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