Frederick II "the Great" of Prussia (24 January 1712-17 August 1786) was King of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 31 May 1740 to 17 August 1786, succeeding Friedrich Wilhelm I and preceding Friedrich Wilhelm II. Frederick was a renowed military reformer, general, and patron of the Enlightenment, and his reign saw the annexation of Silesia from Austria during the War of the Austrian Succession, the annexation of West Prussia from Poland-Lithuania during the Second Partition of Poland in 1772, and Prussia's rise to great power status following the Seven Years' War.
Biography[]
Frederick II of Prussia, or Frederick the Great, was the most lauded military commander of the mid-18th century. His early life was dominated by his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I, who trained him for a spartan military life with the harshest discipline. In 1732, he was made colonel of an infantry regiment to learn his military trade. Two years later, he had the privilege of accompanying the aged Prince Eugene of Savoy on campaign in the War of the Polish Succession. This was his only experience of warfare before inheriting the Prussian throne in June 1740.
Invasion of Silesia[]
Within six months of becoming king, Frederick determined to lead his army in person in an invasion of Silesia that provoked war with Austria. At Mollwitz in April 1741, fighting on snow-covered ground, he was almost routed by Austrian cavalry, and, in effect, relieved of command by the experienced general Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin, who took over and turned the batlte around. Frederick performed somewhat better at the Battle of Chotusitz the following year, but it was not until 1745 that he showedd his ability as an outstanding military leader. At Hohenfriedberg he faced an army of Austrians and Saxons roughly equal in strength to his own forces. He achieved an overwhelming victory through thet disciplined maneuvers of his infantry - which was initially thrown in force against the weakest point in the enemy position - and the aggression of his cavalry commanders, who were licensed to charge on their own initiative.
Seven Years' War[]
Frederick emerged from war with Austria basking in military glory. His seizure of Silesia, however, made Austria and Saxony his enemies. In 1756, he faced an alliance between these two states and France, with Russia likely to join them. Seeing attack as a means of defense, Frederick invaded Saxony, precipitating the Seven Years' War. Prussia fought this conflict against heavy odds - a splendid opportunity for Frederick to demonstrate military prowess, but nearly disastrous for his c ountry. In the spring of 1757, a bold Prussian advance into Bohemia had to be abandoned after Frederick was defeated at Kolin. In dire straits, as Prussia was threatened by armies from three sides, Frederick won his greatest two victories. At Rossbach in November, he was outnumbered two to one by French and Austrian forces, and decided to attack while they attempted an outflanking move. He crushed the enemy with the combined use of cavalry, infantry, and field artillery. The Prussians suffered 500 casualties, whereas the French and Austrians lost 10,000 men.
A month later at Leuthen in Silesia, Frederick again took on an army twice his strength: the Austrians under Prince Charles of Lorraine. Again Frederick attacked, bringing his disciplined infantry down on the weaker left wing of the Austrian line, while his cavalry distracted the Austrian right. Marching in column and deploying into line as if on parade, the Prussian infantry smashed the Austrian left and pushed into their center from the flank, supported by field artillery, while Prussian cavalry put to flight the Austrian horse.
Fighting to survive[]
Frederick's victories did not bring his enemies to terms and the war grew into a long attritional struggle. The brutal battles of Zorndorf and Hochkirch in 1758 cost the Prussian army dearly. As new recruits were brought in to make up for losses, the quality of the infantry in particular deteriorated. Prussian troops were slaughtered attacking well-prepared Russians and Austrians at Kunersdorf in August 1`759. With just 3,000 men from an orginial army of 50,000 surviving to regroup in Berlin, Frederick contemplated suicide.
In 1762, Peter III, who was pro-Prussia, acceded to the Russian throne, and this saved Frederick from catastrophe. Frederick had proved himself an outstanding master of battlefield tactics, but not of strategy or diplomacy. He had needed his victories against the odds to rescue him from those that perilous situations that marked his career. In fact, Frederick's reign narrowly survived the war that gave him a reputation as one of the greatest commanders of all time.