The Rise of Brandenburg-Prussia

by Margaret Shennan

Overview

In this pamphlet Margaret Shennan surveys the rise of Prussia from the early seventeenth century to 1740, highlighting and evaluating the role of its rulers, in particular of Frederick William I, the Great Elector, and his two successors. The author takes account of:
* international relations
* social and economic structures
* domestic pressures
* ethical and cultural influences
* idiosyncratic personalities
* terrain and boundaries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415129381
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/05/1995
Series:	Lancaster Pamphlets
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Foreword; Time chart; Genealogy of the House of Hohenzollern in Brandenburg-Prussian to 1740; Map: Brandenburg-Prussia’s territorial gains to 1740; Introduction; The general historical context 1618: a starting point? 1 The Thirty Years War 1618–48; Internal problems and strategies 1618–40; international relations 1620–40; The apprenticeship of Frederick William I 1640–48; Redressing the balance? 2 The Great Elector: foreign relations and policies 1648–88; The aftermath of Westphalia 1648–54; Brandenburg and the first Nordic War 1655–60; Defence of the status quo 1658–67; Brandenburg and the changing balance of power 1668–88; A state to reckon with? 3 The Great Elector: internal reconstruction 1648–88; The armed forces and their administration; Taxation policy and relations with the Estates; The impact of administrative change on the social structure; Cameralism, mercantilism and economic reform; New-style absolutist, old-style dynast? 4 The role of Brandenburg-Prussia in Europe 1688–1740; Elector Frederick III and the Nine Years War 1688–97; International pressures and the royal title 1697–1702; The War of the Spanish Succession 1702–13; The Great Northern War 1700–21; Frederick William I and collective security in the west 1720–40; Towards Great Power status? 5 The domestic policies of the first two kings 1700–40; The development of a military state; Financial and economic matters; Government and bureaucracy; Styles of royal absolutism 6 Social and cultural developments 1648–1740; Religious toleration; Scholarship, science, the arts and the state; The image of the Hohenzollern state? Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

‘this pamphlet provides both the student and the general reader with an authoritative introduction to the topic, focusing on central themes and problems and access to the most recent research in this field of study.' - Tom Monaghan, History Teaching Review

'The Rise of Brandenburg Prussia offers a helpful introduction to Prussian history in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for students preparing for their A levels as well as for first year students of European history.' - History Review

From the Publisher