Kingdom of Prussia

Kingdom of Prussia
*Königreich Preußen* (German)
Kingdom of Prussia Königreich Preußen (German)
1701–1918
	State flag; (1803–1892) Coat of arms; (1701–1871)
	Anthem: ; Borussia; "Prussia"; (1820–1830); Preußenlied; "Song of Prussia"; (1830–1840); Royal anthem:; Heil dir im Siegerkranz; "Hail to thee in the Victor's Crown"; (1795–1918);
Status	Kingdom
Capital	Berlin; Königsberg (1806–07);
Common languages	Official:; German; Neo-Latin (until 1806); Polish (only in GD of Posen, 1815–1848) Minorities: Low German; Danish; East Frisian; North Frisian; Polish; Kashubian; Slovincian; Silesian; Czech; Moravian; Upper Sorbian; Lower Sorbian; Polabian; Lithuanian; Old Prussian (until 18th century); Kursenieki; Yiddish; French; Dutch;
Religion	Statewide majority:; Protestantism (Lutheran and Calvinist; Prussian United after 1817 (state religion)); Majority in some territories:; Catholicism; Other minorities:; Judaism;
Demonym(s)	Prussian
Government	Absolute monarchy (until 1848); Semi-constitutional monarchy (from 1848);
King
• 1701–1713 (first)	Frederick I
• 1888–1918 (last)	Wilhelm II
Minister-President
• 1848 (first)	A. H. von Arnim-Boitzenburg
• 1918 (last)	Max von Baden
Legislature	Landtag
• Upper house	Herrenhaus
• Lower house	Abgeordnetenhaus
Historical era	New Imperialism; World War I;
• Coronation of Frederick I	18 January 1701
• Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire	6 August 1806
• Formation of German Confederation	8 June 1815
• Constitution adopted	5 December 1848
• North German Confederation Treaty	18 August 1866
• German Empire proclaimed	18 January 1871
• Free State of Prussia proclaimed	9 November 1918
• Abdication of Wilhelm II	28 November 1918
Area
1871	348,779 km2 (134,664 sq mi)
Population
• 1756	4,500,000
• 1816	10,349,031
• 1871	24,689,000
• 1910	40,169,219
Currency	1701–1750 Reichsthaler; 1750–1857 Thaler; 1857–1873 Vereinsthaler; 1873–1914 Goldmark; 1914–1918 Papiermark;
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Margraviate of Brandenburg
	Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
	Duchy of Prussia
	Brandenburg-Prussia
	Principality of Neuchâtel
	Royal Prussia
	Swedish Pomerania
	Free City of Danzig
	Duchy of Warsaw
	Electorate of Hesse
	Free City of Frankfurt
	Duchy of Nassau
	Kingdom of Hanover
	Duchy of Holstein
	Duchy of Schleswig
	Saxe-Lauenburg
	Lands of the Bohemian Crown
	Duchies of Silesia
	County of Kladsko
Free City of Danzig
Duchy of Warsaw
Canton of Neuchâtel
Free State of Prussia
Free City of Danzig
Second Polish Republic
First Czechoslovak Republic
Belgium
Denmark
Klaipėda Region
Territory of the Saar Basin
Today part of	Germany; Poland; Russia
	^a During the North German Confederation (1866–1871) and German Empire (1871–1918), the Minister-President of Prussia was also the Chancellor of Germany.; ^b Statement of Abdication of William II; Sovereign kingdom (former Ducal Prussia only 1701–1772; East Prussia, West Prussia, South Prussia, Netze District, New East Prussia, Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim 1795–1806; East Prussia, West Prussia, Grand Duchy of Posen 1815–1866); Vassal semi-independent of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1701–1772, Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim only); Associate of the Swiss Confederation (1707–1806, County of Neuchatel only); Vassal of the Holy Roman Empire (1701–1806, all territories except those listed above); State of the Continental System under occupation by the First French Empire (1806–1813, without the lost County of Neuchâtel and territories ceded to the Duchy of Warsaw or the Free City of Danzig); Member of the Swiss Confederation (1814–1848; County of Neuchatel 1814–1857); Federated state of the German Confederation (1815–1866, only territories previously in the Holy Roman Empire, as well as Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim); Federated state of the North German Confederation (1866–1871, as a whole, king holding the Bundespräsidium); Federated state of the German Empire (1871–1918, as a whole, king holding the Bundespräsidium as the German Emperor); ; Ermland; West Prussia; South Prussia; Netze District; New East Prussia; Grand Duchy of Posen; Province of Posen; Lauenburg and Bütow Land; Starostwo of Draheim; Rhine Province; Province of Westphalia; Upper Silesia; County of Glatz; ;

The Kingdom of Prussia (German: Königreich Preußen, pronounced [ˈkøːnɪkʁaɪç ˈpʁɔʏsn̩] ^ⓘ) constituted the German state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918. It was the driving force behind the unification of Germany in 1866 and was the leading state of the German Empire until its dissolution in 1918. Although it took its name from the region called Prussia, it was based in the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Its capital was Berlin.

