Prussia was a German state which existed from 1525 to 1947, existing as a duchy from 1525 to 1701, as a kingdom from 1701 to 1871, and as a region of the German Empire and Germany from 1871 to 1947. The region was granted independence in 1525 by Poland, and Prussia became a nation of Protestant German settlers. The capital was the city of Koenigsberg until 1701, when Friedrich I of Prussia proclaimed himself "King in Prussia" and made Berlin the capital. Prussia would become a military power in Europe during the 1700s and 1800s, defeating the Austrian Empire, Poland, Denmark, and other neighboring nations to acquire more lands. Once a nation with two separated regions - Brandenburg and East Prussia - Prussia would later become a mighty nation spanning northern Germany and parts of Poland. In 1871, after defeating Austria in the Austro-Prussian War and defeating France during the Franco-Prussian War, Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany declared himself "Emperor of Germany", making Prussia a part of the German Empire. In 1918, the Free State of Prussia was created in the aftermath of World War I, although it was still a part of the Weimar Republic. On 30 January 1934, the Prussian Coup ended the independence of Prussia, which would be abolished in 1947.
Culture[]
Population of Prussia on 1 July 1861
Prussia was located in northern Germany, and it presided over a predominantly-North German culture. 87.7% of Prussians were northern Germans, while 10.9% were Poles and 1.4% from other groups. 68.2% of Prussians were Protestant Christians, while 31.5% were Catholics. Prussia was a mostly conservative state, as its military tradition and its form of government both advocated right-wing policies. The Conservative Party of Prussia, led by Otto von Bismarck, would dominate Prussian politics until the 1910s.
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