1. Frederick the Great 1712-1786

2. Background  Frederick was born in Berlin  Was a member of the Hohenzollern dynasty  Was a rebellious teen and tried to escape his father’s tyrannical rule  Watched his friend get beheaded

3. House of Hohenzollern

4. Background  Frederick assumed the throne in 1740 and became king of Prussia  From 1740-1748, Frederick fought the war of Austrian Sucession to gain Silesia from Austria  Prussia won and gained Silesia

5. Maria Theresa, Habsburg Empress (Austria)

7. Seven Years War  By 1756, an alliance of Austria, Russia, Sweden and France was forming against Prussia  The Seven Years War began as Prussia invaded Saxony  Prussia was getting invaded frequently  Some consider this the 1 st world war

8. Seven Years War  Prussia was close to losing but was saved when Empress Elizabeth of Russia died in 1762  This allowed the anti-Prussian coalition to break up  Prussia did not gain territory, but kept Silesia

9. Frederick the Great  Leading his men to battle

10. Later Achievements  Frederick was considered an enlightened despot  This is an absolute monarch in which a ruler uses power to make positive social and political changes  Ex: He was a patron of Bach and Voltaire

11. Partitioning of Poland

12. Frederick the Enlightened Despot  Abolished torture  Built canals  Grew new crops (potato and turnip)  Religious toleration

13. Sans Souci  Frederick’s summer palace (just outside Berlin)