The kings of Prussia were from the House of Hohenzollern. Brandenburg-Prussia, predecessor of the kingdom, became a military power under Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, known as "The Great Elector". As a kingdom, Prussia continued its rise to power, especially during the reign of Frederick II "the Great". Frederick the Great was instrumental in starting the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), holding his own against Austria, Russia, France and Sweden and establishing Prussia's dominant role among the German states, as well as establishing the country as a European great power through the victories of the powerful Prussian Army. Prussia made attempts to unify all the German states (excluding the German cantons in Switzerland) under its rule, and whether Austria would be included in such a unified German domain became an ongoing question. After the Napoleonic Wars led to the creation of the German Confederation, the issue of unifying the German states caused the German revolutions of 1848–1849, with representatives from all states attempting to unify under their own constitution. Attempts to create a federation remained unsuccessful and the German Confederation collapsed in 1866 when the Austro-Prussian War ensued between its two most powerful member states.

Prussia was subsequently the driving force behind establishing in 1866 the North German Confederation, transformed in 1871 into the unified German Empire and considered the earliest continual legal predecessor of today's Federal Republic of Germany. The North German Confederation was seen as more of an alliance of military strength in the aftermath of the Austro-Prussian War but many of its laws were later used in the German Empire. The German Empire successfully unified all of the German states aside from Austria and Switzerland under Prussian hegemony due to the defeat of Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. The war united all the German states against a common enemy, and with the victory came an overwhelming wave of nationalism which changed the opinions of some of those who had been against unification.

With the German Revolution of 1918–1919, the Kingdom of Prussia was transformed into the Free State of Prussia.

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[status-1] Sovereign kingdom (former Ducal Prussia only 1701–1772; East Prussia, West Prussia, South Prussia, Netze District, New East Prussia, Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim 1795–1806; East Prussia, West Prussia, Grand Duchy of Posen 1815–1866)
Vassal semi-independent of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1701–1772, Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim only)
Associate of the Swiss Confederation (1707–1806, County of Neuchatel only)
Vassal of the Holy Roman Empire (1701–1806, all territories except those listed above)
State of the Continental System under occupation by the First French Empire (1806–1813, without the lost County of Neuchâtel and territories ceded to the Duchy of Warsaw or the Free City of Danzig)
Member of the Swiss Confederation (1814–1848; County of Neuchatel 1814–1857)
Federated state of the German Confederation (1815–1866, only territories previously in the Holy Roman Empire, as well as Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim)
Federated state of the North German Confederation (1866–1871, as a whole, king holding the Bundespräsidium)
Federated state of the German Empire (1871–1918, as a whole, king holding the Bundespräsidium as the German Emperor)

[2] Sovereign kingdom (former Ducal Prussia only 1701–1772; East Prussia, West Prussia, South Prussia, Netze District, New East Prussia, Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim 1795–1806; East Prussia, West Prussia, Grand Duchy of Posen 1815–1866)

[3] Vassal semi-independent of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1701–1772, Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim only)

[4] Associate of the Swiss Confederation (1707–1806, County of Neuchatel only)

[5] Vassal of the Holy Roman Empire (1701–1806, all territories except those listed above)

[6] State of the Continental System under occupation by the First French Empire (1806–1813, without the lost County of Neuchâtel and territories ceded to the Duchy of Warsaw or the Free City of Danzig)

[7] Member of the Swiss Confederation (1814–1848; County of Neuchatel 1814–1857)

[8] Federated state of the German Confederation (1815–1866, only territories previously in the Holy Roman Empire, as well as Lauenburg and Bütow Land and Starostwo of Draheim)

[9] Federated state of the North German Confederation (1866–1871, as a whole, king holding the Bundespräsidium)

[10] Federated state of the German Empire (1871–1918, as a whole, king holding the Bundespräsidium as the German Emperor)

[3] Ermland
West Prussia
South Prussia
Netze District
New East Prussia
Grand Duchy of Posen
Province of Posen
Lauenburg and Bütow Land
Starostwo of Draheim
Rhine Province
Province of Westphalia
Upper Silesia
County of Glatz

[12] Ermland

[13] West Prussia

[14] South Prussia

[15] Netze District

[16] New East Prussia

[17] Grand Duchy of Posen

[18] Province of Posen

[19] Lauenburg and Bütow Land

[20] Starostwo of Draheim

[21] Rhine Province

[22] Province of Westphalia

[23] Upper Silesia

[24] County of Glatz

a

b

History of Brandenburg and Prussia

Northern March (965 – 983) Lutician federation (983 – 12th century) Old Prussians (pre – 13th century) Margraviate of Brandenburg (1157–1618) Teutonic Order (1224 – 1525) Elector of Brandenburg (1356 – 1806) Duchy of Prussia (1525 – 1618) Malbork Voivodeship and Prince-Bishopric of Warmia within Royal (Polish) Prussia (Poland 1454/1466 – 1772) Brandenburg-Prussia (1618 – 1701) Kingdom of Prussia (1701 – 1918) Free State of Prussia (1918 – 1947)
Present
Działdowo area (from 1918) Klaipėda Region (1920–1939, from 1945) Warmia, Masuria within Recovered Territories (from 1945) Kaliningrad Oblast (from 1945) Berlin and Brandenburg (1947–1952, from 1990)