Frederick II (January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was King of Prussia (part of modern day Germany) from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was a renowned military and political leader, greatly increased Prussia’s territory, and turned Prussia into a major European power. Frederick was a proponent of “enlightened absolutism,” an 18th century concept that European monarchs should be influenced by and promote the ideas of the Enlightenment – claiming to do everything for the people, but nothing by the people.
His road to the throne nearly ended before it began. As crown prince he clashed with his father, the drill-and-ledger king Frederick William I, over his French tastes in music, books, and philosophy, and in 1730, aged eighteen, he plotted to flee to England with his friend Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte. The plot was discovered. The king had Katte beheaded at Küstrin while his son was made to watch, and Frederick passed the next years in confinement and then in a clerk’s apprenticeship, learning the finance, agriculture, and administration of the state his father had built. Pardoned and married off, he withdrew to Rheinsberg to study, play the flute, and write, producing the Anti-Machiavel, a young man’s argument against cynical rule. On taking the throne in 1740 he invaded Silesia within months and spent the rest of his reign being measured against everything he had written as a prince.
Frederick was 28 years old when he took the throne, inheriting a well-trained army (a Prussian hallmark), from his father. Over time, Frederick molded the army further into one of the most impressive and imposing armies in Europe. He achieved his greatest military triumphs during the War of the Austrian Succession in the 1740’s and then later during the Seven Years’ War in the 1750’s and early 1760’s. Frederick’s army was known for its discipline and flexibility. He emphasized mobility, speed, and paid great attention to supply chain logistics. Often outnumbered, he believed in tactical flexibility, using terrain to his advantage, and executing unexpected maneuvers to achieve surprise.
Frederick was a skilled politician and diplomat, known for his pragmatic and realistic approach to solving political problems. Prussia is geographically surrounded and Frederick skillfully formed strategic alliances, such as that with England during the Seven Years’ War to counter the Austrian, Russian, and French coalition. Frederick was unburdened by idealism, instead guided by practical assessment of how to secure Prussia’s best interests in any given geopolitical situation. He also implemented many domestic reforms to secure internal stability by promoting education, economic development, and administrative efficiency.
In addition to his military and political prowess, Frederick is known for both his intellect and as a patron of the arts, science, and philosophy. He attracted great thinkers such as Voltaire to his court and Frederick’s focus on these matters secured Prussia’s prestige throughout Europe. He was also a prolific writer and intellectual figure during the Age of Enlightenment. Frederick had a profound impact on European history. His military campaigns are still studied by modern military leaders to this day and his legacy as a statesmen lives on as an example of pragmatism for the overall betterment of his people.
Core Ideas
- Concentrate, never scatter. He who defends everything defends nothing: put your weight where the campaign will be decided.
- Feed the machine first. An army runs on its provisions, for the belly is the basis of every operation; logistics comes before maneuvers.
- Rule as the first servant. The sovereign is only the state’s first servant and the last refuge of the unfortunate, so the crown is a job, not an indulgence.
- Tolerate creeds, judge by the work. Every man should be saved in his own way; the state’s real question about anyone is whether he can do the work.
- Strike first and fast. The Prussian army always attacks: speed, surprise, and ground chosen beforehand beat larger numbers.
Frederick the Great Quotes
“Books make up no small part of human happiness.”
“He who defends everything, defends nothing.”
“Diplomacy without arms is like a concert without a score.”
“It has been said by a certain general, that the first object in the establishment of an army ought to be making provision for the belly, that being the basis and foundation of all operations.”
“We are made for action, and activity is the sovereign remedy for all physical ills.”
“A prince … is only the first servant of the state, who is obliged to act with probity and prudence. … As the sovereign is properly the head of a family of citizens, the father of his people, he ought on all occasions to be the last refuge of the unfortunate.”
“The Prussian army always attacks.”
“We humans are foolish in many ways: we want to conquer all as if we had all time, as if our lives did not have any end. Thus, our real time passes too quickly, and often when one believes that they are working only for themselves, they are in fact working for unworthy or ungrateful successors.”
“No man is without passions. When they are moderated, they are the heart of the enterprise; but when the brake is stripped of them, they are its destruction.”
“My people and I,” he said, “have come to an agreement which satisfies us both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please.”
“There is no feeling more central to our being than the desire for freedom. From people that are most organized to those that are most barbarian, all are penetrated by it; because, as we are born without chains, we demand to live without constraint. It is this spirit of independence and pride which produced so many great men in the world, and who gave place to the republican governments, which establish a species of equality between the men, and bring them closer to a natural state.”
“It is disgusting to notice the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects, and the amount of money that goes out of the country as a consequence. Everybody is using coffee; this must be prevented. My people must drink beer. His Majesty was brought up on beer, and so were both his ancestors and officers. Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer, and the King does not believe that coffee-drinking soldiers can be relied upon to endure hardships in case of another war.”
Frederick the Great Books
“Frederick the Great: King of Prussia” – by Tim Blanning. The modern standard: a long, balanced life that gives the wars, the state-building, and the flute-playing philosopher-king their due weight.
“Frederick the Great: A Life in Deed and Letters” – by Giles MacDonogh. A vivid life built from his own deeds and correspondence, strongest on the brutal schooling that produced him.
“Frederick the Great’s Philosophical Writings” – by Frederick the Great. The king in his own words, including the Anti-Machiavel, the point-by-point answer to Machiavelli’s Prince that he wrote just before taking the throne.
“Frederick the Great” – by Nancy Mitford. The graceful 1962 portrait: lighter on the archives, strong on the man, his court, and his contradictions.
You can browse all of Frederick the Great’s quotes in the SAGE QUOTE LIBRARY. For additional information, quotes, and books on similarly relevant famous individuals, please visit the SAGE PROFILES page on the site. Please also visit the SAGE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS page for many other great reads sure to add to your worldly wisdom. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
