Frederick II (German:Friedrich; 24 Januar 1712–17 August 1786) wis the thirdHohenzollern king, ringin ower theKinrick o Proushie frae 1740 till 1786.[1] His maist signeeficant accomplishments in his ring includit his militar veectories, his reorganisation oProushie airmies, his patronage o the airts anthe Enlichtment an his feenal success against great odds in theSeiven Years' War. Frederick wis the last Hohenzollern monarch teetledKeeng in Proushie an declared himselKeeng o Proushie efter achievin sovereignty ower maist historically Proushie launds in 1772. Proushie haed greatly increased its territories an becam a leadin militar pouer in Europe unner his rule. He becam kent asFrederick the Great (German:Friedrich der Große) an wis nicknamedDer AlteFritz ("The Auld Fritz") bi the Proushie fowk an eventually the rest o Germany.[2]
In his youth, Frederick wis mair interestit in muisic an filosofie nor the airt o war. Nanetheless, upon ascendin tae the Proushie throne he attackedAustrick an claimedSilesie in theSilesie Wars, winnin militar acclaim for himsel an Proushie. Taewart the end o his ring, Frederick pheesically connectit maist o his kinrick bi acquirinPols territories in theFirst Pairteetion o Poland. He wis an influential militar theorist that's analysis emerged frae his extensive personal battlefield experience an kivert issues o strategy, tactics, mobeelity an logeestics.
Conseederin himsel "the first servant o the state",[3] Frederick wis a proponent oenlichtened absolutism. He modrenised the Proushie bureaucracy an ceevil service an pursued releegious policies ootthrou his kinrick that ranged frae tolerance tae segregation.[4] He reformed the judeecial seestem an made it possible for men nae o noble status tae acome juidges an senior bureaucrats. Frederick encouraged immigrants o various naitionalities an faiths tae come tae Proushie, awtho he enactit oppressive meisurs against Pols Catholic subjects in Wast Proushie. Frederick supportit airts an filosofers he favoured as weel as allouin complete freedom o the press an leeteratur.[5] Maist modren biografers gree that Frederick wis primarilyhomosexual, an that his sexual orientaition wis central tae his life. Frederick is buiried at his favourite residence,Sanssouci inPotsdam. Acause he dee'd bairnless, Frederick wis succeedit by his neffaeFrederick William II.
Nearly aw 19t-century German historians made Frederick intae a romantic model o a glorifee'd warrior, praisin his leadership, admeenistrative efficiency, devotion tae duty an success in biggin up Proushie tae a great pouer in Europe. HistorianLeopold von Ranke wis unstintin in his praise o Frederick's "heroic life, inspired bi great ideas, filled wi feats o airms... immortalised bi the raisin o the Proushi state tae the rank o a pouer".Johann Gustav Droysen wis even mair extollin.[6] Frederick remeened an admired historical feegur throuGermany's defeat inWarld War I. TheNazis glorifee'd him as a great German leader pre-feegurinAdolf Hitler, that personally eedoleezed him.[7]
Associations wi him became far less favourable efter the faw o the Nazis, lairgely due tae his status as ane o thair seembols.[8] Houiver, historians in the 21st century nou again view Frederick as ane o the finest generals o the 18t century, ane o the maist enlichtened monarchs o his age an a heichly successfu an capable leader that biggit the foondation for the Kinrick o Proushie tae acome a great pouer that wad contest theAustrickHabsburgs for leadership amang the German states.
