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Frederick II of Prussia

Also known as Frederick the Great (epithet)

Berlin, 24 Jan 1712 – Potsdam, 17 Aug 1786

15 facts3 sources

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Facts and their sources

  • Born24 Jan 1712, Berlinnot verified1 source
  • MarriedElisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevernnot verified1 source
  • TitlePrince-Electoror King of Prussia, 1740–1786 · Margrave of Brandenburg, 1740not verified1 source
  • TitleKing of Prussia, 1740–1786or Margrave of Brandenburg, 1740 · Prince-Electornot verified1 source
  • TitleMargrave of Brandenburg, 1740or King of Prussia, 1740–1786 · Prince-Electornot verified1 source
  • EventReburial, 1991not verified1 source
  • Died17 Aug 1786, Potsdamnot verified1 source
  • FatherFriedrich Wilhelm I of Prussianot verified1 source
  • MotherSophia Dorothea of Hanovernot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 24 Jan 1712

    Born in Berlin

  2. 1740–1786

    King of Prussia

  3. 1740

    Margrave of Brandenburg

  4. 17 Aug 1786

    Dies in Potsdam, aged 74

  5. 1991

    Reburial

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Berlin.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1710s · Frederick II is born in Berlin

In the news1717

Compulsory education introduced in Prussia

Prussia introduced compulsory education for children between the ages of five and twelve.

Getting around

Travel by Foot and Early Mail Coaches

Ordinary people typically traveled by walking, as non-private transportation was limited and expensive. Regular mail coach lines for passengers, such as the Nuremberg-Leipzig route, began emerging in the late 17th and 18th centuries.

At the table

Simple meals of porridge, soup, and stew

Ordinary families commonly consumed grain-based porridges and soups for breakfast and dinner, while a hearty stew served as the main midday meal. Meat was expensive, so many households reserved it for special occasions like a Sunday roast.

The Great Northern War. Russia, Denmark and Saxony fought Sweden for the Baltic; Peter the Great won and built St Petersburg on the conquered coast.In Europe · 1700–1721

The Great Northern War. Russia, Denmark and Saxony fought Sweden for the Baltic; Peter the Great won and built St Petersburg on the conquered coast.

Imonoz · CC BY-SA 4.0

What people wore

Practical Working Clothing and Headwear

Maids wore practical working clothes like shorter skirts, loose bodices, and aprons to move freely while doing heavy chores, while women of all statuses typically wore hair caps for protection and fashion.

Music

Fiddlers earned Nickelgrosken at village celebrations

Fiddlers were central to village life and were paid for their services at weddings and parties with small coins known as Nickelgrosken.

Daily life

Simple and Frugal Home Interiors

Homes often had low ceilings, whitewashed walls, and floors made of stone or brick that were covered in sand. Rooms were sparsely furnished, and houses frequently lacked clocks, making time-keeping and domestic life simple and frugal.