Frederick William II of Prussia

Frederick William II was the King of Prussia from 1786 until his death in 1797. He was also the Prince-elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Canton of Neuchâtel. He was the nephew and successor of Frederick the Great, who had designated him as the heir presumptive in 1758. He was born in Berlin on September 25, 1744, as the eldest son of Prince Augustus William and Duchess Luise. He married four times, twice morganatically, and had eight legitimate children and two illegitimate sons. As a king, Frederick William II pursued a policy of expansion and reform. He ended the German Dualism between Prussia and Austria by forming an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II against the French Revolution. He also acquired significant territories in Poland through the partitions of 1793 and 1795. He reformed the administration, judiciary, and education system of Prussia, and granted religious toleration to Catholics and Jews. He was a patron of the arts, especially music, and composed several works for the cello. He also built some of the most notable monuments in Prussia, such as the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and the Marble Palace and Orangery Palace in Potsdam. However, Frederick William II also faced many challenges and controversies during his reign. He was criticized for his lavish lifestyle, his numerous affairs, and his favoritism towards his mistresses and courtiers. He alienated many of his subjects by imposing a strict system of censorship and religious control under the influence of his minister Johann Christoph von Wöllner. He also failed to maintain the military strength and prestige of Prussia that his uncle had established. He was involved in several wars with France, Sweden, Turkey, and Russia, which drained his resources and weakened his position in Europe. Frederick William II died on November 16, 1797, at the age of 53, after suffering a stroke. He was buried in the Berlin Cathedral, where his sarcophagus can still be seen today. He was succeeded by his eldest son Frederick William III, who inherited a bankrupt and isolated state.