Enlightened Absolutism In Frederick The Great

In the late eighteenth century, a new type of monarchy, enlightened absolutism, emerged. In this system, rulers tried to govern by Enlightenment principles while maintaining their full royal powers. The monarchs would have absolute power and would attempt to protect the liberties of the people of their kingdoms. Rulers would incorporate ideas like religious toleration and the freedoms of speech and press as they ruled. One of the rulers that fulfilled the idea of enlightened absolutism was Frederick the Great. He ruled from 1740 to 1786, and fulfilled the idea of enlightened absolutism because he governed using the ideas of enlightenment philosophers. He did this by attempting to abolish serfdom, which is the condition of a tenant farmer who