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Fredrick William the Great Elector was able to build Brandenburg-Prussia into a major power through his army. Fredrick William was elector of Bradenburg-Prussia from 1640 to 1688.
After the nobles allowed Frederick William to keep his army, he used his army to control the entire country.
After the nobles allowed Frederick William to keep his army, he used his army to control the entire country.
After the nobles allowed Frederick William to keep his army, he used his army to control the entire country.
He used his army to control all of Prussia.
He used his army to control all of Prussia.
he had his own army
a militaristic state
Most of the military 'build-up' was the work of his father, Frederick William I (reigned 1713-1740). The latter had remained at peace, but Frederick II decided to use the army he had inherited.
Frederick the Great of Prussia was the most powerful.
Frederick II of Prussia (1712 to 1786) is supposed to have said that he wanted Prussia to become 'not a country with an army, but an army with a country'. These days the expression is most often used of Pakistan.
Frederick William ruled Prussia after the Thirty Years' War. Known as the Great Elector, he made a deal with the powerful nobles in the various parts of Prussia. In exchange for a standing army, Frederick William agreed to give the nobles complete control over their serfs, or peasants. However, the Prussian ruler wanted to be an absolutist monarch like leaders in Western Europe. Once Frederick William had his standing army, he began implementing his policies without the permission of the nobles. By this time it was too late for the nobles to resist. Frederick William had the power to tax and the army to back him up - two of the key elements of an absolute state. From then on, Prussian rulers maintained strong armies and a unified nation. By 1740, Prussia had one of the most powerful armies in Europe. It was only a matter of time before Prussia would clash with its neighbors. These conflicts would once again redraw the map of Europe and change political alliances.