Frederick William had been a man of…
1787 CE
He is devoted to the arts—Beethoven and Mozart will enjoy his patronage, and his private orchestra has a Europe-wide reputation.
He also is a talented cellist, but an artistic temperament is hardly what is required of a king of Prussia on the eve of the French Revolution, and Frederick the Great, who had employed him in various services (notably in an abortive confidential mission to the court of Russia in 1780), had openly expressed his misgivings as to the character of the prince and his surroundings.
For his part, Frederick William, who has never been properly introduced to diplomacy and the business of rulership, resents his uncle for not taking him seriously.
The misgivings of Frederick II appear justified in retrospect.
Frederick William′s accession to the throne (August 17, 1786) has, indeed, been followed by a series of measures for lightening the burdens of the people, reforming the oppressive French system of tax-collecting introduced by Frederick, and encouraging trade by the diminution of customs dues and the making of roads and canals.
This gives the new king much popularity with the masses; the educated classes are pleased by his removal of Frederick's ban on the German language, with the admission of German writers to the Prussian Academy, and by the active encouragement given to schools and universities.
Frederick William has also terminated his predecessor's state monopolies for coffee and tobacco and the sugar monopoly.
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Central Europe
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