Frederick II "the Great"

King Frederick II "the Great" von Hohenzollern was a very interesting character in the history of Prussia.  

To start off this discussion I'll mentioned how Frederick II "the Great" touched the lives of all those who lived in Russia.  From what I understand,  it was he who convinced the mother of the future Russian Empress Catherine II "the Great" to go to Russia and meet Tsarina Elisabeth II who was looking for a wife for her nephew who would  become Peterr III.

AGRBear

There is more to the story of Catherine the Great than that.  Catherine's mother, Johanna of Holstein-Gottorp, had more of a connection to Elizabeth than through Frederick the Great.  Her brother was engaged to Elizabeth and died shortly before the wedding took place.  From what I have read, Elizabeth thereafter held a soft spot in her heart for the family and this of course did much to foster the marriage between Catherine and Peter.

I read somewhere,  I no longer remember the name of the book only the suggestion,  that Fred. "The Great" II was the natural father of Cath. "The Great" II.  Fact or rumor?

Curious One

With the dates I have, I don't think that was possible, unless, the future Catherine II's mother fudged on her daughter's age.

Was there any reason for her to make Cath. II older?

AGRBear

Just received a new book which has just been printed and it's called:

HOHENZOLLERN, TRAGIC PRIVATE LIVES by Douglas N. Parker.

On the cover are the pictures of  Frederick II "the Great", Amelia, his sister, and Baron Frederick von der Trenck.  It's about a curious love triangle.

Not many here in the US are aware of who Trenck is but they are in Europe due to a PBS ind of special about Trenck.  And, if you've ever read the "great escape" books,  he is always mentioned.

Trenck's story was of great interest to Voltaire, Victor Hugo and others who used his true story to create their characters and even stole word for word from his bio.  For example: In the final scene of Tales of Two Cities,  it has the hero dying on the gallows, which was taken from Trenck's own death on the gallows.  

He was for a time quite close to Tsarina Elisabeth II of Russia and knew Catherine who was later to become Catherine II "the Great"....

Douglas contacted me because of my web site and the fact that my family claims to be descendants of the love affair between Amalie and Trenck.

Although he didn't find prove which backs my family's  claim, he did find evidence which supports there was a romance and that a child was born.

There is more to the book than this one love affair.  He talks about the difficuties royal women had in royal marriages which created so much grief and heart aches.

It is a quick read, 221 pages,  and, I enjoyed it.

C1

Yes, Frederick was a very interesting character in the history of Prussia.  At one time in his life he was also in prison by his father Frederick William.  His father Frederick William was a terror for his family and the people of Prussia.  Frederick differed immensely from his family.  I like the fact that he pursued his own interests and kept up with them throughout his life

Not only did Fred. II's father place him in prision, his father, also, made him watch the hanging of his best friend who had tried to help him escape his father's angry moods which were so terrible at times they caused Fred. II to be frighten for his very life.

C1

Frederick differed immensely from his family.  I like the fact that he pursued his own interests and kept up with them throughout his life

Actually, Frederick's mother, grandparents and ancestors further back were cultivated individuals and it was his father Frederick William who rather diverged from the mould.  Though if he hadn't been obsessed with creating a first-class army, Frederick would not have had the tools to launch his military career when he became king.  

Katte, Fredericks best friend, wasn't hanged but decapitated. Right before this he looked up to the window to Frederick and said he shouldn't think he, Frederick, was guilty and he, Katte, would love to die for him. And when he was killed Frederick fell fainted down to floor. It is a cruel an sad story. But on the other hand, Frederick William I, the father of Frederick the Great, was not able to do anything else. Katte and his son tried to flee to England, this was high treason and everybody would have been killed . The father said the crown prince should be executed too. Today people think first that this was very rude and his father was a bad father. BUT: He was trying to put the law to everybody, even to the crown prince. This thought wasn't bad but fair. The judges said they wouldn't dare to kill a crown prince so Frederick II stayed alive. After this Frederick II had to marry his wife instead of an english princess and his sister Wilhelmine had to marry Frederick of Brandenburg-Bayreuth instead of the english crown-prince. It seemed to be better to Frederick William I not to allow the marriages his wife would have prefered and which his children would have preferred too after the Küstrin/Katte-story.
Frederick William I was the one who found the first hospital for everybody (the Charité which exists in Berlin till today), he made new statues in law, stoppend torture and so on. He was a strange character, that's true, but he suffered (he painted pictures while having bad pains and wrote 'pixet in torment'on them). On the streets he tried to beat the people and cried:'you shall love me, you cur!', which is very stupid but he really longed to be loved and appreciated as a fair sovereign.

To celebrate his 300th birthday (on January 24th) there is a new german TV movie on Frederick's life. Frederick is played by the famous german actress Katharina Thalbach. (Young Frederick is played by her daughter Anna.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzoZapgLDG8