Catherine is still a very popular Catholic name. However, the death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia placed advocate Peter III on the throne and Russia withdrew from the war. Frederick was miserable under the authority of his harsh father and planned to escape to Great Britain, where his maternal grandfather was King George I, and he invited Katte to join him. . Born May 13, 1940 in Frederick, he was the son of the late Frank and Barbara Poole Hunter. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/biography-of-frederick-the-great-4161022. He died in 1786. The spiked wheel is a popular symbol often associated with St. Catherine. Born in 1712, Frederick William II, known as Frederick the Great, was the third Hohenzollern King of Prussia. Domestically, Frederick's Enlightenment influence was more evident. Charles II was the monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland during much of the latter half of the 17th century, marking the Restoration era. Although Frederick did not gain territory, the ensuing treaty allowed him to retain Silesia and made him popular throughout the many German-speaking territories. During Frederick's childhood, his mother brought him many of the treasures of the Enlightenment. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. This planted a seed of anti-Austrian sentiment in Frederick; he believed that Austria, long Prussiaâs rival for influence in the crumbling Holy Roman Empire, was meddlesome and dangerous. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images. Hohenzollerns became kings, dukes, and emperors in the region from the establishment of the dynasty in the 11th century until the overthrow of the German aristocracy in the wake of World War I in 1918. It was a political marriage that Frederick resented; at one point he threatened to commit suicide before relenting and going through with the marriage as ordered by his father. As a youth, Frederick showed little interest in military matters, preferring poetry and philosophy; subjects he studied in secret because his father disapproved; in fact, Frederick was often beaten and berated by his father for his interests. Biography of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. He was succeeded by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II tried to strengthen the Habsburg empire with his enlightened reforms, but the changes he made were met with fierce opposition. The couple enjoyed a political marriage and not much else. Password requirements: 6 to 30 characters long; ASCII characters only (characters found on a standard US keyboard); must contain at least 4 different symbols; He became the head of an empire that was expanded by his son and successor, Alexander the Great. ; 24 January 1712 – 17 August 1786) was a Prussian king and military leader who ruled the Kingdom of Prussia from 1740 until 1786, at 46 years the longest reign of any Hohenzollern king. Frederick assumed the throne in 1740 after the death of his father. Frederick was born into the House of Hohenzollern, a major German dynasty. Despite believing German culture, in general, to be inferior to that of France or Italy, he worked to elevate it, establishing a German Royal Society to promote German language and culture, and under his rule, Berlin became a major cultural center of Europe. Oscar Hammerstein II collaborated with Richard Rodgers on popular musicals such as ‘Oklahoma!,’ ‘South Pacific,’ ‘Carousel,’ ‘The King and I’ and ‘The Sound of Music.’. Baltimore Sun: Your source for Baltimore breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic Her patronage includes students, unmarried girls, apologists and many more as well as many places around the world. . If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Frederick struck preemptively, invading Saxony, and with his ally Great Britain started the Seven Years War. +2 https://www.biography.com/political-figure/frederick-ii. In the plus column, the longest-reigning empress of Russia transformed her empire into one of Europe’s great … Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was empress regnant of All Russia from 1762 until 1796 – the country's longest-ruling female leader. Frederick was born into the House of Hohenzollern on January 24, 1712, to Frederick William I of Prussia and Princess Sophia-Dorothea — the sister of George II of Great Britain. Although most often remembered as a warrior, Frederick actually lost more battles than he won, and was often saved by political events outside his controlâand the unparalleled excellence of the Prussian Army. ... Frederick … It was often said that instead of Prussia being a country with an army, it was an army with a country; by the end of his reign Prussian society was largely dedicated to staffing, supplying, and training the army. ThoughtCo. Frederickâs influence casts a long shadow over culture, the philosophy of government, and military history. He reformed the military and government, established religious tolerance and granted a basic form of freedom of the press. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. In 1756, Austria, backed by France and Russia, tried to regain control of Silesia. She came to power following a coup d'état that overthrew her husband and second cousin, Peter III.Under her reign, Russia grew larger, its culture was … By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Spirituality, Sexuality, Artistry, and Racism. Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, served as empress of Russia for more than three decades in the late 18th century after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. Frederick II inherited the Prussian throne in 1740 and established control of Silesia in 1745. He played the flute extremely well and composed many pieces for that instrument, and wrote voluminously in French, despising the German language and preferring French for his artistic expressions. This attitude would prove to have long-lasting implications for the future of Germany and Europe. A devotee of the principles of the Enlightenment, Frederick attempted to portray himself as a benevolent tyrant, a man who brooked no argument with his authority but who could be relied on to better the lives of his people. Unlike in every way, Frederick's parents sought to raise him in their own, if totally different, images. Sensing weakness in the Austrian Empire, Frederick deceived Habsburg Queen Maria Theresa to allow his armies to occupy Lower Silesia in exchange for protection from France, Spain and Bavaria. Somers, Jeffrey. Fortunately, his loathsome father left Frederick with a strong army and ample funds. Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, was Prussia's king from 1740 to 1786. Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, served as empress of Russia for more than three decades in the late 18th century after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. However, his father chafed at such notions and pushed to have his son educated in the practical matters of running and defending a state. Frederickâs military successes and expansion of Prussian power led indirectly to the establishment of the German Empire in the late 19th century (through the efforts of Otto von Bismarck), and thus in some ways to the two World Wars and the rise of Nazi Germany. American Revolution: Baron Friedrich von Steuben, War of the First Coalition in 1790s France, Biography of Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, French & Indian/Seven Years' War: 1760-1763, Franco-Prussian War: Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Biography of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, The French & Indian War/The Seven Years' War: An Overview, Industry and Agriculture History in Europe, Whatâs So Great About Frederick? Raise him in their own, if totally different, images throne in 1740 after the death of his.! 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