 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. I think of nancy mitfords biography but i find this one more substantial. Frederick the great transformed germany and hence europe during his reign, 17401786. King of prussia hardcover deckle edge, mar 29 2016. Frederick was the last hohenzollern monarch titled king in prussia and. What are the best books in english on fredrick the great, and the seven years war in europe. Frederick, the third king of prussia, ranks among the two or three dominant figures in the history of modern germany.

A fervid partisan of prussia, he left baden at the outbreak of the austroprussian war 1866 and became professor of history at kiel 1866, heidelberg 1867, and berlin 1874. Frederick the great is one of historys most controversial leaders. Blanning, is a biography of one of the most celebrated enlightenment despots of the 18th century. David fraser 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. Friedrich ii 24 january 1712 17 august 1786 was a king in prussia 17401772 and a king of prussia 17721786 from the hohenzollern dynasty.

This is a magnificent book and an exemplar biography. 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. Blanning, a professor of mine when i was at cambridge, has given us the definitive biography of frederick the great. What are the best books in english on fredrick the great. When he assumed the throne, prussia was a regional power with little influence in germany. T c w blanning tim blanning, a master of combining the fields of political, economic, social, and intellectual history, is just the writer to bring us both frederick s military triumphshe consolidated a kingdom. 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 library of great lives frederick douglass by mcfeely easton press 1995. May 01, 2001 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. Few figures loom as large in european history as frederick the great.

May 07, 2016 this 48 mmwide medal commemorates frederick ii the great, king of prussia, and his victory over the austrian army near prague in 1757 during the seven years war its american theater is known as the french and indian war. Frederick the great, king of prussia, dominated the 18th centur. 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. Indeed, thomas carlyle had in mind frederick and napoleon when he famously declared the history of the world to be but the biography of great. By the end of his reign, the much larger and consolidated prussia ranked among the continents great powers.

Prussia was then an obscure country broken into several noncontiguous sections scattered across northern germany. Frederick ii was prussia s third and longest reigning king. His most significant accomplishments during his reign included his military victories, his reorganization of prussian armies, his patronage of the arts and the. Frederick was born in 1712 the son and heir of king frederick william i of prussia. Blanning has a reach that exceeds that of most of his peers. Frederick the great, king of prussia david fraser download. Confessions of frederick the great and the life of frederick the great book summary. He reinvigorated the prussian state, taking it to new heights of power and guaranteeing it as a major power in european politics.

At least hitler wrote a book, mein kampf, in which he more or less said what he was. The definitive biography of the legendary autocrat whose enlightened rule transformed the map of. 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. I am looking to get some historical background to help enrich and develop my understanding of friedrich. 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. He attracted the great thinkers of europe to his court while establishing prussia as a dominant military power.

Search hello select your address select your address. Prussia had greatly increased its territories and became a leading military power in europe under his rule. Frederick the great king of prussia by tim blanning is a stunning book. Frederick the great was a cousin, namesake and role model for frederick, prince of wales, seem normal. Son of an abusive father, frederick ii blossomed when he took the throne. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read frederick the great. Frederick was the last hohenzollern monarch titled king in prussia and declared himself king of prussia after achieving sovereignty over most historically prussian lands in 1772. Books by frederick the great author of antimachiavel.

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. He was exceptionally dutiful, exceptionally intelligent and exceptionally gifted. Frederick the great, king of prussia, dominated the eighteenth century in the same way that napoleon dominated the start of the nineteenth. Under his leadership prussia became one of the great states of europe. Frederick william i was a possible porphyria sufferer and. Frederick ii, king of prussia from 1740 to 1786, raised prussia to the status of a great european power. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Cambridge scholar tim blannings frederick the great, a lengthy but never lagging biography of one of historys. This book is about frederick the great who in the course of his reign 1740177 turned prussia into a major power. 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.