author
King of Prussia Frederick II
1712–1786
A brilliant, controversial ruler who turned Prussia into a major European power, he is remembered as much for battlefield victories as for his restless intellect. He wrote history and political works, played the flute, and became one of the best-known "enlightened" monarchs of the 18th century.
1 Audiobook
Correspondance de Voltaire avec le roi de Prusse
by Voltaire, King of Prussia Frederick II
About the author
Born in Berlin in 1712, Frederick II of Prussia grew up in a tense royal household and came to the throne in 1740. During his long reign, he dramatically expanded Prussia's influence through war and diplomacy, especially in the struggles over Silesia and during the Seven Years' War. By the time of his death in 1786, Prussia had become one of Europe's leading states.
Frederick is often called Frederick the Great, a title tied both to his military reputation and to his image as an enlightened despot. He promoted administrative, legal, and economic reforms, took a strong interest in agriculture and state management, and cultivated a court culture shaped by French literature, philosophy, and music.
He was also a prolific writer and an accomplished amateur musician, especially known for his love of the flute. That mix of soldier, ruler, and man of letters has kept him at the center of biographies and historical debate ever since.