Absolutism in prussia, History

Assignment Help:

Absolutism in Prussia

A slightly different form of absolutism developed in the 1700's in the German- speaking kingdom of Prussia. Originally a small region known as the principality of Brandenburg, it was ruled by a noble family named Hohenzollern, who had their court at the small city of Berlin. In the mid-1600s, they seemed unlikely to become powerful rulers. After the Thirty Years War, their lands were devastated and moreover, although they were Calvinist, most of their territory had remained Lutheran.

However, Prince Frederick William saw a way to overcome these problems. Rather than relying on nobles to help him rule his various regions, which ranged from the agricultural region of Prussia to the east to the commercial port city of Konigsberg in the west, he decided to establish a single government over the entire region and to assess taxes equally on all of it, paid into a single treasury. With this money, he developed an army, which was small compared to the armies of Austria or France during the Thirty Years War. However, he did not dissolve it after the end of the war, instead using it to enter into other, smaller wars and thereby win more territory -- and eventually he was able to unite all of his territories.

To pay for and command this army, he turned to the nobles in the regions of Brandenburg and Prussia, called Junkers. Junkers were somewhat like the Polish nobles or the English gentry in that there were many of them so their estates were not that large. To make money from these smaller estates, they would have to ensure that those who worked the land would be reduced from peasants back to the status of serfs. Frederick William authorized the nobles to re-feudalize Prussia in return for which the nobles would serve in his army as officers and the serfs as soldiers. 


Related Discussions:- Absolutism in prussia

What was the vicious circle she mentions, Catt points to a number of reason...

Catt points to a number of reasons for why women's suffrage took so long. What were they? What was the vicious circle she mentions?

Essay regarding history of temperance and prohibition, write an essay regar...

write an essay regarding the history of Temperance and Prohibition. You must determine the causes and support for the Temperance movement, its movement to illegality, the enforceme

Explain the characteristics of general george, What was a positive for the ...

What was a positive for the north in their defeat in the Battle of Bull Run in 1861? Describe the characteristics of General George B. McClellan. List the war strategies that the N

History or other subjects you learned previously in school, What techniques...

What techniques could you use to regain a level of curiosity about history or other subjects you learned previously in school?

Show the congressional reconstruction, Congressional Reconstruction ended w...

Congressional Reconstruction ended when... A. the Compromise of 1877 was negotiated B. the 15th Amendment was ratified C. the KKK took over the South D. the Supreme Court ignore

Who were the forgotten patriots, 1. What was England's perspective and resp...

1. What was England's perspective and response to the Boston Tea Party? 2. Who were the forgotten Patriots? 3. What role did Sam Adams and John Hancock play in colonial oppos

What is a political action committee pac, In a 300 words essay on What is a...

In a 300 words essay on What is a political action committee (PAC)?

Istory, what is anadian armies inthe big difference between amrican armies ...

what is anadian armies inthe big difference between amrican armies and c

What was the embargo act, What was the Embargo Act? a. How did the Embargo ...

What was the Embargo Act? a. How did the Embargo Act impact the economy of the United States?

First realistic social novel, 1. The Chinese novel _____ is considered by m...

1. The Chinese novel _____ is considered by many to be the first realistic social novel. A. Dream of the Red Cucumber B. The Tale of Genji C. The Golden Lotus D. Raise the Red Lan

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd