Frederick II the Great Trivia Quiz

Answer: House of Hohenzollern

Frederick the Great was a member of the House of Hohenzollern which had the title of Elector of Brandenburg from 1415 when Margrave Frederick I was appointed to the title. In the 17th century the House of Hohenzollern gained rights to the Duchy of Prussia, and in 1701 King Frederick I, Frederick the Great's grandfather made himself King of Prussia.

The House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia until 1918 and also, from 1871, Germany. The last of the reigning Hohenzollerns, Kaiser Wilhelm II, had to abdicate at the end of World War I.

Answer: Imprisoned in the fortress Küstrin and forced to watch his accomplice's beheading

Frederick was moved to the fortress at Küstrin in August of 1730 and forced to witness the beheading of his confidant and friend, Hans Hermann von Katte. He remained in his cell until November, when he received a pardon, and was then required to remain in Küstrin until 1732, under the tutelage of General von Grumbkow.

The General acted as a mediator between father and son and healed some of the rift between them.

Answer: Silesia

In December 1740, Prussia, along with France and Bavaria went to war against Austria. Frederick based his invasion on loose hereditary claims from the early 17th century. Frederick and the Prussian army crossed into Silesia on December 16, and thus began the First Silesian War (1740-1742). Two more wars would be fought over the territory, ending with the Seven Years' War in 1763, before Prussia's annexation of the territory was undisputed. Just over a hundred years later Silesia was a key staging ground for the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.

Answer: Establishment of overseas colonies in North America

Prussia was a land power, and most of Frederick's reforms, before and after the Seven Years' War, focused on the land. Drainage of swamps in the wetlands of Brandenburg, along with new canal networks connecting the Vistula, Oder, and Elbe rivers, along with increased agricultural productivity led to an increase in trade and tariff income from the canal toll stops.

The lack of a navy to support overseas colonies was a major roadblock for Prussia, which was primarily a military power with limited access to the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Answer: Britain

In a reversal of traditional alliances, Prussia gained an alliance with Britain, against Austria, France, Russia and Sweden. Frederick worked dilgently with the British Ambassador, Andrew Mitchell, to create an alliance which was to initially guarantee the Prussian defence of Hanover, but was extended to include British assistance if Austria invaded Silesia. With a gathering coalition developing against Prussia, Frederick decided on a pre-emptive invasion into Saxony, to use as a staging ground for the coming war. Britain continued to support Prussia financially through the war. Prussia faced a formidable alliance, but in 1762 Russia largely disengaged from the war.

Answer: Battle of Rossbach

The Battle of Rossbach was one of Prussia's greatest victory's during the Seven Years' War. Frederick, and the Prussians led the French cavalry into a trap east of the town of Rossbach. The French cavalry was nearly wiped out by the Prussian cavalry of von Seydlitz, and the rest of the Prussian army formed and swept over the main allied lines, forcing them to flee.

The victory eliminated France as a threat for some time, and reinforced the continuation of military support from Britain.

Answer: Voltaire

Frederick first corresponded with Voltaire in the 1730s and maintained the relationship for over 40 years. They met at Sanssouci, Fredrick's summer retreat built in 1747, and Voltaire stayed for three years but had a falling out when Voltaire published some works ridiculing the Prussian monarchy, and about Frederick's alleged homosexual affairs.

They were later reconciled and Voltaire last wrote him in 1778. Frederick, known as a "philsopher king", also knew C. P. E. Bach well, and had met J.S Bach in Potsdam who wrote "The Musical Offering", which was based on work by Frederick.

Answer: West Prussia

Prussia annexed the region between East Prussia and Pomerania with the exception of the city of Danzig (which was taken in the Second Partition after Frederick's death) and called the province West Prussia. Except for a short period between Napoleon's defeat of Prussia and the Congress of Vienna, the region would remain a part of Prussia, and later Germany, until most of it was returned to Poland after World War 1.

Answer: Bavaria

The War of Bavarian Succession (1778-1779), also known as the Potato War, was primarily a war of troop movements by Prussia and Austria in the province of Bohemia. There was little fighting, and the war ended with the Congress of Teschen. Bavaria maintained its independence along with the succession of the Wittelsbach line. Frederick came to be thought of as a defender of 'German interests', and became very popular among the Bavarian people.

Answer: Transformed Prussia from a German kingdom to a great European power

The results of Frederick the Great's 46-year rule changed the balance of power in Europe. Frederick's aquisitions of West Prussia and Silesia effectively doubled the land area of Prussia, and his changes to Prussia's agricultural economy effectively added a third territory of reclaimed wetlands within Brandenburg.

The performance of the Prussian army, under his leadership, in the Silesian Wars and the Seven Years' War enhanced the prestige of Prussia througout Germany and Europe. German unification was not on the agenda at the time, but his efforts put Prussia into a postion to lead and eventually dominate in German affairs until well into the 20th century.