Frederick William

Frederick William was a prominent figure in the history of Brandenburg-Prussia. He ruled as the Elector of Brandenburg from 1640 until his death and played a crucial role in transforming the small and fragmented territories into a unified and powerful state. He is popularly known as "the Great Elector" because of his military and political achievements. He was a staunch Calvinist and a patron of culture and learning. He was also an astute diplomat who negotiated with various European powers and secured the sovereignty of Ducal Prussia from Poland. He was the father of Frederick I, the first king of Prussia. Frederick William was born in Berlin to George William, Elector of Brandenburg, and Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. He grew up amid the chaos of the Thirty Years' War, in which Brandenburg suffered heavily from the invasions and plundering of foreign troops. He spent part of his youth in the Netherlands, studying at Leiden University and learning something of war and statecraft under Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange. He married Countess Luise Henriette of Nassau, a granddaughter of William the Silent, in 1646. She was his first wife and a close adviser until her death in 1667. He married Princess Dorothea Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg in 1668. He had eight children from his two marriages. When Frederick William succeeded his father as elector in 1640, he inherited a ravaged land occupied by foreign troops. Under his father's powerful favourite, Count Adam von Schwarzenberg, Brandenburg had changed sides from the Swedes to the Habsburgs and had thus been drawn into the struggle on both sides. Frederick William dismissed Schwarzenberg and pursued an independent policy that aimed at securing peace and restoring his lands. He participated in the negotiations that led to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War and recognized his sovereignty over the Duchy of Cleves, the County of Mark, and the County of Ravensberg. He also acquired several territories in western Pomerania from Sweden. Frederick William devoted much of his reign to rebuilding his war-ravaged territories. He reformed the administration, reorganized the finances, promoted trade and agriculture, encouraged immigration and colonization, and fostered education and culture. He founded several towns and cities, such as Potsdam and Königsberg. He also established a strong army that became the basis of Prussia's military reputation. He used his army to defend his lands against external threats and to intervene in neighboring conflicts. He fought against Sweden in the Second Northern War (1655-1660) and secured full sovereignty over Ducal Prussia by the Treaty of Wehlau (1657) and the Treaty of Oliva (1660). He also fought against Poland in the War of Devolution (1667-1668) and gained Lauenburg and Bütow. He allied with France against the Holy Roman Empire in the War of the Reunions (1683-1684) and obtained several fortresses on the Rhine. Frederick William died of pneumonia in Potsdam in 1688. He was buried in the Berlin Cathedral, where his tomb can still be seen. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Frederick III, who later became Frederick I, King in Prussia. Frederick William is widely regarded as one of the greatest rulers of Brandenburg-Prussia and a precursor of the Prussian kings. He is remembered for his achievements in state-building, diplomacy, and military affairs. He is also honored as a patron of the arts and sciences, who supported many scholars and artists, such as Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Andreas Schlüter, and Joachim von Sandrart.