Frederick William, the Great Elector
Also known as: Friedrich Wilhelm · Great Elector · Frederick William
- 1Frederick William ruled as the Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia from 1640 to 1688.
- 2He was a prominent member of the House of Hohenzollern.
- 3His governance was defined by his adherence to the Calvinist faith.
- 4He implemented significant domestic reforms that strengthened the Prussian state.
- 5His policies laid the foundational political structure for the later elevation of Prussia to a kingdom.
Frederick William was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia, from 1640 until his death in 1688.
Connections1
Key patron of his early career
The Elector was a primary patron who supported Schlüter's rise in the Prussian court, leading to his most famous commissions.
Frederick William was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia, from 1640 until his death in 1688. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is popularly known as "the Great Elector" because of his military and political achievements. Frederick William was a staunch pillar of the Calvinist faith, associated with the rising commercial class. He saw the importance of trade and promoted it vigorously. His shrewd domestic reforms gave Prussia a strong position in the post-Westphalian political order of Northern-Central Europe, setting up Prussia for elevation from duchy to kingdom, achieved under his son and successor.
Relief des Großen Kurfürsten Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg am Kurfürstentor, Jagdschlosspark Klein GlienickeWikimedia Commons; Lienhard Schulz; Own work; CC BY-SA 3.0; Wikimedia Commons: Friedrich Wilhelm I of BrandenburgShield of the Prussian State of BrandenburgWikimedia Commons; Glasshouse; Own work; CC BY-SA 4.0; Wikimedia Commons; Wikidata P94 (coat of arms image)KniestückWikimedia Commons; Frans Luycx; Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Bilddatenbank .; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons; Wikidata P18 (image) 101 words