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Audiobook edition · 11 h 8 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
How does a flute-playing king lead a poor, scattered state into the front rank of European powers?
In Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia, William Fiddian Reddaway follows Frederick II from a harsh father's discipline to the demands of rule. Frederick studies, writes French verse and exchanges ideas with Voltaire. Yet war dominates his reign. His life brings the tension between philosophical ideals and ruthless statecraft into sharp view.
The story begins with the scattered lands of the Hohenzollern family and follows the foundations laid before Frederick takes power. The struggle for Silesia tests his ambitions. Then the Seven Years' War places Prussia against Austria, France and Russia, with Britain its only major ally. The stakes reach beyond a king's reputation to the survival of his state.
What you’ll discover
- A difficult inheritance See how poor, widely separated lands become the foundation of Frederick's power.
- Father and reluctant heir Explore the strain between the drill-obsessed Soldier King and his reluctant son.
- The philosopher at war Meet a ruler who argues with Voltaire yet spends much of his reign fighting.
- A state under siege Follow shifting alliances and military struggles as Prussia faces several great powers at once.
- The work of rebuilding Watch Frederick turn from war to ruined villages, drained marshes and a closely guarded treasury.
Who will love it
For readers who like military history with a human face, for anyone curious about how Prussia came to lead Germany, and for fans of biography that weighs a ruler's deeds.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Frederick inherited his power from a thrifty family
- A cruel father shaped a boy who loved France
- Rheinsberg and a weak Europe invited a daring king
- Silesia was seized without right or need
- A second war made Prussia a power to respect
- Frederick's rule rested on one man's will
- Frederick struck first and met a world in arms
- Rossbach and Leuthen saved Prussia in a month
- Six years tested a king and a state
- Reddaway judges what Frederick built and left
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Frédéric le Grand et l’essor de la Prusse
by William Fiddian Reddaway · 1898
A crown prince watches his closest friend die at a prison window, then grows into the king who seizes Silesia.
Challenging10–20 hours to readfrançais
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In short
Picture an eighteen-year-old prince at a window in the fortress of Cüstrin. His father has ordered him to watch while his closest friend is beheaded in the courtyard below.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Frederick inherited his power from a thrifty family
Reddaway starts three centuries before Frederick's birth, because he believes the king cannot be understood alone. The Hohenzollerns bought the rule of Brandenburg from the Emperor in 1415. It was a poor, sandy land, and they came with a townsman's talent for business.
A family law of 1473 gave the whole inheritance to one son, which spared them the splitting of lands that weakened other German houses. The Great Elector, Frederick William, took the throne in 1640 at twenty and ruled for forty-eight years. He silenced the provincial assemblies and raised an army of some twenty-seven thousand men.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 8 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1898
- Language
- français
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Reddaway, William Fiddian. Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/frederick-the-great-and-the-rise-of-prussia.
Reddaway, W. F. (2026). Frederick the Great and the rise of Prussia. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/frederick-the-great-and-the-rise-of-prussia (Original work published 1898)
Reddaway, William Fiddian. Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/frederick-the-great-and-the-rise-of-prussia.
@book{reddaway2026frederick,
author = {Reddaway, William Fiddian},
title = {Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/frederick-the-great-and-the-rise-of-prussia},
note = {First published 1898}
}
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What is Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia about?
It follows Frederick II of Prussia from his harsh boyhood to his death in 1786, tracing the Hohenzollern family's rise, his wars for Silesia, his rule at home, and the question of whether he deserves to be called Great.
Why did Frederick the Great want Silesia?
Reddaway says it was no necessity. Frederick saw a rich province, a weak young Austrian queen and a ready army, and he took the chance. He named an old family claim only afterward, leaving the lawyers to work out the details.
Who was Katte in the life of Frederick the Great?
Lieutenant von Katte was Frederick's dearest friend. In 1730 he helped plan the prince's escape to France. The king had him beheaded before his son's eyes at Cüstrin, a scene that shaped Frederick for life.
The author
William Fiddian Reddaway
1872–1949 · British historian
William Fiddian Reddaway (1872–1949) was a British historian who lived and worked in England. He was a fellow of King's College, Cambridge. He wrote Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia, published in 1904. His historical work concerned Prussia and other parts of Europe.
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