Journal,
It can be said that Prussia has seen a unique and overall different array of rulers. From the early stages of Great Elector's Power, to Elector Frederick III, to finally Frederick William I, Prussia has had its fair share of problems and improvements. The best yet, was helping Frederick William bulid an trustworthy, caring, and strong bureaucracy. This bureaucracy helped Prussia economically. Overall, because of Frederick's tough, hard working qualities, Prussia is now one of the most militaristic countries at this time.
- A Clergy Member in Prussia
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Rulers of Prussia #3
Dear Journal,
I am the complete opposite of Frederick William I. I do not put all of my focus on money and the buliding of expensive palaces. Instead, I plan on being a reformer and establishing Prussian absolutism and give it special, individualistic qualtiets. I intend to produce and create the best army Europe has ever seen. I will dedicate my life to this army and try my hardest to make it strong and powerful. By doing this I hope to succeed in expanding the royal absolutism in Prussia and creating a powerful, mighty, centralized bureaucracy.
-Frederick William I - "The Solider's King"
I am the complete opposite of Frederick William I. I do not put all of my focus on money and the buliding of expensive palaces. Instead, I plan on being a reformer and establishing Prussian absolutism and give it special, individualistic qualtiets. I intend to produce and create the best army Europe has ever seen. I will dedicate my life to this army and try my hardest to make it strong and powerful. By doing this I hope to succeed in expanding the royal absolutism in Prussia and creating a powerful, mighty, centralized bureaucracy.
-Frederick William I - "The Solider's King"
Rulers of Prussia #2
Dear Journal,
The Great Elector has died and I am the new successor. I like to describe myself as being the being the best ruler, luxury loving, and a great tyrant. Although, I think I am a great ruler I heard around my palace that people think differently of me. I am often described as weak of the body and mind, petty, and very materialistic (often spending my money without thought or care). I do not believe I am any of those things. I can take credit for helping the Holy Roman emperor in the War of the Spanish Succession
-Elector Frederick III ----> King Frederick I
The Great Elector has died and I am the new successor. I like to describe myself as being the being the best ruler, luxury loving, and a great tyrant. Although, I think I am a great ruler I heard around my palace that people think differently of me. I am often described as weak of the body and mind, petty, and very materialistic (often spending my money without thought or care). I do not believe I am any of those things. I can take credit for helping the Holy Roman emperor in the War of the Spanish Succession
-Elector Frederick III ----> King Frederick I
Travelogue of Potsdam
Welcome to the beautiful Potsdam. Founded in the 7th century as a Slavic village the city went through many ups and downs. First, the Thirty Years' War destroyed half the town but then the city's fortune changed dramatically when it was chosen as the hunting residence of Frederick William I. Situated on the Havel River sits the historical capital of Brandenburg. It is the residence of the Prussian kings. While visiting take in the sites of the breathtaking lakes and unique landscapes. The parks and palaces of Sanssouci are the main points of interest when people visit Potsdam. Other places not to miss are the Orangery Palace, the New Palace, and the Charlottenhof Palace. The Old Market Square is Potsdam's historical centre. The square is dominated by the dome of the Nicolas Church. Potsdam is a magnificent place to visit to experience old culture mixed with the new.
Rulers of Prussia#1
Dear Journal,
The Hohenzollern family has died out and our country, Prussia, has turned to the elector of Brandenburg. Population decreased and devastation rose, which weakend the power of the Estates in Prussia. The weakening of of the political power and estates is the exact reason why I, Frederick William, otherwise known as the "Great Elector" came to royal absolutism. I am 22 years old and I am determined to unify and bring peace to three provinces and add them by dipolomacy and war. I consider myself a fair person. Although the estates of Bradenburg and Prussia are dominated by the nobility and landowning class and have much power, I have recently reduced and limited their political power. I taxed towns , made Prussia an absolutist state and demanded more money for soliders in war. If I am oppossed I will arest and imprison that person/persons without trial.
Frederick William "The Great Elector"
Michelle Bellifemine
The Hohenzollern family has died out and our country, Prussia, has turned to the elector of Brandenburg. Population decreased and devastation rose, which weakend the power of the Estates in Prussia. The weakening of of the political power and estates is the exact reason why I, Frederick William, otherwise known as the "Great Elector" came to royal absolutism. I am 22 years old and I am determined to unify and bring peace to three provinces and add them by dipolomacy and war. I consider myself a fair person. Although the estates of Bradenburg and Prussia are dominated by the nobility and landowning class and have much power, I have recently reduced and limited their political power. I taxed towns , made Prussia an absolutist state and demanded more money for soliders in war. If I am oppossed I will arest and imprison that person/persons without trial.
Frederick William "The Great Elector"
Michelle Bellifemine
The Young Kingdom
Dear Journal,
The new Kingdom is still very poor and hasn't fully recovered from the Thirty Years' War. Our territory is now scattered across 1200 km. Last year the bubonic plague struck killing about one third of the population of the Duchy of Prussia. The plague reached Prenzlau last August but finally stopped before reaching the capital Berlin. Prussia defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War and it ended Swedish control on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea. Last week the Prusso-Swedish Treaty of Stockholm was issued which allowed us to regain parts of Pomerania that was under Swedish control.
The new Kingdom is still very poor and hasn't fully recovered from the Thirty Years' War. Our territory is now scattered across 1200 km. Last year the bubonic plague struck killing about one third of the population of the Duchy of Prussia. The plague reached Prenzlau last August but finally stopped before reaching the capital Berlin. Prussia defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War and it ended Swedish control on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea. Last week the Prusso-Swedish Treaty of Stockholm was issued which allowed us to regain parts of Pomerania that was under Swedish control.
A Day in the Life of a Noble (1701)
Journal,
It's was a bitter day and the night is colder than imaginable. The Ottoman's won't stop with their strict and ridiculous rule. Thankfully, we have been able to protect our territories and prevent Charles from implementing that ludicrous Pragmatic Sanction he is so keen on. In addition, my friends and I, despite our reduced strength, were successful in preventing the rise of Hapsburg absolutism. Oh, I hear the servants now, it is time for dinner. Tonight's menu hopefully will be better than the last, or that cook is finished!
It's was a bitter day and the night is colder than imaginable. The Ottoman's won't stop with their strict and ridiculous rule. Thankfully, we have been able to protect our territories and prevent Charles from implementing that ludicrous Pragmatic Sanction he is so keen on. In addition, my friends and I, despite our reduced strength, were successful in preventing the rise of Hapsburg absolutism. Oh, I hear the servants now, it is time for dinner. Tonight's menu hopefully will be better than the last, or that cook is finished!
A Day in the Life of a Peasant (1701)
Dear Journal,
Today was very cold and windy. I've grown tired of wandering and getting by with just a few bites of food and the clothes on my back. Elector Frederick III rules so crudely yet spends our tax dollars on materialistic things. His ridiculously expensive palace, for example, is proof of his lavish ways. His unnecessary taxes are unfair and his reduction of my freedoms is cruel and unjust. My rights have been reduced to practically nothing. I don’t know how much longer of this I can take.
Today was very cold and windy. I've grown tired of wandering and getting by with just a few bites of food and the clothes on my back. Elector Frederick III rules so crudely yet spends our tax dollars on materialistic things. His ridiculously expensive palace, for example, is proof of his lavish ways. His unnecessary taxes are unfair and his reduction of my freedoms is cruel and unjust. My rights have been reduced to practically nothing. I don’t know how much longer of this I can take.
Political Changes
20 January 1701
Dear Journal,
Just a couple of days ago Elector Frederick III upgraded the country from a duchy to a kingdom, and crowned himself King Frederick I. The country is an autocratic monarchy and will continue to be under King Frederick I's reign. After Prussia's constitution was put into place, a two-house parliament was issued. The lower house is called the Landtag which was elected by taxpayers, who were split into 3 classes according to the amount of taxes they each paid. This allows about one-third of the voters to choose 85% of the legislature. The upper house, is named the Prussian House of Lords, which is appointed by the king. The King has full executive power and ministers are responsible only to him. A result of this is that the landowning classes, remain unbroken, in the eastern provinces.
Dear Journal,
Just a couple of days ago Elector Frederick III upgraded the country from a duchy to a kingdom, and crowned himself King Frederick I. The country is an autocratic monarchy and will continue to be under King Frederick I's reign. After Prussia's constitution was put into place, a two-house parliament was issued. The lower house is called the Landtag which was elected by taxpayers, who were split into 3 classes according to the amount of taxes they each paid. This allows about one-third of the voters to choose 85% of the legislature. The upper house, is named the Prussian House of Lords, which is appointed by the king. The King has full executive power and ministers are responsible only to him. A result of this is that the landowning classes, remain unbroken, in the eastern provinces.
Social & Cultural Aspects of Prussia during Unit 1 & 2
During the Thirty Years War the population of the Prussia dropped drastically and many of the villiages in Prussia vanished. Socially speaking, a lot of German speaking peasents had a lot in common with Polish peasents in other provinces. When the Great Elector came to power the state's total revenue tripled and the size of the army increased largely, to the point that in 1688 the population of Prussia was one million, and thirty thousand troops made up a standing army during times of peace. There were Estates of Brandenburg and they were dominated by the nobility and the land owners. Land owners back then were called "Junkers." If the Estates had successfully resisted the demands of the absolutist Grand Elector their government would have had the possibility of evolving into a form of Constitutionalism, instead of Absolutism. The power that the Estates had held declined greatly after the introduction of a pernament taxation without consent was enstilled. The Prussian people paid a heavy price for the obsessions and indulgences of the Absolute Ruler. And the society of Prussia became rigid and extremely disciplined.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Prussian Politics
In the thirteenth century, Prussia was taken over by the Teutonic Knights, who played a large part in making Prussia [Germany] who they are today. The Prussians continually would revolt against the Teutonic Knights were pushed into doing peasent labor, and were for the most part slaves in many ways. The government was extremely centralized and so began the foundation of the Prussian state. The knights controlled the land from Marienburg but gave cities considerable amounts of freedom. A lot of the cities decided to join the Hanseatic League. The seizure of Danzig and Pomerilia created a large controversy with Poland, because Poland had already claimed those areas of land for themselves. Divided into East and West Prussia at the time, at the end of the controversy with Poland, they lost Pomerilia and West Prussia to Poland because they were defeated, leaving them with East Prussia. The capital was then made Konigsberg in East Prussia and the grand master [Duke] of Prussia was Albert of Brandenburg who openly accepted the Reformation and declared Prussia a "secular duchy." Also during the Rennissance and Reformation the Prussians were led by the Hohenzollern Family but they had very little power because most of the power was given to the "electors of Brandenburg" or the "dukes of Prussia." In 1618 the almost powerless family of the Hohenzollern died out and The Great Elector came to power in 1640 and was determined to unite the three provinces to make a great Prussia. Brandenburg, Prussia, and the scattered territories that Prussia held along the Rhine in Western Germany that they obtained in 1614.
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