Frederick William III of Prussia Facts & Worksheets

Frederick William III of Prussia facts and information plus worksheet packs and fact file. Includes 5 activities aimed at students 11-14 years old (KS3) & 5 activities aimed at students 14-16 years old (GCSE). Great for home study or to use within the classroom environment.

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Frederick William III of Prussia Worksheets

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Fact File

Frederick William III of Prussia Resource 1
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Student Activities

Frederick William III of Prussia Activity & Answer Guide 1
Frederick William III of Prussia Activity & Answer Guide 2
Frederick William III of Prussia Activity & Answer Guide 3
Frederick William III of Prussia Activity & Answer Guide 4
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    Summary

    • Background and early years
    • Reign and policy

    Key Facts And Information

    Let’s find out more about Frederick William III of Prussia!

    Frederick William III, who came from the House of Hohenzollern, succeeded to the Prussian throne in 1797 and was determined to govern differently from his predecessor. He initially maintained neutrality in the tumultuous Napoleonic Wars, but soon entered the war in 1806, which led to crushing Prussian defeats and the Peace of Tilsit. Prussia re-entered the anti-French coalition in 1813, significantly contributing to Napoleon’s ultimate downfall. After the wars, the king became more reactionary, focusing on unifying Prussian churches and centralising control.

    Equestrian portrait of Frederick William III
    Equestrian portrait of Frederick William III

    Background and early years of Frederick William III

    • Born on 3 August 1770 in Potsdam, Prussia, Frederick William was the eldest son of the future Frederick William II of Prussia and his second wife, Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt. At the time of his birth, his father was the heir presumptive of the Prussian king. The marriage of his parents was believed to be an unhappy one, as his father had numerous lovers.
    • Frederick William was thought to be a quiet and reserved boy, which was evident in his particularly awkward exchanges. 
    • During his childhood, he was neglected by his father, which was believed to have contributed to the inferiority complex that he struggled with his entire life. Similarly, his mother reportedly did not give much attention to him and his siblings.
    • His education was initially overlooked by his neglectful parents. He was raised and handed over to governesses and tutors, as was customary for the period.
    • He spent years of his childhood at Paretz Palace, the estate of his tutor, Count Hans von Blumenthal. Blumenthal was an old soldier and was also the tutor and guardian of his younger brother, Prince Henry. They were raised partly with the count’s son. 
    • Frederick William was described as a melancholy boy, but he grew up pious and honest. 
    • He had other tutors aside from Blumenthal, including the dramatist Johann Jakob Engel.
    • Like many Prussian princes, Frederick William trained as a soldier. He received his lieutenancy in 1784 and became a lieutenant colonel in 1786. 
    • Around this time, his father ascended to the Prussian throne as Frederick William II, who quickly gained popularity by abolishing oppressive economic measures and reforming the tax-collection system. 
    • Frederick William II’s reign coincided with the French Revolution. Consequently, Frederick William fought in campaigns against France between 1792 and 1794.
    • On 24 December 1793, Frederick William married Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The couple had ten children and appeared to have a happy marriage. His wife, Louise, was especially well-liked by the Prussian people, which improved the popularity of the House of Hohenzollern.

