第71节

  【】n.charles</p>

  ntiobeahighlypicturesquefigure,awonderfulhero</p>

  ofroinhisvaiohavehisrevenge,he</p>

  ruinedhisory.intheyear1718,heally</p>

  killedorassassinatedknohande</p>

  adein1721,ioadt,sall</p>

  ofherforrbalticpossessionsexceptfinland.thenew</p>

  russianstate,createdbypeter,hadbeetheleadingpower</p>

  ofnortheeurope.butalreadyanehe</p>

  ateakingshape.</p>

  theriseofprussia</p>

  theextraordinaryriseofalittle</p>

  stateinadrearypartofnorthe</p>

  gerny,calledprussia</p>

  thehistoryofprussiaisthehistoryofafrontierdistrict.</p>

  ihtury,charlegransferredtheold</p>

  thediterraothewildregions</p>

  ofnortheeurope.hisfrankishsoldiershadpushed</p>

  thefrontierofeuropefurtherandfurthertoheeast.</p>

  theyhadnquerednylandsfroheheathenishslavsand</p>

  lithuaniansheplaihebaltic</p>

  seaandtheinistered</p>

  thoseoutlyingdistrictsjustastheuatesused</p>

  toadnisterherterritoriesbeforetheyachievedthedignity</p>

  ofstatehood.</p>

  thefroateofbrandenburghadbeeninally</p>

  foundedbycharlegodefendhiseastepossessions</p>

  againstraidsoftheribes.the</p>

  tribeedthatregion,edduringthe</p>

  teuryandtheirrketplace,bythenaofbrennabor,</p>

  beetothenee</p>

  ofbrandenburg.</p>

  duringtheeleventh,th,thirteenthandfourteenth</p>

  iliesexercisedthefunsof</p>

  ierialgoveorinthisfroate.finallyinthe</p>

  fifteenthadeitsappear</p>

  aogea</p>

  sandyandforlofroerritoryintoohesteffit</p>

  eiresofthedeworld.</p>

  thesehohenzolles,ovedfrobr></p>

  thehistoricalstagebythebinedforcesofeuropeand</p>

  arisouthegerny.theywere</p>

  ofveryhulein.ihturyacertainfrederick</p>

  ofhohenzollehaddealuckyrriageandhadbeen</p>

  appointedkeeperoftheberg.hisdesdants</p>

  hadusedeveryprovetheir</p>

  poerseveralturiesofchfulgrabbing,they</p>

  hadbeenappoihedignityofeleegivento</p>

  thosesnprincesperors</p>

  oftheoldgerneire.duringtherefortion,</p>

  theyhadtakenthesideoftheprotestantsandtheearly</p>

  sevehapohe</p>

  nernprinces.</p>

  durihirtyyearshprotestantsand</p>

  shadplunderedbrandenburgandprussiahequal</p>

  zeal.butunderfrederick,thegreatelector,the</p>

  dageklyrepairedandbyaarefuluseof</p>

  alltheenodintelleesoftheuntry,astate</p>

  hereicallynoe.</p>

  deprussia,astateinheindividualandhis</p>

  ionshavebeeirelyabsorbedbythe</p>

  isofthenityasahisprussiadatesback</p>

  tothefatheroffrederickthegreat.frederickiwas</p>

  ahardoniousprussiansergeant,hagreat</p>

  loveforbarrootoriesandstrongdutchtobaintense</p>

  dislikeofallfrillsahers,especiallyiftheywereof</p>

  frenchin,andpossessedofbutohatideawas</p>

  duty.severeself,hetoleratednoweaknessinhis</p>

  subjesoldiers.the</p>

  relatioselfandhissonfrederickordial,</p>

  tosaytheleast.theboorishnnersofthefatheroffended</p>

  thefinerspiritoftheson.thesonsloveforfrench</p>

  nners,literature,philosophyandsicedbythe</p>

  fatherasaionofsissyherefolloerrible</p>

  outbreakbetperants.frederick</p>

  triedtoescapetoengland.heandurt</p>

  rtialedandforapitationofhisbest</p>

  friend.thereuponaspartofhis</p>

  punishnt,theyoungprioalittlefortress</p>

  soheproviobetaughtthedetailsofhisfuture</p>

  businessofbeingaking.itprovedablessingindisguise.</p>

  etothethronein1740,heknewhowhis</p>

  untryanagedfrohebirthateofapaupers</p>

  sontothedetailofaplicatedannualbudget.</p>

  asanauthor,especiallyinhisbookcalledthe``anti</p>

  hiavelli,frederickhadexpressedhisforthe</p>

  politireedoftheafloreorian,whohad</p>

  advisedhisprincelypupilstolieawas</p>

  necessarytodosoforthebeoftheiruntry.theideal</p>

  rulerinfrederiehefirstservantofhispeople,</p>

  theenlighteaftertheexaleoflouisxiv.in</p>

  prae,hok,whilewforhispeople</p>

  tasa</p>

  unsellor.hisnisterslerks.prussiawashis</p>

  privatepossession,tobetreatedagtohisownwishes.</p>

  andnothingointerferehtheiofthe</p>

  state.</p>

  intheyear1740theeerorcharlesvi,ofaustria,</p>

  died.hehadtriedtokethepositionofhisonlydaughter,</p>

  riatheresa,sey,tenblack</p>

  o.butnosoonerhad</p>

  theoldeerorbeendepositedinthearalcryptofthe</p>

  habsburgfaly,thanthearesoffrederickarg</p>

  toheaustrianfroooupythatpartofsilesiafor</p>

  osteverythingelseiraleurope</p>

  prussiaeaandvery</p>

  doubtfulrightsofclaiinanuerofk</p>

  nqueredallofsilesia,andalthoughheenverynear</p>

  defeat,heintainedhielfinhisories</p>

  againstallaustriaacks.</p>

  europetookduenoticeofthissuddenappearanceofa</p>

  verypoans</p>

  hegreatreligious</p>

  byanyone.frederick,</p>

  byaneffortassuddenandquiteasterrificasthatof</p>

  peterofrussia,ptintoone</p>

  offear.theintealaffairsofprussiawerearrang</p>

  ...</p>