11/27/12
1st Period
Final Copy Frederick the Great
In Europe, the eighteenth century was a period of intellectual, social, and political development. It was not the time of absolute rulers anymore but it is becoming a time of Enlightened Despots, monarchs who rules with principles of enlightenment rather than absolute monarchy. Frederick the Great was the first Enlightened Despot of Prussia, along with the other rising Enlightened Despot of the time, Maria Theresa . Frederick the Great was one of the most influential kings in European history through his role in modernizing the culture of Prussia, in winning the War of Austrian Succession and in making domestic reforms that helped the people under Prussian rule. Frederick the Great’s childhood was spent in rigorous military training and education and constant abuse from his father. Frederick the Great was born January 24, 1712 in Berlin, Prussia. The abuse Frederick suffered from by the hands of his father was both physical and emotional. Frederick the Great loved music and literature which caused for his father to be disappointed that his son did not like war, as he did. Throughout his entire childhood his father, Frederick William I would do retched things to him such as hit and spit on him when he did not approve of what his son had done. When Frederick was a teenager he decided to escape his torment by his father with his friend Katte. When Frederick’s father discovered his plan he thought it was a conspiracy on his life and put Frederick on house arrest and forced him to watch the execution of his best friend, Katte, as a punishment for attempting to leave Prussia. He told himself that when it was his turn on the throne that he would not be a ruler like his father. Although he faced many appalling things he his childhood they all lead to him being a strong king and ingenious military mind. Frederick the Great made Prussia a more modernized country by adopting certain
Cited: "Frederick II". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 14Nov.2012 “Frederick II, the Great” Gaines, James R.. "Giants, Spies, and the Lash: Life with "Fatty"." Evening in the palace of reason: Bach meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment. New York, NY: Fourth Estate, 2005. 68-11. Print. Lorri, Brown Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 21 Dec. 2012 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/56593/War-of-the-Bavarian-Succession. [ 2 ]. James R. Gaines. “Giants, Spies, and the Lash: Life with “Fatty”.” Evening in the palace of reason; Bach meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment. New York, NY: Fourth Estate, 2005. 68-111. Print. [ 5 ]. Lorri, Brown. “Frederick the Great” 26. Nov. 2012 Web. 12 Dec. 2012 http://suite101.com/article/frederick-the-great-a36270 [ 6 ] [ 7 ]. "War of the Austrian Succession". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 28 Nov. 2012 [ 8 ] Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 21 Dec. 2012 . [ 9 ]. Lorri, Brown. “Frederick the Great” 26. Nov. 2012 Web. 12 Dec. 2012 http://suite101.com/article/frederick-the-great-a36270 [ 10 ] [ 11 ]. David W. Koeller. “Frederick II (The Great) of Prussia Political Testament” 2005. Web. 12 Dec. 2012 http://www.thenagain.info/Classes/Sources/Frederick%20the%20Great.htmll [ 12 ]