    Reign and policy of Frederick William III

    • In early November 1797, Frederick William took over the government affairs of Prussia as his father was no longer capable of ruling due to illness. On 16 November, he was declared king, succeeding his father, who had died at the age of 53. At the same time, he became, in personal union, the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel. The new king immediately showed his determination to govern differently from his father and proceeded to impose changes.
    • Frederick William III reduced the royal establishment’s expenses, removed his father’s ministers, reversed the most repressive excesses of the late reign, and sought to restore his dynasty’s dignity and moral legitimacy.
    • He was determined to retain personal power, which meant that he did not delegate responsibility to his ministers. 
    • As a consequence, the effectiveness of his rule was considerably diminished. This was primarily the reason his government was considered inconsistent. 
    • In terms of foreign policy, the king and his advisors initially attempted to carry out a neutrality policy in the Napoleonic Wars that began in 1803. In fact, they were able to avoid joining the War of the Third Coalition in 1805.
    • However, Frederick William III was eventually persuaded by the queen, who was one of the leaders of the pro-war party in the country. Consequently, Prussia officially entered into war in late 1806.
    • At the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt in October, the Prussian Army, which had not been reformed for more than five decades, was disastrously defeated by the French forces led by the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. 
    • By late October, Napoleon had occupied the Prussian capital of Berlin, where he issued his Berlin Decree implementing his Continental System. 
    • Meanwhile, the Prussian royal family successfully escaped and was forced into virtual exile in the East Prussian port of Königsberg.
    A depiction of Napoleon, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Queen Louise of Prussia, and Frederick William III in Tilsit
    A depiction of Napoleon, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Queen Louise of Prussia, and Frederick William III in Tilsit
    • By June 1807, Frederick William III had agreed to a truce with France. In July, Queen Louise unsuccessfully pleaded to Napoleon for favourable terms. 
    • The king signed the Peace of Tilsit, which compelled Prussia to give up major portions of its territories and accept a French garrison in its principal fortresses and settlements.
    • As a result, Prussia became a client state of France, obliged to pay massive indemnities. Berlin also remained occupied. 
    • In late 1809, he was allowed back to Berlin but appeared to be resigned to Prussia’s fate.
    • With the encouragement of the Prussian queen, various reforming ministers began transforming Prussia’s administration and military.
    • In 1810, Queen Louise died and Frederick William III greatly mourned her death. The king subsequently fell under the influence of several courtiers. 
    • By 1812, Frederick William III remained a reluctant ally of France. The following year, he was pressured to sign an alliance with Russia at Kalisz and declared war on France. He then fled Berlin, which was still controlled by the French. 
    • He called for national mobilisation against Napoleon, implying a future constitution securing for the Prussian many civil rights in exchange for loyalty. He travelled with his armies through the campaigns of 1813–14. 
    • The recently reformed Prussian troops were key in the victories of the allies in such campaigns, as well as in Napoleon’s final defeat during the Waterloo campaign in 1815.
    • The king’s ministers were able to secure significant territorial increases for Prussia at the Congress of Vienna in 1814–15, but failed to acquire the annexation of all of Saxony.
    • Following Napoleon’s fall, Frederick William III grew more reactionary, abandoning the promises he had made to the Prussians in 1813. He instead focused on church reform and solidifying royal power.
    • In 1815, he joined the conservative pact with Russia and Austria to uphold monarchical authority, known as the Holy Alliance.
    • The king’s main church reform took place in 1817, as he sought to create a single, centralised Protestant church out of the distinct Lutheran and Calvinist traditions. The long-term goal was to have full state control of all the Protestant churches.
    • A series of decrees united both Lutheran and Calvinist denominations in the country, becoming the first church union to occur in a major German state. By this time, the church union had no official name, but informal names were reported.
    • This controversial move brought about significant “Old Lutheran” resistance, leading to persecution, imprisonment, and emigration, as the crown enforced the union through military force and suppressed dissent to achieve religious uniformity.
    • In 1824, Frederick William III contracted a morganatic marriage with Countess Auguste von Harrach. This union was childless.
    • In 1834, he founded the Zollverein, or German Customs Union, with the intention of improving economies and using it as a political tool to reduce Austrian influence in German affairs. This union prepared the way for the eventual political unification of Germany under Prussian leadership later in the century.
    • The king died from a fever on 7 June 1840 in Berlin. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Frederick William IV.

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    Frequently Asked Questions About Frederick William III of Prussia

    • Who was Frederick William III of Prussia?
      Frederick William III was King of Prussia from 1797 to 1840, ruling during a period of major political and military change in Europe.
    • What is Frederick William III best known for?
      He is best known for ruling Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars and for overseeing important reforms after Prussia’s defeat by Napoleon.
    • What happened to Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars?
      Prussia suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Napoleon at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in 1806, leading to the French occupation of much of Prussia.