Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia

Early life

Frederick William was born in Berlin on 25 September 1744, the eldest son of the Prussian Prince Augustus William of Prussia (1722–1758) and Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Initially, Frederick William was second in line to the Prussian throne after his father. His childless predecessor, King Frederick II, had designated his younger brother Augustus William, Frederick William's father, as Prince of Prussia in 1744.

Frederick William was born into a time of war, for Prussia had again been at war (1744–1745) with Austria since 10 August 1744. Since the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor of the House of Habsburg in 1740, Vienna had been without a male heir to the throne. Although Charles VI had appointed his daughter Maria Theresa as heir with the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, this document contradicted the previously valid Salic law, which only provided for male heirs to the throne. Frederick II of Prussia took advantage of the Austrian succession crisis to annex Habsburg Silesia. He thus began the first of a total of three Silesian Wars which, with brief interruptions, were to last until 1763.

On 11 October 1744, Frederick William was baptized in the predecessor of today's Berlin Cathedral. In addition to members of the Prussian royal family, Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor, Tsarina Elisabeth of Russia, Louis XV of France and the Swedish heir to the throne Adolf Frederick were chosen as godparents in keeping with his status. The choice of godparents also demonstrated the king's attempt to isolate Austria in terms of alliance policy. These foreign rulers were not personally present at the baptism, but had themselves represented.

Frederick II selected Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick as Frederick William's new wife, and had them married in 1765. This unhappy marriage ended after only four years during which both spouses had been unfaithful. Frederick II granted a divorce reluctantly. Frederick William was then married to Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1769 which lasted until his death in 1797. From 1769 to 1782 Wilhelmine Enke was his mistress. Following this relationship she became his closest confidant and advisor. In 1794–1797 he had a palace built for her on the Pfaueninsel. Frederick William was involved with two more mistresses during his life, both conducted through morganatic marriage, which were also bigamous, since his wife queen Frederica Louisa was still alive. The first was with Elisabeth Amalie, Gräfin von Voß, Gräfin von Ingenheim in 1787, and the second with Sophie Juliane Gräfin von Dönhoff. His favourite son —with Wilhelmine Enke— was Graf Alexander von der Mark. His daughter from Sophie Juliane was Countess Julie of Brandenburg (4 January 1793, Neuchâtel – 29 January 1848, Vienna), who later married Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.

Frederick William II had the following children:

By his first cousin Duchess Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel:

Princess Frederica Charlotte (7 May 1767 – 6 August 1820), who became Duchess of York and Albany by her marriage to Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, no issue

By Princess Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt:

Frederick William III (3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840), married Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, had issue

Princess Christine (31 August 1772 – 14 June 1773) died in infancy

Prince Louis Charles (5 November 1773 – 28 December 1796), married Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, had issue

Princess Wilhelmine (18 November 1774 – 12 October 1837), who became Queen of the Netherlands by her marriage to King William I of the Netherlands, had issue

Princess Augusta (1 May 1780 – 19 February 1841), who became Electress of Hesse by her marriage to William II, Elector of Hesse, had issue

Prince Henry (30 December 1781 – 12 July 1846)

Prince William (3 July 1783 – 28 September 1851), married Princess Maria Anna of Hesse-Homburg, had issue

Domestic politics

Frederick William's accession to the throne (17 August 1786) was followed by a series of measures for lightening the burdens of the people, reforming the oppressive French system of tax-collecting introduced by Frederick, and encouraging trade by the diminution of customs dues and the making of roads and canals. This gave the new king much popularity with the masses; the educated classes were pleased by Frederick William's reversal of his uncle's preference for the French language and the promotion of the German language, with the admission of German writers to the Prussian Academy of Arts, and by the active encouragement given to schools and universities. Frederick William also terminated his predecessor's state monopolies for coffee and tobacco and the sugar monopoly. Under his reign the codification known as Allgemeines Preußisches Landrecht, initiated by Frederick II, continued and was completed in 1794.