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The Kingdom of Prussia[ a ] (German: Königreich Preußen, pronounced [ˈkøːnɪkʁaɪç ˈpʁɔʏsn̩] ⓘ) constituted the German state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918. [ 5 ] It was the driving force behind the unification of Germany in 1866 and was the leading state of the German Empire until its dissolution in 1918. [ 5 ]
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, [ b ] often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 January 1871, the conflict was caused primarily by France's determination to reassert its dominant ...
Sep 11, 2024 · Online Sources: Franco-Prussian War. The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 January 1871, the conflict was caused primarily by France's ...
Prussia and the American Civil War. Preoccupied with trying to unify the various German states under its banner, Prussia did not participate in the American Civil War. However, several members of the Prussian military served as officers and enlisted men in both armies, just as numerous men who previously immigrated to the United States.
- Type of Government
- Background
- Government Structure
- Political Parties and Factions
- Major Events
- Aftermath
The Kingdom of Prussia was a monarchy headed by the Hohenzollern family. Prussian rule was defined by its highly centralized authority, which was exercised through a powerful monarchy and considerable military prowess. Prussian monarchs and their influential ministers developed a highly organized and effective bureaucracy and used it to administer ...
The history of the Kingdom of Prussia was shaped by its kings. The line of particularly influential Hohenzollern rulers to take the Prussian throne began with Frederick William (1620–1688). After taking power in 1640 as elector (ruler) of the state of Brandenburg, he secured the independence of the Duchy of Prussia from Poland in the Peace of Olivi...
The Kingdom of Prussia’s administration developed greater structure and intricacy during the reign of Frederick William’s grandson, King Frederick William I (1688–1740). The two chief concerns of the Prussian Crown were the administration of its lands and the collection of taxes, concerns for which Frederick William Iwas well suited. His skill and ...
Impoverished members of the Prussian landed nobility, known as the Junkers, provided the officers corps for the Kingdom of Prussia’s army. Service in the military or government civil serviceoffered the Junkers their only reliable route to wealth and success. Their allegiance to the state assured, Frederick II demanded outstanding service of them an...
An outbreak of plague brought panic and widespread death to East Prussia between 1709 and 1710, killing nearly 250,000 people, which was approximately one-third of the East Prussian population. The outbreak coincided with a famine that weakened the resistance of citizens and threatened survivors. Farms and villages were abandoned and social and eco...
In 1871 the Kingdom of Prussia became the largest constituent state of the German Empire and from then on its history became conjoined with that of Germany. The Prussian army absorbed most of the other German armed forces and retained its formidable reputation and considerable authority within the united German government. Its aristocratic and esse...
Jul 17, 2020 · No such facility existed in Prussia, with the result that its army more fairly approximated the nation-in-arms. The consequence in 1870 was a French rout. General Philip Sheridan, American Civil War veteran, observed the Franco-German conflict at first hand, and his summary of the reasons for the outcome can hardly be bettered:
Franco-Prussian War. Since 1866, when Prussia had defeated Austria and won the leadership in Germany, the leaders of the Second French Empire had longed to crush Prussia, which they considered an upstart power. Meanwhile Bismarck, the chancellor of Prussia, felt that a war was necessary to unify Germany (see Bismarck, Otto von). Thus the stage ...
