Prussia did acquire several territories, but at the expense of Poland in 1793 and 1795. They had a daughter, Frederica Charlotte (1767–1820). The fame was marred by his notorious measure to impose the 'Religionsedikt' ("Religious Edict") of 1788, which was based on the theories of his favorite, Johann Christoph von Wöllner. He eventually granted Wöllner all the authorities of a prime minister, though he did not declare the position officially. Frederick William was also a prolific cello player. Frederick William married his first cousin, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia, on July 14, 1765, in Charlottenburg. Frederick the Great publicly objected to Frederick William's artistic pursuits and believed that his artistic spirit would not let him become an able ruler. He lifted the ban on the German language (which was in place during his uncle's reign). This treaty was seen as an act of betrayal by the other members of the First Coalition, and damaged Prussia's reputation. Frederico Guilherme II da Prússia. The lack of sufficient funds also affected his meeting with Emperor Leopold II at the ‘Pillnitz Castle’ in August 1791, when the French Revolution endangered the monarchy in the state. This severely drained the state's resources. Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia, 1744-1797. Early Life Frederick's coarse and tyrannical father despised the prince, who showed a taste for French art and literature and no Frederick William II was the king of Prussia from 1786 to 1797. His military reforms and foreign policies benefited Prussia a lot. Despite his wisdom, his conduct during the French Revolution created an impression that he was incapable of becoming a ruler. Large parts of northern Germany thus became neutral, and the French withdrew from any Prussian territory east of the Rhine. His mistress had a great influence on him. (Note that his son Frederick William III was still considered by royalists but the monarchy had already been abolished by the time of his death.) Additionally, Frederick William had two morganatic (bigamist) marriages, with Elisabeth Amalie, Gräfin von Voß, Gräfin von Ingenheim (in 1787) and with Sophie Juliane Gräfin von Dönhoff (after Elisabeth Amalie died in 1789). After a ten day long standoff, Brunswick decided to retreat back to the border. Born in 1744, he became the heir-presumptive to his uncle, Frederick the Great, when he was in his early teens. https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Frederick+William+II+of+Prussia, Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, Frederick Law Olmstead National Historic Site, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. (Fryderyka Wilhelma II) The father–son relationship was not an amicable one. Moreover, the state was almost bankrupt, the army had been depleted, financial confusion prevailed, and the monarchy was disgraced. However, the lack of funds still haunted him. One of the few benefits of his accession was the return to service of a number of able officers who had fallen out with Frederick, amongst them the future Marshal Blücher and General Yorck. The emperor had lost faith in the king's promise due to his artistic temperament and the weak Prussian finances. Thus, when Augustus William died in 1758, his son became the heir-presumptive. These territorial gains didn't provide any real benefits during Frederick William II's reign, as the area took more money to control than it generated. He encouraged painting, architecture, theater, and music. Frederick William II, 1744–97, king of Prussia (1786–97), nephew and successor of Frederick II Frederick II or Frederick the Great, 1712–86, king of Prussia (1740–86), son and successor of Frederick William I. According to the act declared on July 9, 1788, Evangelical ministers were not allowed to teach anything not mentioned in their official books, and the educational establishments were to be supervised by the orthodox clergy. The architectural development under his rule can be witnessed in buildings constructed in the era, such as the ‘Marmorpalais,’ a (former) royal residence in Potsdam, and ‘Brandenburger Tor’ in Berlin (which is now one of the best-known landmarks in Germany). The Revolution had been saved. Frederick William's uncle (Augustus William's elder brother), Frederick the Great (or Frederick II), was childless. Although Prussia had been an influential and important part of the Holy Roman Empire for centuries, under Frederick’s rule the small kingdom rose to the status of a Great European Power and had a lasting effect on European politics in general and Germany specifically. However, the king did appoint him to various services, of which the most notable was an unproductive confidential mission to the court of Russia in 1780. Nevertheless, he was a man of wisdom and a great patron of the arts, especially music. These reforms were generally well received at the time, but much of Frederick William's reign was dominated by the French Revolution, which began within three years of his coming to the throne. After a series of Allied failures in the summer of 1793 Frederick William lost interest in the war, and returned to Prussia to concentrate his efforts against Poland. Frederick William was also motivated to make peace by his desire to concentrate on Poland. Theirs was an unhappy union, as both of them were unfaithful to each other. This led to the formation of the First Coalition on 26 June, when the alliance came into force. The king was known as “der Vielgeliebte” ("the much loved") and “der dicke Lüderjahn” ("the fat scallywag") by his subjects. Who Is The Greatest Female Warrior In History. Frederick William was horrified by the French Revolution, but at first he was more interested in affairs in Poland, where the country was in the process of being pulled apart by her neighbours. At the end of his reign Prussia was almost bankrupt. Frederick William was simultaneously obsessed with getting his share of Poland in the War of the First Coalition against France and hence participated in the war half-heartedly. The great monarchs opposed the alliance with France, as they believed it amounted to betrayal, and boycotted Prussia in Europe. King Frederick II of Prussia was displeased with Frederick William after the Battle of Mollwitz during the First Silesian War in 1741. Bischoffswerder was promoted to the position of adjutant-general in 1789. Despite this bellicose declaration, Austria and Prussia didn't agree a formal alliance until 7 February 1792, and when war came it was the French who declared war on Austria (20 April 1792), at least in part because of internal revolutionary politics. Wöllner made decisions regarding all internal affairs and worked for the fiscal and economic reformations of the kingdom. After Leopold became Holy Roman Emperor in 1790 the relationship between Austria and Prussia greatly improved and unlike his uncle Frederick William tended to follow the Austrian lead in foreign affairs. Frederick William had already intervened once to oppose a revolution, in this case in the Netherlands in 1787, when his troops helped prop up the House of Orange. Frederick William was born on September 25, 1744, in Stadtschloss in Berlin, the Prussian capital, to Prince Augustus William of Prussia and Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Frederick William blamed Wöllner′s "idleness and vanity" for the failure of the attempt and dismissed him from his secular offices in 1794. Brunswick wanted to conduct a typically slow eighteenth century campaign, establishing a strong base on the French frontier in 1792 before invading in 1793. This ousted the journals 'Allgemeine Deutsche Bibliothek' and 'Berliner Monatsschrift' from the kingdom. He admired her intellect and ambitious nature.