Frederick The Great: The Enlightenment Era In Europe
During the enlightenment era in Europe, conflict began to stir the among European nations. Great philosophers including Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu had started introducing ideas of human rights, liberty, and nationalism, leading to a demand for new leaders and for revolutions in Europe ("Enlightenment"). This all took place as many nations desired to expand their boundaries with colonies or into other the territory of other countries. The best leader who would rise from this time of confusion was Frederick the Great. Throughout his time on the throne in Prussia, he would embrace these ideals and take military actions to expand the territory of Prussia into that of its neighbors. He did this by annexing Silesia, Dresden and East
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Prussia. Frederick transformed Prussia into a world power and made improvements at home that benefited the lives of his subjects, like reforming the courts and government. Other leaders of the were doing the opposite. The military leadership and the huge social and economic reforms he made during his time as king, make Frederick the Great the greatest leader of the 18th century. Frederick the Great’s numerous military successes during his 46 year reign as King contribute to him being the greatest European leader.
After the death of his father in 1740, he began taking advantage of Prussia’s military by occupying the province of Silesia, Austria during the war of Austrian succession. While Maria Theresa was ruling Austria, Frederick made the judgement to annex the region. Austria had been suffering financially and from a weak military. This actions shows his leadership skills as his father Frederick Wilhelm never took advantage of such an opportunity ("Frederick II"). Frederick convinced Austrian leaders to sign a peace treaty during the Convention of Klein-Schnellendorf, that prevented them from fighting to regain the land. Frederick also acquired the Dresden Province with The Treaty of Dresden in 1745. Frederick’s acquisition of Silesia and Dresden gained nearly 20,000 square miles of land and millions of subjects for Prussia. Silesia was considered “The richest of the Hapsburg provinces”, and proved to be more economically valuable to Prussia than any other parts of its territory ("War of the Austrian Succession”). Frederick the Great’s success during the War of Austrian Succession show his military superiority over Maria Theresa who stood no chance to Frederick. Him making this decision also shows how he was better at commanding a military than Wilhelm, as he used his military as an asset by helping to improve
Prussia. Another example of Frederick’s military leadership was the annexation of East Prussia in 1771. He gained this during the first partition of Poland, and was determined to do so as the land was very to making Prussia less isolated and more easily defensible. Frederick’s victory over West Prussia would reinforced Prussia’s position against Austria as is was on the Austrian agenda to recover some of the Silesian lands or gain the Balkans in the agreement of the partition of Poland. Economically, the annexation of East Prussia would increase Prussia’s access to ports making trade easier and making Prussia’s more accessible. By taking over large amounts of polish territory, Frederick strengthened the region against its enemies ("Frederick II"). The Polish Republic had been previously very divided, and weak. Prussia would be protecting the land with his powerful military making it less of a target for other nations to claim. Prior to the annexation of Silesia, Dresden, and West Prussia, under Frederick the Great, Prussia was not a huge threat to surrounding nations, as it was much smaller. With the addition of these provinces and a very powerful military, Prussia became a powerful player in Europe. Frederick the Great put Prussia on the map in Europe, an accomplishment that adds to his credit for being the greatest European ruler. What really makes Frederick II a great leader are the reforms and advancements he made in Prussia during his reign. During the decades of relative peace between the War of Austrian Succession and the 7 years war against France and Russia, Fredrick made huge changes to better the people of his country. He was inspired by the enlightened thinkers of the era, leading him to revamp Prussia’s justice system by standardizing it and making it less brutal than it had been under his father’s rule ("Frederick II History”). 14 levels of courts would be formed, and the ability for cases to be repealed was opened up. Limits were placed on the length of trial to one year to prevent people from wasting away as their fate was decided. Frederick also signed in a law that would require defenders to be certified in law to practice in court (Duhaime). He banned torture in Prussia and began creating a nation criminal code to reduce corruption. Freedom of the press and religious freedom were added to Prussia’s society. He also fought for infrastructure projects like the construction of canals and bridges throughout his new territory and building up the capital of Berlin with new buildings and renovations, as well as funding the sciences in the Berlin Academy ("Frederick II History”). Frederick expanded the ports of Prussia with the annexation of East Prussia from Poland. Towards the end of his rule, he reforms the government with separate ministries to divide tasks and to add executive control ("Frederick II History"). In contrast to Frederick II, Napoleon Bonaparte of France did little to improve his country. He removed the democracy and human rights gained during the French Revolution with his aristocratic views. He also “asked himself rationally the question how to eliminate, in as short a time as possible, and with a minimum of cost and personnel, a maximum of people described as scientifically inferior ” (Hudson). Napoleon used this mentality when he was restoring slavery in the French colony of Haiti, by killed 100,000 black slaves in ship holds using poison sulfur dioxide gas. This use of gas to commit genocide was an inspiration to Adolf Hitler who used gas chambers to kill millions of jews during WWII (Hudson). While Frederick the Great was making progress towards treating the people of his country humanely and giving them rights, Napoleon was using poison gas to massacre slaves in Haiti and torturing them. Frederick made it a point to ban the use of torture in Prussia’s legal system.
