Frederick William I of Prussia

Lore & Background

Frederick William was born in Berlin to King Frederick I and Princess Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, raised by Huguenot governess Marthe de Roucoulle. His political awakening came during the Great Northern War's plague outbreak, when corruption among his father's ministers was exposed. He helped bring down leading minister Johann Kasimir Kolbe von Wartenberg, an event that shaped his lifelong opposition to crime, corruption, and inefficiency.

Upon ascending the throne in 1713, he dismissed his father's corrupt 'Cabinet of Three Counts' and reorganized state finances, which had been ruined by his father's lavish spending. He expanded the Prussian Army from 38,000 to 80,000 men, introduced the canton system, and imposed strict regulations on public servants. He also sold the Brandenburg Gold Coast colony in 1717, preferring to fund the army.

Frederick William had a harsh nature, exacerbated by porphyritic disease causing gout and stomach pains. He physically attacked servants and his own children. He died in 1740 and was succeeded by his son, Frederick the Great. His coffin was moved multiple times, finally resting in the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum at Sanssouci in 1991.

Reader's Guide

Frederick William I's significance lies in his transformation of Prussia into a formidable military state. By doubling the army and centralizing administration, he laid the groundwork for his son Frederick the Great's later successes. His reforms, including the canton system and strict regulations for officials, created an efficient, militarized bureaucracy. However, his legacy is tempered by his brutal parenting and volatile temper. His decision to sell overseas colonies reflected a prioritization of land-based military power over colonial ventures. The army he built became the instrument of Prussian expansion, cementing his role as a key architect of Prussian absolutism.

Did You Know?

• He expanded the Prussian Army from 38,000 men in 1713 to 80,000 in 1740.
• He sold the Brandenburg Gold Coast colony to the Dutch West India Company in 1717.
• He invited 20,000 Salzburg Protestants to settle in East Prussia after the plague.
• His coffin was moved multiple times, including to a salt mine during World War II.