Frederick II

Frederick II (German: Friedrich II; January 24, 1712 - August 17, 1786) was the King of Prussia who reigned from 1740 to 1786. His major achievements include military victory in the Silesian War, the reorganization of the Prussian army, participation in the partition of Polish territory, and support for the arts and the Enlightenment. Frederick was the last Hohenzollern monarch to be crowned "King in Prussia" (König in Preußen). After annexing Royal Prussia, he began to call himself "King of Prussia" (König von Preußen). Under his rule, Prussia successfully expanded its territory and became a major power in Europe. Frederick II was therefore known as Frederick the Great (German: Friedrich der Große), or his nickname was Old Fritz (German: der Alte Fritz). As a young man, Frederick was more interested in music and philosophy than in the art of war, which brought him into conflict with his father, Frederick William I; but after ascending to the Prussian throne, he attacked and annexed the wealthy Austrian province of Silesia in 1742, gaining military prestige for himself and Prussia. He was an influential military theorist whose analysis was informed by extensive personal battlefield experience and covered issues of strategy, tactics, mobility, and logistics. Frederick was a supporter of enlightened despotism, saying that the ruler should be the first servant of the state. He modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service and implemented religious policies ranging from tolerance to segregation throughout the kingdom; he reformed the judicial system so that lower-status men could become judges and high-ranking bureaucrats. Frederick encouraged immigrants of all nationalities and creeds to come to Prussia, supported the arts and philosophers, and allowed freedom of the press and literature. Frederick was almost certainly gay, and his sexual orientation has been the subject of much research. He was buried in his favorite residence, Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. Because he died childless, his nephew Frederick William II succeeded to the throne. Almost all 19th-century German historians portrayed Frederick as a romantic and great warrior, praising his leadership, administrative efficiency, devotion to duty, and success in making Prussia a European power. After Germany's defeat in World War I, Frederick was still a highly respected historical figure. The Nazi German Ministry of National Education and Propaganda praised him as a "great leader"; after World War II, his popularity dropped sharply in Germany, partly due to