Kingdom of Prussia

The Kingdom of Prussia existed from 1701 until 1918, and from 1871 was the leading kingdom of the German Empire, comprising in its last form almost two-thirds of the area of the Empire.

Expansion to Poland

Prussia continued to grow through expansions of eastern territory, however. To the east and south, Poland had gradually become weakened. In 1772, Frederick took part in the first of the Partitions of Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The Kingdom of Prussia thus gained full sovereignty of Warmia and the Polish Royal Prussia, henceforth (until 1824, and again in 1878-1918) the province of West Prussia. After Frederick the Great died (in 1786), his nephew Fredrick William II continued the partitions, gaining a large part of western Poland in 1793 and a large area (including Warsaw) to the south of East Prussia in 1795, when the Polish kingdom ceased to exist.

Related Topics:
1772 - Partitions of Poland - Warmia - Royal Prussia - West Prussia - 1786 - Fredrick William II - 1793 - Warsaw - East Prussia - 1795

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1772, King Friedrich II annexed the Polish province of Prussia, except for Danzig (Gdansk), from the Kingdom of Poland, and put it under the rule of the old Duchy of Prussia (it now taking the name East Prussia). In 1793, King Friedrich Wilhelm II annexed the areas around Danzig and Thorn (Torun). In 1793 and 1795, larger areas of Poland were added again, which were organised into the Provinces of South Prussia and New East Prussia.

Related Topics:
Danzig - East Prussia - Thorn - South Prussia - New East Prussia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Kingdom of Prussia had resigned from the Holy Roman Empire in 1795. Königsberg was the coronation city of the Prussian kings, and the Kingdom of Prussia may be held only to have existed in the Hohenzollern lands outside of the Empire. In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire was abolished as a result of Napoleon's victories. The titles of Kurfürst (elector) became meaningless, and were dropped. Before this time, the Hohenzollern sovereign had held many titles and hats, from Head of the Evangelic Church to King, Elector, Grand Duke, Duke for the various regions and realms under his rule. After 1806, he simply was King of Prussia.

Related Topics:
Holy Roman Empire - Königsberg - Napoleon's - Kurfürst

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As a result of Prussia's defeat at Jena and Auerstädt, King Friedrich Wilhelm III lost all his lands west of the Elbe River; the remainder of the Kingdom was occupied by French troops. After Napoleon's defeat, however, Prussia regained most of its lost territories and considerably more, including 40% of Saxony and much of the Rhineland. Most of the Kingdom, aside from the provinces of East Prussia, West Prussia, and Grand Duchy de Posen, became part of the new German Confederation, which replaced the old Reich.

Related Topics:
Jena - Auerstädt - Friedrich Wilhelm III - Elbe River - Saxony - Rhineland - East Prussia - West Prussia - Grand Duchy de Posen - German Confederation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~