Frederick William II of Prussia

Frederick William II of Prussia
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Name	Frederick William II
Caption	Portrait by Anton Graff, 1792
Succession	King of Prussia
Reign	17 August 1786 – 16 November 1797
Predecessor	Frederick II
Successor	Frederick William III
Birth date	25 September 1744
Birth place	Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia
Death date	16 November 1797
Death place	Marmorpalais, Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia
Burial place	Berlin Cathedral
Spouse	Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, Julie von Voss (morganatic), Sophie von Dönhoff (morganatic)
Issue	Frederick William III, Frederica Charlotte, Duchess of York and Albany, Prince Louis Charles, Frederica, Princess of Orange, Prince Augustus, Prince Henry, Prince William
House	House of Hohenzollern
Father	Prince Augustus William of Prussia
Mother	Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Religion	Calvinism

Frederick William II of Prussia was the King of Prussia from 1786 until his death in 1797. He succeeded his uncle, the renowned Frederick the Great, but his reign proved to be a stark contrast in both style and substance. While he was a noted patron of the arts and music, his rule was marked by financial mismanagement, religious mysticism, and a foreign policy that ultimately weakened Prussia's position in Europe.

Early life and accession

Born in Berlin to Prince Augustus William of Prussia and Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Frederick William was not the direct heir apparent. His life changed dramatically following the death of his father in 1758, after which his uncle, King Frederick II, took a direct interest in his upbringing. Despite this, the prince developed interests at odds with his uncle's Enlightenment ideals, becoming deeply influenced by Rosicrucianism and the mystical teachings of Johann Christoph von Wöllner. Upon the death of the childless Frederick the Great in August 1786, Frederick William ascended to the throne of Prussia.

Reign and domestic policies

Frederick William II's domestic rule was defined by a reaction against the policies of his predecessor. He reversed Frederick II's religious toleration, issuing the Edict of Religion in 1788, which enforced Lutheran orthodoxy and restricted the freedoms of Catholics and Jews. His influential advisor, Johann Christoph von Wöllner, spearheaded this conservative cultural shift. Economically, his reign was disastrous; lavish court spending, military expenditures, and poor fiscal management led to a massive increase in the national debt. He did, however, oversee the completion of significant architectural projects, including the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the Marmorpalais in Potsdam.

Foreign policy and wars

In foreign affairs, Frederick William II initially sought to expand Prussian territory and influence. He formed a secret alliance with the United Provinces and, following the Dutch Patriot Revolt, intervened militarily in 1787 to restore the Stadtholder William V, Prince of Orange. His most significant territorial gain came from his participation in the Partitions of Poland, with Prussia acquiring large areas in the Second and Third Partitions. However, his decision to join the First Coalition against Revolutionary France proved calamitous. The War of the First Coalition led to major Prussian defeats, such as at the Battle of Valmy, and culminated in the separate and disadvantageous Peace of Basel in 1795, which neutralized Prussia and ceded territories west of the Rhine.

Patronage of the arts and culture

Despite his political shortcomings, Frederick William II was a significant cultural patron. An accomplished cellist, he maintained a private orchestra and was a devoted patron of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who dedicated his "Prussian Quartets" to the king. He also supported composers like Johann Friedrich Reichardt and Carl Friedrich Zelter. His court in Berlin and Potsdam became a center for musical life, and he commissioned the construction of several notable buildings in the emerging Neoclassical and Frederician Rococo styles, leaving a lasting, if expensive, architectural legacy.

Personal life and legacy

Frederick William II's personal life was tumultuous and scandalous for its time. He contracted two official marriages, first to Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and then to Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, but was better known for his romantic entanglelements. He entered into two morganatic marriages, with Julie von Voss and Sophie von Dönhoff, while simultaneously maintaining a long-term relationship with his mistress, Wilhelmine Enke, later created Countess of Lichtenau. He fathered numerous children, including his successor, Frederick William III of Prussia. He died at the Marmorpalais in Potsdam in 1797, leaving a kingdom burdened by debt and diminished in international stature. His reign is generally viewed by historians as a period of missed opportunity and decline between the eras of Frederick the Great and the Napoleonic Wars.

Category:Kings of Prussia Category:House of Hohenzollern Category:1744 births Category:1797 deaths