Frederick I.,

Frederick I., king of Prussia, and third elector of Brandenburg of that name, was born at Königsberg, 11th July 1657, and succeeded to the electorate in 1688. Following out the policy of his father, Frederick-William, the Great Elector, he lent valuable support to William of Orange in his attempt on England. He employed the treasure collected by his father largely in the purchase of minor principalities and territories; and further increased his revenue by lending his soldiers to fight the battles of the neighbouring princes, especially against France. But the outstanding event of his reign was his own elevation to the dignity of king, 18th January 1701, the title being taken from Prussia, the only independent portion of his dominions. Good-natured but vain, generous but ungrateful, Frederick left the finances of his country in an embarrassed condition. Nevertheless, his public spirit led him to found the university of Halle, to embellish Berlin, to found there the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and also to establish a supreme court of appeal. Frederick died 25th February 1713, and was succeeded by his son, King Frederick-William I. See works by Hahn (3d ed. Berlin, 1876) and Ledebur (Berlin, 1878).