WI Frederick the Great's Punishment Backfires

I saw this the other day. I'm not particularly knowledgable with this part of history, but the idea seemed interesting.

The Little said:
Frederick William was deeply disappointed by his son, the future Frederick the Great, who in youth seemed more interested in French culture, music, and literature than in the military virtues. The father’s disaffection turned to actual hatred, and his treatment became so harsh that the young prince decided to run away, with the aid of two accomplices, Lieutenants Katte and Keith. The plan was discovered; Keith escaped, but the prince and Katte were captured and court-martialed. Katte was sentenced to life imprisonment, Frederick to solitary confinement. Frederick William, deciding that Katte’s sentence was too lenient, had him beheaded in the presence of Prince Frederick. This drastic measure had the desired effect; Frederick asked the king’s pardon and began to apply himself to acquiring the Prussian military philosophy.

So, what if the executions have the opposite desired effect on Fredrick? What if being forced to witness the execution of his friend traumatizes Fredrick so much that he instead gains a hatred of the military and focuses even more time on the arts?

What does Prussia's future look like?
 
His father tries harder until Frederick the Treacherous is either broken or convinced that acting like he cares is a good idea.

The latter being more like what happened OTL, I think.
 
Well, we have to be honest: much of the work on Prussia's military had been done by Frederick's father. It was Frederick who merely put the tools to use in taking Silesia. So even if Frederick displays no interest in his army, at least initially, it's not going to rot away. If anything, Frederick may let military matters be handled by his brother, Prince Henry, who even in OTL tended to criticize Frederick's foreign and military policy.

In the long run, possibly armed neutrality for Prussia. They might avoid getting entangled into the Austrian Succession, and allow themselves to be bought off. However, I am a little doubtful that even a more artistically inclined Frederick would avoid snatching Silesia--at 1740 Austria was at her weakest ebb, and Prussia could take Silesia with little issue.

Berlin might become an important cultural center: Frederick IOTL wasn't culturally devoid, as he hosted many French philosophers. He may simply redouble his efforts. Maybe it is Berlin, instead of Weimar that becomes a cultural center, and men such as Goethe and Schiller are lured to Berlin by the generosity of the Prussian King.
 
Berlin might become an important cultural center: Frederick IOTL wasn't culturally devoid, as he hosted many French philosophers. He may simply redouble his efforts. Maybe it is Berlin, instead of Weimar that becomes a cultural center, and men such as Goethe and Schiller are lured to Berlin by the generosity of the Prussian King.

I agree with your assessment. Prussia's military was largely built by the reforms of Frederick William, Frederick the Great (for all his talents) was just the first to try it out on Prussia's neighbors. Prussia will likely to continue to grow via dynastic inheritance, wars not withstanding. War with Poland would also be likely given both its weakness and the desire to connect East Prussia with Brandenburg.

A less warlike Frederick would probably devote more effort towards building Berlin as a great city. Huguenot immigration could very well continue for another few years, further developing Prussia's textile industry.
 
So, what if the executions have the opposite desired effect on Fredrick? What if being forced to witness the execution of his friend traumatizes Fredrick so much that he instead gains a hatred of the military and focuses even more time on the arts?

I suppose Frederick Sr considers Frederick Jr a pussy, locks him in a tower and declares his second son Augustus [a general IOTL] the new heir instead? It wouldn't be the first time something like that happens in Europe. Or was there something in Prussian law that forbid that?
 
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