Frederick the Great, a Misogynist?

Red Baron was inspired to write this blog by a television documentary about the great Frederick, in which he was portrayed as a misogynist.

There is no doubt that he was a glory-seeking war criminal, but did he hate women?

In the past, historians whispered that Frederick was probably gay, but today some of them openly say that he lived out his homosexual desires. Whatever.

As the heir to the Prussian throne, Frederick enjoyed a strict upbringing by the Soldier King, who sought to mold his son into a tough guy. Frederick complained, "Every day I am beaten, I am treated like a slave, and have not the slightest rest. I am forbidden to read, listen to music, study science, I am not allowed to talk to anyone, I am surrounded by guards."

One day, the aesthete Frederick could no longer bear his father's harshness and fled the Prussian court. But this was high treason, for which his friend Katte paid with his head in 1730, while the heir to the throne, stripped of all his titles and honors, was sentenced to imprisonment in a fortress.

My German reading friend might enjoy reading the full story here.

When Frederick William demanded that his son marry Elisabeth Christine of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern in 1732, he complied but complained that "every peasant must be happier than I am." He said he would "rather take the greatest whore in Berlin" for his wife.

With Frederick's consent to this dynastically important marriage, the father-son conflict was outwardly settled, and the son was rehabilitated as crown prince, but "I do not love the princess. On the contrary, I dislike her and our marriage will not be a good one."

Lieutenant Colonel Fritz, over whose head the sword had hovered not so long ago, was now once again a beloved son and became head of a regiment in Neuruppin with the name Cronprintz (crown prince).

In 1736, King Frederick William set up Rheinsberg Castle for the young couple. Here, the crown prince flourished, but without his wife: "I will leave her as soon as I am my own master."

Frederick holds his anti-Machiavelli up to the bust of Machiavelli.
Idealized engraving by Adolph Menzel.

In contrast, "My whole mind is focused on philosophy. It serves me well. I am happy because I am much calmer than before." He wrote his anti-Machiavell, "Examen du Prince de Machiavell, "Il principe [is] one of the most dangerous works ... that are spread on earth. Now, I believe that humanity is worth more than all the qualities of a conqueror."

After the death of the Soldier King, Frederick summarized his father's will in an idiosyncratic manner: "The first concern of a prince must be to assert himself, the second to enlarge himself," and quickly invaded Austria's granary, Silesia.

Baron Acton's dictum, "Power tends to corrupt," applies to Frederick in its most extreme form: "and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Maria Theresia

In his memoirs, Frederick writes, "I had quick-witted troops, a well-filled treasury, and a lively temperament: these were the reasons that led me to wage war against Theresa of Austria, Queen of Bohemia and Hungary ... Ambition, my advantage, and the desire to make a name for myself were the deciding factors, and war was declared."

Thus, in December 1740, the 28-year-old Frederick launched the first War of the Austrian Succession, also known as the Silesian War, against the even younger 23-year-old Maria Theresa, sending 28,000 Prussian soldiers to die on the fields of Silesia.

Before setting off, Frederick addressed his officers at the Berlin garrison: "I am embarking on a war, gentlemen, in which I have no allies other than your bravery and your goodwill. My cause is just, and I seek assistance from fortune... Medals and rewards await you to be earned through your brilliant deeds. Set out for your rendezvous with glory," i.e., Frederick's glory.

Tsarina Elisabeth

Actually, he waged the Silesian Wars against a triumfeminate consisting of Maria Theresa, the Tsarina of Russia, Elisabeth, and Madame de Pompadour of France.

Official chief mistress of King Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour

It was unthinkable to Frederick that women had a say at court. Frederick spoke less than gallantly of a "petticoat conspiracy". He referred to his female opponents as "the three arch whores of Europe", which was certainly not true of the young Maria Theresa.

Voltaire and Frederick in front of the Sans Souci Palace

After the Second Silesian War in 1749, Frederick wrote in a letter to Voltaire: "I am a friend of philosophy and verse" and distinguished between the statesman and the philosopher, "Let it be said that one can wage war of pure reason, be a statesman out of duty, and be a philosopher out of inclination.

In keeping with Louis XIV's thinking, he added: "It is the constant ambition of princes to enlarge themselves as far as their power allows."

In 1740, Frederick the Great sent his unloved wife Elisabeth Christine to live in a castle on the outskirts of Berlin, saying, "Settle down here, you can live nicely here."*

*in German, "Hier lass dich nieder, hier kannst du schön hausen" (You can reside well here). The witty Berliners referred to the residence as Schönhausen Palace.

During Frederick's absences during his wars, Elisabeth Christine held the fort in Berlin, hosting diplomatic receptions, balls, and dinners. For these activities, Frederick was grateful to his wife.

Although when Frederick returned to Berlin after years of absence, his only comment was, "Madame has become more corpulent."

It is obvious that Frederick did not love women but only hated them when they were his adversaries.

*