Frederick was the son of Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia and his wife, Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. He was born sometime between 11 and 12 p.m. on 24 January 1712 in the Berlin Palace and was baptised with the … See more

In one defining respect Frederick would come to the throne with an exceptional inheritance. Frederick William I had left him with a highly … See more

Contrary to his father's fears, Frederick became a capable military commander. With the exception of his first battlefield experience at the Battle of Mollwitz, Frederick proved … See more

At age 16, Frederick formed an attachment to the king's 17-year-old page, Peter Karl Christoph von Keith. Wilhelmine recorded that the two "soon … See more

War of the Austrian Succession
When Frederick became king, he was faced with the challenge of overcoming Prussia's weaknesses, vulnerably disconnected holdings with a weak economic base. To strengthen Prussia's position, he fought … See more

Administrative modernisation
In his earliest published work, the Anti-Machiavel, and his later Testament politique (Political Testament), Frederick wrote that the sovereign was the first servant of the state. Acting in this role, Frederick helped … See more

Near the end of his life, Frederick grew increasingly solitary. His circle of close friends at Sanssouci gradually died off with few replacements, and Frederick became … See more