The Great Elector: Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia

by Derek Mckay

Overview

In this first biography in English for fifty years, Derek McKay avoids the limitation of seeing Frederick William primarily as precursor of the 'Enlightened' Frederick the Great. Instead, he roots him firmly in his own time, a dynastic, protestant ruler like many another in Germany, but gifted with the toughness and opportunism to overcome the hostility of his local nobilities and of the surrounding great powers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781317870463
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/08/2018
Series:	Profiles In Power
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
File size:	977 KB

About the Author

Derek McKay is formerly of the London School of Economics.

Table of Contents

Contents v
Acknowledgements
Chronology

Chapter 1 The inheritance of the Great Elector

Chapter 2 The beggarly elector, 1640-1648

Chapter 3 Frederick William’s attempt to establish
his authority

Chapter r 4 A European prince, 1648-1660

Chapter 5 Brandenburg-Prussian society under the
Great Elector

Chapter 6 The mature ruler, 1660-1679

Chapter 7 Fiscal and military power

Chapter 8 ‘The shrewdest fox in the Empire’, 1660-1679

Chapter 9 The final years, 1679-1688

Chapter 10 The Great Elector

Maps
Family Tree
Further Reading
Index

Editorial Reviews

"lucid and succinct...a measured and judicious evaluation of the Great Elector and his place in German and European history" English Historical Review

From the Publisher