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The goosestep is a long military tradition originated in Prussia. It was designed as a drill to impress observers.

Not quite. The Electors of Brandenburg [with its capital of Berlin], the Hohenzollerns, were Kings in Prussia following their acquisition of the Kingdom following the Great Norhern War, 1725-ish.

Since Brandenburg was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and its Emperor forbad kings in the Empire, the Brandenburgers couldn't be called King of Prussia until Napoleon had abolished the HRE of the GN in 1806, I think; only King In Prussia, which sort of distanced them from their Habsburg Emperors; against whom they often waged successful wars.

The Hohenzollerns were acquisitive, as we all are; and quite good at making war.

Advances in firearms technology in the 18th century allowed well-drilled companies of infantry to deliver lead to their enemies, as easily as a machine-gun would in the 20th century.

To train his armies to not merely march in step but also get strong bodies to provide accurate musket-fire over distance, the romantic Hohenzollern Elector Frederick II, the Great, invented the goose-step in the mid-18th century....just in time to be a very able ally of the English in the 7 Years' War. Which gained for us yet more of India, North America, the Caribbean and elsewhere; and the Hohenzollerns were confirmed in their ownership of Prussia, all of Silesia, and they acquired yet more of north Germany. Which meant that they were able to offer us more help during the wars against the French 1792-1815. Indeed, the arrival of Blucher's Brandenburgers at Waterloo did for the French in that battle.

Since Prussia is a bleak place, there were quite a few Prussians in the army of the Brandenburgers; and they became Kings of Prussia once the HRE of the GN had gone. Hence the mix-up.

Granted, the goose-step is intimidating, a sort of group-kick, and the minimum height for the Hohenzollerns' Guardsmen was 6 feet; so, plus, tall helmets, they had a presence. Which was very effective against the Russians, French, Austrians, and Danes from its invention till stopped by machine-guns in WW1.

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13y ago

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