Frederick II (1712-1786), the third king of Prussia, became known as Frederick the Great. He started his reign in May 1740 and a few months later invaded Silesia, one of the richest provinces of Maria Theresa of Austria. This attack caused the War of the Austrian Succession. It also led to the Seven Years’ War, in which Frederick held off the armies of three major powers, Austria, France, and Russia. He kept most of Silesia and expanded Prussia more when he joined with Austria and Russia and took a part of Poland (see Poland (The partitions) ). Frederick built a strong government and army. He encouraged industry and agriculture. He also made Prussia a rival to Austria for control of other German states.
Frederick has been called an “enlightened despot” because he supported the progressive ideas and reforms of the period of history called the Enlightenment or Age of Reason (see Enlightenment ). The French writer Voltaire lived at Frederick’s court as a guest from 1750 to 1753. The German people remember Frederick as a strong king and a great military hero. He was born on Jan. 24, 1712, in Berlin. He was the son of Frederick William I of Prussia and Princess Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the sister of King George II of the United Kingdom. Frederick died on Aug. 17, 1786.
