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Section 5.25
The Formation of
Prussia
Hohenzollerns
• Frederick William (The Great Elector)- 1640-1688
• Frederick I (The Ostentatious)-1688-1713
• Frederick William I (The Soldier King) 1713-1740
• Frederick II (The Great) 1740-1786)
The Territorial growth of Brandenburg-Prussia
Geographic Factors• Prussia rises from patchwork quilt of Germany
• Key Characteristic: Militarism– military values permeated all spheres of life
• Why?• Geography
– Not a promising location for building a nation
– flat open plain, no prominent physical or natural frontiers, shut off from sea
– “the sandbox of the HRE”– Territories separated (Brandenburg,
Prussia, lands on the Rhine)– Devastated and depopulated during 30
Years’ War• Brandenburg had suffered greatly during 30
Years War– population of Berlin fallen from 14 to 6
thousand since the war started • Estates (representative assemblies)
greatly weakened
Frederick William the Great Elector(1620-1688)
Political Developments • Member of Hohenzollern Family• An Elector (of the HRE)
– A prestigious position but had no other political power
• Took power in 1640• Ignored traditional powers of the Estates
– Estates had Power of the Purse– FW forced each region to pay permanent tax
without their consent• Purpose was to pay for a standing army • Directed Brandenburg toward a militaristic
culture– Created an Army of being
• keep army but not use it – “Speak softly and carry a big stick” policy– 1688
– Population of 1 million– Army of 30 thousand
• Why was he able to do this?– War created state of crisis
• Sweden and Poland (1648)• Wars of Louis XIV• Crimean Tartars (1656-57)
– Junkers and Bourgeoisie divided
• FW gave royal authority over peasants to nobles
• Taxed towns heavily
The Prussian Military StatePolitical Developments
Frederick William I (1713-1740)• “the soldier-king”• Established Prussian absolutism• Created a military cult in society• Uncouth, disdained French culture,
workaholic • cheap except with military, Spartan
lifestyle• Focus on the military
– always appeared in uniform• loved tall soldiers and
collected special unit b/t 6 and 7 feet tall
• increased size from 40 to 83, 000
• left surplus of 7 mil Thalers• Strict economic policies led to
accumulation of a large war chest
Army and Prussian SocietyPolitical and Cultural Factors
• Frederick William I– State of Service
• absorbed the landed aristocracy (Junkers) into the army as officers
• virtually all Junkers were in military
• Built a Prussian identity that unified the various regions
– Duty, obedience, service, sacrifice become characteristic of the culture
• Weakened middle class exists– FW (Elector) heavily taxed
them– FWI used them to administer
his government– Government worker – civil
service– Little money or land– But known for its honesty
and duty to the state– FW I used them to create
efficient bureaucracy
Army and Prussian SocietySociopolitical Developments