Frederick William I

Frederick William I., King of Prussia (1688-1740), the father of Frederick the Great, and the son of Frederick I., came to the throne in 1713. The first seven years of his reign were occupied in war with Sweden, from which power he gained Stettin at the peace; but during the remainder he was able to collect and drill tall soldiers without having to risk their precious lives. All his energies were employed in this, and in accumulating that hoard which his son afterwards found so useful. He was a mere martinet; but a martinet at the head of 80,000 men was invaluable to the rising kingdom of Prussia.