Home Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Frederick II
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
Frederick II Seven Years' War: Battle of Zorndorf Partitions of Poland, 1772–95 Frederick II, portrait by Antoine Pesne (1683–1757). In the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin.
For Students
Frederick II
Frederick II summary
Quizzes
Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon in Coronation Robes or Napoleon I Emperor of France, 1804 by Baron Francois Gerard or Baron Francois-Pascal-Simon Gerard, from the Musee National, Chateau de Versailles.
Kings and Emperors (Part III) Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 9th Mechanized Division learning to operate and maintain M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks at Besmaya Combat Training Center, Baghdad, Iraq, 2011. Military training. Iraq war. U.S. Army
8 Deadliest Wars of the 21st Century
Discover
Artist interpretation of a Space meteoroid impact. Meteor impact. Asteroid, End of the world, danger, destruction, dinosaur extinct, Judgement Day, Planet Earth, Doomsday Predictions, comet
10 Failed Doomsday Predictions
Solar Eclipse, Eclipse, Solar Flare, Outer Space, Astronomy
What Causes Lunar and Solar Eclipses?
Two chicks near an egg with a white background (poultry, chick, chickens, birds).
What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?
earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.
The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950
Albert Einstein in Washington, D.C. c. 1921-1923. Physicist
The Solar Eclipse That Made Albert Einstein a Science Celebrity
Adolf Hitler (Nazi, nazism, German leader).
9 Things You Might Not Know About Adolf Hitler
Aphrodite. Greek mythology. Sculpture. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
12 Greek Gods and Goddesses
History & Society

Frederick II

king of Prussia
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://64.176.36.150/biography/Frederick-II-king-of-Prussia
Also known as: Frederick the Great, Friedrich der Grosse
Fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: • Article History
Frederick II
Frederick II
See all media
Category: History & Society
Byname:
Frederick the Great
German:
Friedrich der Grosse
Born:
January 24, 1712, Berlin, Prussia [Germany]
Died:
August 17, 1786, Potsdam, near Berlin (aged 74)
Title / Office:
king (1740-1786), Prussia
House / Dynasty:
Hohenzollern dynasty
Notable Family Members:
father Frederick William I
sister Wilhelmina
See all related content →

Recent News

Mar. 12, 2024, 5:02 AM ET (Deutsche Welle)
World Heritage Site: A look at Potsdam's Sanssouci Palace – DW – 03/12/2024
Top Questions

What is Frederick II known for?

When was Frederick II born?

When did Frederick II ascend the throne?

Frederick II (born January 24, 1712, Berlin, Prussia [Germany]—died August 17, 1786, Potsdam, near Berlin) king of Prussia (1740–86), a brilliant military campaigner who, in a series of diplomatic stratagems and wars against Austria and other powers, greatly enlarged Prussia’s territories and made Prussia the foremost military power in Europe. An enlightened absolute monarch, he favoured French language and art and built a French Rococo palace, Sanssouci, near Berlin. Frederick, the third king of Prussia, ranks among the two or three dominant figures in the history of modern Germany. Under his leadership Prussia became one of the great states of ...(100 of 5266 words)

Access the full article
Help support true facts by becoming a member.