Brandenburg in the 30 Years War Absolutism
Prussia 1701-1795
Domestic Policy, 1648-1701 the Economy, 1648-1701









Brandenburg and Prussia during Absolutism, 1648-1701 : Foreign Policy



The Treaty of Westphalia added Further Pomerania with the former Princebishopric of Cammin, and the Princebishoprics of Halberstadt and Minden, also secularized, to the territorial complex of Friedrich Wilhelm (Frederick William), the Great Elector. Kleve, Mark, Ravensberg and the Duchy in Prussia had been acquired earlier, the acquisitions were confirmed by the Treaty of Westphalia.
When Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded his father Georg Wilhelm in 1640, Brandenburg's main assets lay in the fortresses of Küstrin, Oderberg, Peitz, Spandau, Berlin and the Werdener Schanze. Friedrich Wilhelm established a standing army. In the wars of the latter half of the 17th century, Brandenburg was wooed by various powers as a potential military ally; in these alliances, Brandenburg usually was junior partner, dependent on subsidies paid by their allies. In the First Northern War 1655-1660, Brandenburg first was allied with Sweden against Poland, then with Poland against Sweden. In the Treaty of Oliva 1660, the Duchy in Prussia was recognized as independent, no longer a Polish fief. Brandenburg was allied with the Emperor and the Dutch Republic in the Dutch War of Louis XIV. 1672-1674, until Sweden entered the war (Second Northern War 1675-1679. In the Battle of Fehrbellin 1675 the Brandenburg army had gained the victory on her own merit; yet in the peace negotiations, Brandenburg had to bow to diplomatic pressure and return the bulk of her conquests, holding on only to minor stretches of land in Pomerania, east of the Oder river.
Disappointed in the Emperor, temporarily, Brandenburg sided with France, permitting the latter to pursue her policy of Reunions (Strassburg 1681). In the Imperial War against the Ottoman Empire 1683-1699 and in the War of the Grand Alliance 1689-1697 Brandenburg again was allied with the Emperor. When the War of Spanish Succession began and Brandenburg again was a valued potential ally, Prince-Elector Friedrich gained a concession - he was elevated King in Prussia.

Brandenburg was a military, but not an economic power. In order to address that problem, in the 1680es Prince-Elector Friedrich Wilhelm pursued a colonial policy (through the instrument of the Brandenburgian-African Company). Colonial forts were established on the Gold Coast, most notably Gross-Friedrichsburg, and merchants under the Brandenburg flag (mostly Dutchmen) entered in Transatlantic trade. Pillau on the Baltic Sea was the main port for Brandenburg's colonial trade. In wartime, the Brandenburg overseas possessions were untenable, and communication with the home basis could not be maintained; the undertaking was a temporary one.
In 1698, the Stift Quedlinburg and the city of Nordhausen were acquired by purchase.
Until 1701, the army had made Brandenburg an attractive ally, more successful in gaining her monetary subsidies, than territorial acquisitions. Brandenburg had not declared wars on her own, had not pursued her own interests; the Brandenburg army was used in conflicts which originated elsewhere, (from Brandenburg perspective) in the hope of gaining something out of it.



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EXTERNAL
FILES 		Brandenburg's colony of Gross Friedrichsburg, from Dutch and Portuguese Colonies
Biography of Frederick William and of Frederick (III.) I. from infoplease
Biography of Frederick William from winona.msus.edu
DOCUMENTS Rulers of Prussia, from World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon
Edict of 1699 prohiting soldiers to play cards, from Documents in German History Project
Letter from Hoofdman Friedson, officer of the Brandenburg Frigate Dorothea, lying off Whydah, 1688, from virginia.edu
Renewal of Secret Alliance between the Emperor and Brandenburg signed at Vienna, 16 Nov 1700, from Heraldica, text in German; scroll down
REFERENCE



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on April 29th 2004, last revised on November 12th 2004

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