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

Imperialism has been most powerful force in world history, Do you agree wit...

Do you agree with Michael Parenti when he says "Imperialism has been the most powerful force in world history over the last four or five centuries, carving up whole continents whil

What were major american interests cause us involving wwii, What were major...

What were major American interests cause US involving WWII? What was the American Ideology during WWII? How involving WWII protect US ideology and its interests?

Describes the routes of bantu expansion, Which of the following trajectorie...

Which of the following trajectories best describes the routes of Bantu expansion? north and south south and east south and west east and west north and east

What did the 15th amendment guarantee-women disappointed , What did the 15...

What did the 15th Amendment guarantee? Why were women disappointed by this amendment?  In 1870, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified by the states. This amendmen

Anglo-saxon, Analyze the similarities and differences between the Roman, An...

Analyze the similarities and differences between the Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman conquests of Britain.

Cold war competition and tensions, Consider the origin and course of the Co...

Consider the origin and course of the Cold War. Relate independence movements in Asia, Middle East, and Africa regions to Cold War competition and tensions. Please answer in great

How did this contact between the old world and the new world, When exchange...

When exchange exists between areas, there are inherent dangers but also many benefits. How did this contact between the Old World and the New World change the face of both? What ar

Write a biography of abigail adams, McMichael- Abigail Adams. Write a biogr...

McMichael- Abigail Adams. Write a biography of Abigail Adams from the information in this essay with examples from her life and times.

Significance of the legal status of us national, What was the significance ...

What was the significance of the legal status of "US National" for Filipinos? AKA what rights did this status entitle Filipinos to, and what rights did this status deny to Filipino

Soviet sphere and the western sphere, Whom did Winston Churchill blame for ...

Whom did Winston Churchill blame for building the Iron Curtain between the Soviet sphere and the Western sphere? Was the Soviet Union actively trying to create international com

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