Figure 1.--This is a Prussian Crown Prince Freidrich Wilhelm painted by Pesne about 1746. Note the cap and long dress. He would have been 2-3 years old.

King Friederich Wilhelm II was the grandson of Friederich Wilhelm I and nephew of Friderich the Great. He was born in Berlin during 1844. He suceeded to the throne in 1786 on the death of his uncle Friderich the Great in 1786. Frederic h Wilhelm and several of his successors were not higly effective rulers like their predecessors. The ministers that they chose become more important in the conduct of government. Freiderich Wilhelm was the Prussian King who in alliance woth Holy Roman Emperor attempted to aid Louis XVI who was arrested and then guillotined. As a consequence of the war with the new French Republic, he was forced to cede Prussian territories west of the Rhine. He gained terrotories in the east by participating with partitions of Poland. Unlike his famous uncle, he was opposed to the Enligtenment and imposed press censorship. He was uninterested in the army which decayed markedly during his reign--a disastrous development as his successor would have to face the French under Napoleon with a weaked military. Through his own ineptitude and that of his appointmernts, Prussia was nearly backrupt upon his death in 1797. Frederickmarried twice andvjad eight children. The firsr marriage was with Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg. They has one child: Frederica Charlotte (1767–1820), who became the British Duchess of York by her marriage to Frederick, Duke of York. He then married Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt. The children included Frederick William III of Prussia (1770-1840) who suceeded him. The other children were: Christine (1772-73), Louis Charles (1773-96), Frederica Louisa Wilhelmina (1774-1837), wife of William of Orange, afterwards King William I of the Netherlands. Augusta (1780-1841), wife of William II, Elector of Hesse, Henry (1781-1846), and William Karl(1783-1851). William Karl married Maria Anna of Hesse-Homburg.

Created: 11:09 PM 1/30/2025
Last updated: 11:10 PM 1/30/2025