Prussia. Frederick transformed Prussia into a world power and made improvements at home that benefited the lives of his subjects, like reforming the courts and government. Other leaders of the were doing the opposite. The military leadership and the huge social and economic reforms he made during his time as king, make Frederick the Great the greatest leader of the 18th century. Frederick the Great’s numerous military successes during his 46 year reign as King contribute to him being the greatest European leader.
After the death of his father in 1740, he began taking advantage of Prussia’s military by occupying the province of Silesia, Austria during the war of Austrian succession. While Maria Theresa was ruling Austria, Frederick made the judgement to annex the region. Austria had been suffering financially and from a weak military. This actions shows his leadership skills as his father Frederick Wilhelm never took advantage of such an opportunity ("Frederick II"). Frederick convinced Austrian leaders to sign a peace treaty during the Convention of Klein-Schnellendorf, that prevented them from fighting to regain the land. Frederick also acquired the Dresden Province with The Treaty of Dresden in 1745. Frederick’s acquisition of Silesia and Dresden gained nearly 20,000 square miles of land and millions of subjects for Prussia. Silesia was considered “The richest of the Hapsburg provinces”, and proved to be more economically valuable to Prussia than any other parts of its territory ("War of the Austrian Succession”). Frederick the Great’s success during the War of Austrian Succession show his military superiority over Maria Theresa who stood no chance to Frederick. Him making this decision also shows how he was better at commanding a military than Wilhelm, as he used his military as an asset by helping to improve
Prussia. Another example of Frederick’s military leadership was the annexation of East Prussia in 1771. He gained this during the first partition of Poland, and was determined to do so as the land was very to making Prussia less isolated and more easily defensible. Frederick’s victory over West Prussia would reinforced Prussia’s position against Austria as is was on the Austrian agenda to recover some of the Silesian lands or gain the Balkans in the agreement of the partition of Poland. Economically, the annexation of East Prussia would increase Prussia’s access to ports making trade easier and making Prussia’s more accessible. By taking over large amounts of polish territory, Frederick strengthened the region against its enemies ("Frederick II"). The Polish Republic had been previously very divided, and weak. Prussia would be protecting the land with his powerful military making it less of a target for other nations to claim. Prior to the annexation of Silesia, Dresden, and West Prussia, under Frederick the Great, Prussia was not a huge threat to surrounding nations, as it was much smaller. With the addition of these provinces and a very powerful military, Prussia became a powerful player in Europe. Frederick the Great put Prussia on the map in Europe, an accomplishment that adds to his credit for being the greatest European ruler. What really makes Frederick II a great leader are the reforms and advancements he made in Prussia during his reign. During the decades of relative peace between the War of Austrian Succession and the 7 years war against France and Russia, Fredrick made huge changes to better the people of his country. He was inspired by the enlightened thinkers of the era, leading him to revamp Prussia’s justice system by standardizing it and making it less brutal than it had been under his father’s rule ("Frederick II History”). 14 levels of courts would be formed, and the ability for cases to be repealed was opened up. Limits were placed on the length of trial to one year to prevent people from wasting away as their fate was decided. Frederick also signed in a law that would require defenders to be certified in law to practice in court (Duhaime). He banned torture in Prussia and began creating a nation criminal code to reduce corruption. Freedom of the press and religious freedom were added to Prussia’s society. He also fought for infrastructure projects like the construction of canals and bridges throughout his new territory and building up the capital of Berlin with new buildings and renovations, as well as funding the sciences in the Berlin Academy ("Frederick II History”). Frederick expanded the ports of Prussia with the annexation of East Prussia from Poland. Towards the end of his rule, he reforms the government with separate ministries to divide tasks and to add executive control ("Frederick II History"). In contrast to Frederick II, Napoleon Bonaparte of France did little to improve his country. He removed the democracy and human rights gained during the French Revolution with his aristocratic views. He also “asked himself rationally the question how to eliminate, in as short a time as possible, and with a minimum of cost and personnel, a maximum of people described as scientifically inferior ” (Hudson). Napoleon used this mentality when he was restoring slavery in the French colony of Haiti, by killed 100,000 black slaves in ship holds using poison sulfur dioxide gas. This use of gas to commit genocide was an inspiration to Adolf Hitler who used gas chambers to kill millions of jews during WWII (Hudson). While Frederick the Great was making progress towards treating the people of his country humanely and giving them rights, Napoleon was using poison gas to massacre slaves in Haiti and torturing them. Frederick made it a point to ban the use of torture in Prussia’s legal system.