Fatstalin
November 29th, 2006, 03:31 AM
The Kingdom of Prussia
Königreich Preußen
http://www.arthistoryclub.com/art_history/upload/thumb/b/b2/250px-Ac.preussen.jpg
Brief Historical Backround:
Having been brought from the clenches of the Feudal Age by Elector Frederick I, the once Ducal Prussian state was officially declared a Kingdom as of 1701. Under the reign of Frederick William, Prussia remained a backwater nation on the fringes of modern society. However, with the ascension of Frederick II in 1740, Prussia made a drastic change. With the adoption of a strict military-orinented society, the Prussian people quickly began to expand at the expense of her neighbors. In 1740, Frederick "The Great" managed to wrest the valuble province of Silesia from the Habsburgian Empire. Sixteen years later, Austria, in conjunction with Russia, France, sought her revenge, intent on crushing the quickly growing kingdom. But, with the support of Great Britain and Frederick's own military genius, the Coalition failed in subduing the Prussian state. By 1763, with the Treaty of Paris, the Kingdom of Prussia had proven itself as a Continental power to be reckoned with. And, with the addition of Polish territory in 1772, 1793, and 1795, the Kingdom had more than tripled its size at the onset of the 19th Century.
Unfortunantely, with the death of Frederick II in 1786 came stagnation and decay. Under Frederick Wilhelm II, the military, an institution essential to the continuing prosperity of Berlin, was allowed to deteriorate along with the Treasury and other vital institutions. The result: when Napoleon marched through Germany in 1806 the Prussian Army was trounced, first at Jena then Auerstädt, and her prestige tarnished. For the next 7 years, Prussia would remain under French dominion until Napoleon was finally forced from Germany after the Battle of Nations. From then on, the Prussian War Machine, reformed and revitalized under the French model, continued to force the Napoleonic tide back into France until the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815.
In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and Congress of Vienna, Prussia had finally returned to her post as a Continental Power, this time with the industrializing realms of Westphalia and the greater Rhineland under Berlin's control. As the 19th Century progress, Prussia again became dormant as the prospects of war became more distant. In 1848, republican uprisings across the country threatened to bring an end to the Kingdom but, due to their lack of cohesion and influence among the populace, King Frederick Wilhelm IV was quickly re-instated and the revolt trampled.
With the mid-19th Century now in full swing, Prussia faces a new set of challenges. As German nationalism and Prussia militarism increases, the prospects of war now seem not as distant as they were earlier in the century. But, unlike in previous ages, the efforts of Clausewitz, Scharnhorst, Bismarck, Roon, and Moltke have re-molded a now industialized military force, pushing political brinksmanship among the German Confederation to a whole new level. Now, with Austria's attention turned to the east, it seems only to be a matter of time before the Teutonic legions unite a greater Germany.
Population Statistics:
National Census (1860): 18,491,000 citizens
Official Language: Deutsch
State Religion: Lutheranism
Predominant Religious Group(s): Protestantism, Roman Catholicism
Predominant Ethnic Group(s): German, Polish, Bohemian, Moravian
Political Organization:
Country Name:
Official Title: Königreich Preußen (The Kingdom of Prussia)
Conventional/Legal: Preußen (Prussia)
Political System: Constitutional Monarchy (de jure); Military Junta (de facto)
Seat of Power: Berlin, Brandenburg
Constitution(s): Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia (1850)
Legislature: Landtag Herrenhaus) [/I]and an Lower House (Abgeordnetenhaus); representation based on land ownership]
[B]Suffrage: Restricted
Head of State: HRH Wilhelm I., König von Preußen
Head of Government: Hon. Prinz Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Ministerpräsident vonPreußen
Cabinet:
Foreign Minister: Baron Alexander von Schleinitz
[More soon to come].
Königreich Preußen
http://www.arthistoryclub.com/art_history/upload/thumb/b/b2/250px-Ac.preussen.jpg
Brief Historical Backround:
Having been brought from the clenches of the Feudal Age by Elector Frederick I, the once Ducal Prussian state was officially declared a Kingdom as of 1701. Under the reign of Frederick William, Prussia remained a backwater nation on the fringes of modern society. However, with the ascension of Frederick II in 1740, Prussia made a drastic change. With the adoption of a strict military-orinented society, the Prussian people quickly began to expand at the expense of her neighbors. In 1740, Frederick "The Great" managed to wrest the valuble province of Silesia from the Habsburgian Empire. Sixteen years later, Austria, in conjunction with Russia, France, sought her revenge, intent on crushing the quickly growing kingdom. But, with the support of Great Britain and Frederick's own military genius, the Coalition failed in subduing the Prussian state. By 1763, with the Treaty of Paris, the Kingdom of Prussia had proven itself as a Continental power to be reckoned with. And, with the addition of Polish territory in 1772, 1793, and 1795, the Kingdom had more than tripled its size at the onset of the 19th Century.
Unfortunantely, with the death of Frederick II in 1786 came stagnation and decay. Under Frederick Wilhelm II, the military, an institution essential to the continuing prosperity of Berlin, was allowed to deteriorate along with the Treasury and other vital institutions. The result: when Napoleon marched through Germany in 1806 the Prussian Army was trounced, first at Jena then Auerstädt, and her prestige tarnished. For the next 7 years, Prussia would remain under French dominion until Napoleon was finally forced from Germany after the Battle of Nations. From then on, the Prussian War Machine, reformed and revitalized under the French model, continued to force the Napoleonic tide back into France until the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815.
In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and Congress of Vienna, Prussia had finally returned to her post as a Continental Power, this time with the industrializing realms of Westphalia and the greater Rhineland under Berlin's control. As the 19th Century progress, Prussia again became dormant as the prospects of war became more distant. In 1848, republican uprisings across the country threatened to bring an end to the Kingdom but, due to their lack of cohesion and influence among the populace, King Frederick Wilhelm IV was quickly re-instated and the revolt trampled.
With the mid-19th Century now in full swing, Prussia faces a new set of challenges. As German nationalism and Prussia militarism increases, the prospects of war now seem not as distant as they were earlier in the century. But, unlike in previous ages, the efforts of Clausewitz, Scharnhorst, Bismarck, Roon, and Moltke have re-molded a now industialized military force, pushing political brinksmanship among the German Confederation to a whole new level. Now, with Austria's attention turned to the east, it seems only to be a matter of time before the Teutonic legions unite a greater Germany.
Population Statistics:
National Census (1860): 18,491,000 citizens
Official Language: Deutsch
State Religion: Lutheranism
Predominant Religious Group(s): Protestantism, Roman Catholicism
Predominant Ethnic Group(s): German, Polish, Bohemian, Moravian
Political Organization:
Country Name:
Official Title: Königreich Preußen (The Kingdom of Prussia)
Conventional/Legal: Preußen (Prussia)
Political System: Constitutional Monarchy (de jure); Military Junta (de facto)
Seat of Power: Berlin, Brandenburg
Constitution(s): Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia (1850)
Legislature: Landtag Herrenhaus) [/I]and an Lower House (Abgeordnetenhaus); representation based on land ownership]
[B]Suffrage: Restricted
Head of State: HRH Wilhelm I., König von Preußen
Head of Government: Hon. Prinz Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Ministerpräsident vonPreußen
Cabinet:
Foreign Minister: Baron Alexander von Schleinitz
[More soon to come].