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King William became the first emperor (Kaiser) of a unified Germany. However, the titles of German Emperor and King of Prussia were to be borne by the same man until the end of the monarchy.
The union of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 led to the proclamation of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. Prussia entered the ranks of the great powers shortly after becoming a kingdom. [3][4] It became increasingly large and powerful in the 18th and 19th centuries.
As the Prussian state grew through several wars and diplomatic moves throughout the 18th century, it became apparent that Prussia had become a Great Power in its own right. By 1772, the pretense was dropped, and the style "King of Prussia" was adopted.
- Type of Government
- Background
- Government Structure
- Political Parties and Factions
- Major Events
- Aftermath
The Kingdom of Prussia was a monarchy headed by the Hohenzollern family. Prussian rule was defined by its highly centralized authority, which was exercised through a powerful monarchy and considerable military prowess. Prussian monarchs and their influential ministers developed a highly organized and effective bureaucracy and used it to administer ...
The history of the Kingdom of Prussia was shaped by its kings. The line of particularly influential Hohenzollern rulers to take the Prussian throne began with Frederick William (1620–1688). After taking power in 1640 as elector (ruler) of the state of Brandenburg, he secured the independence of the Duchy of Prussia from Poland in the Peace of Olivi...
The Kingdom of Prussia’s administration developed greater structure and intricacy during the reign of Frederick William’s grandson, King Frederick William I (1688–1740). The two chief concerns of the Prussian Crown were the administration of its lands and the collection of taxes, concerns for which Frederick William Iwas well suited. His skill and ...
Impoverished members of the Prussian landed nobility, known as the Junkers, provided the officers corps for the Kingdom of Prussia’s army. Service in the military or government civil serviceoffered the Junkers their only reliable route to wealth and success. Their allegiance to the state assured, Frederick II demanded outstanding service of them an...
An outbreak of plague brought panic and widespread death to East Prussia between 1709 and 1710, killing nearly 250,000 people, which was approximately one-third of the East Prussian population. The outbreak coincided with a famine that weakened the resistance of citizens and threatened survivors. Farms and villages were abandoned and social and eco...
In 1871 the Kingdom of Prussia became the largest constituent state of the German Empire and from then on its history became conjoined with that of Germany. The Prussian army absorbed most of the other German armed forces and retained its formidable reputation and considerable authority within the united German government. Its aristocratic and esse...
In March 1848 revolution broke out in Germany, inspired by the February revolution in France. Although the Prussian army might have been able to repress the insurrection, the king withdrew the army from Berlin on March 19 and put himself at the head of the revolution.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The most significant achievement of the Great Elector’s son Frederick (reigned 1688–1713) was to secure the royal dignity for himself as Frederick I, king in Prussia, crowning himself at Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia) on January 18, 1701.
The kings of Prussia were from the House of Hohenzollern. Brandenburg-Prussia, predecessor of the kingdom, became a military power under Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, known as "The Great Elector". As a kingdom, Prussia continued its rise to power, especially during the reign of Frederick II "the Great".
