Königreich Preußen Kingdom of Prussia ←   ← 1701 – 1918 →   → Flag Coat of arms Anthem Preußenlied Song of Prussia Heil dir im Siegerkranz Hail to Thee in Victor's Crown (both unofficial) The Kingdom of Prussia at its greatest extent, at the time of the formation of the German Empire, 1871 Capital Berlin Government Monarchy King  - 1701 — 1713 Frederick I (first)  - 1888 — 1918 William II (last) Prime Minister1  - 1848 Adolf Heinrich von Arnim-Boitzenburg (first)  - 1918 Maximilian of Baden (last) Legislature Landtag  - Upper house Herrenhaus  - Lower house Abgeordnetenhaus History  - Established January 18, 1701  - French domination 14 October  - Restoration 9 June  - Constitutional Monarchy 5 December  - German Empire 18 January  - Abolition November 9, 1918 Area  - 1910 [2] 348,779. Brandenburg-Prussia (Brandenburg-Preußen was a German Monarchy established by the Personal union between the Duchy of Prussia and the The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. The state of Prussia had its origins in the separate lands of the Margravate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia. This article is about the Coat of arms of the former German state of Prussia. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's The " Preußenlied " (literally "Song of Prussia" in German) was the National anthem of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1830-1840 Heil dir im Siegerkranz ( German: "Hail to Thee in Victor's Crown" was from 1871 to 1918 the unofficial National anthem of the German Empire The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Throughout the world there are many cities that were once national Capitals but no longer have that status because the country ceased to exist the capital was moved or the capital Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Biography Born in Königsberg, he was the third son of Frederick William Elector of Brandenburg by his father's first marriage to Louise Henriette Adolf Heinrich Graf Arnim-Boitzenburg (10 April 1803 &ndash 8 January 1868 was a German Statesman, and the First Prime Minister of Prussia Prince Maximilian Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm of Baden ( Max von Baden) ( 10 July 1867 6 November 1929) was the cousin and A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation A Landtag ( Diet) is a representative assembly or Parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt (older name Auerstädt were fought on October 14, 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits " Germany " at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 had been a collection of 39 States loosely bound together in the German Confederation. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. 87 km² (134,665 sq mi) Population  - 1816 [1] est. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. 10,349,031   - 1871 [1] est. 24,689,000   - 1910 [2] est. 34,472,509       Density 98. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 8 /km²  (256 /sq mi) Currency Reichsthaler (until 1750) Prussian thaler (1750-1857) Vereinsthaler (1857-1871) Goldmark (1871-1914) Papiermark (from 1914) 1 During the North German Confederation and German Empire (1867-1918), the Prime Minister of Prussia was also the German Chancellor

The Kingdom of Prussia (German: Königreich Preußen) was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and, from 1871, was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising almost two-thirds of the area of the empire. A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The Reichsthaler was a standard Thaler of the Holy Roman Empire, established in 1566 by the Leipzig convention The Thaler (sometimes Reichsthaler) was the currency of Prussia until 1857 The Vereinsthaler ("union" thaler was a standard Silver Coin used in most German states and the Austrian Empire in the years prior The Goldmark (officially just Mark) is the name used for the currency of the German Empire from 1873 to 1914 The name Papiermark (paper mark is applied to the German currency from the point in 1914 when the link between the Mark and gold was abandoned due to the outbreak The North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund came into existence in August 1866 as a military alliance of 22 states of northern Germany with the Kingdom of The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification It took its name from the territory of Prussia, although its power base was Brandenburg. The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806

History

1701: The growth of Brandenburg

Frederick William, the "Great Elector" of Brandenburg-Prussia, died in 1688. Frederick William (Friedrich Wilhelm February 16 1620 &ndash April 29 1688) was the Elector of Brandenburg and the Brandenburg-Prussia (Brandenburg-Preußen was a German Monarchy established by the Personal union between the Duchy of Prussia and the His possessions passed to his son Frederick III (1688-1701) who became King Frederick I of Prussia (1701-1713). Biography Born in Königsberg, he was the third son of Frederick William Elector of Brandenburg by his father's first marriage to Louise Henriette With the exception of the Duchy of Prussia, all of Brandenburg's lands were a part of the Holy Roman Empire, by this time under the all but hereditary nominal rule of the House of Habsburg. The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Since there was only one King of the Germans within the Empire, Frederick gained the assent of Emperor Leopold I (in return for alliance against France in the War of the Spanish Succession) to his adoption (January 1701) of the title of "King in Prussia" based on his non-Imperial territories. This article lists the German monarchs, ruling over the territory of Germany from the creation of a separate Eastern Frankish Kingdom in 843 until the end of monarchy Early life He was a younger brother of Ferdinand IV of Hungary and Mariana of Austria. In the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714 several European powers combined to stop French succession to the Spanish throne and what would likely have been a resulting King in Prussia (König in Preussen was a title used by the Electors of Brandenburg from 1701 to 1772 The title came into general acceptance with the Treaty of Utrecht (1713). The Treaty of Utrecht that established the Peace of Utrecht, rather than a single document comprised a series of individual peace treaties signed in the Dutch

1701-1740: The young Kingdom

The new Kingdom of Prussia was very poor – still having not fully recovered from the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War – and its territory was scattered across over 1200 km (750 mi): from the lands of the Duchy of Prussia on the south-east coast of the Baltic Sea, to the Hohenzollern heartland of Brandenburg, to the exclaves of Cleves, Mark and Ravensberg in the Rhineland. For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 The Duchy of Cleves (Herzogtum Kleve was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in present Germany (part of North Rhine-Westphalia) and the Netherlands The County of Mark (Grafschaft Mark colloquially known as Die Mark) was a County of the Holy Roman Empire in the Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle The County of Ravensberg (Grafschaft Ravensberg was a historical County of the Holy Roman Empire. The Rhineland ( Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. In 1708, approximately one third of the population of the Duchy of Prussia fell victim of the bubonic plague. Bubonic plague is the best-known manifestation of the bacterial disease plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (formerly known as The plague reached Prenzlau in August 1710, but eventually receded before it could reach the capital Berlin, which was only 80 km (50 mi) away. Prenzlau is a City in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg, Germany. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany.

Sweden's defeat by Russia, Saxony, Poland, Denmark–Norway, Hanover, and Prussia in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) marked the end of significant Swedish power on the southern shores of the Baltic Sea. Sweden was between 1611 and 1718 one of the Great powers of Europe The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Electorate of Saxony (Kurfürstentum Sachsen or Duchy of Upper Saxony was an independent hereditary electorate of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356–1806 The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic Denmark–Norway ( Danish: Danmark-Norge Norwegian: Danmark-Norge or Danmark-Noreg is the historiographical name for a former political entity union The Electorate of Hanover (or more formally the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg; Kurfürstentum Hannover Kurfürstentum Braunschweig-Lüneburg became the ninth Electorate The Great Northern War (1700-21 was fought between Russia and Sweden for supremacy in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. In the Prusso-Swedish Treaty of Stockholm (January 1720), Prussia regained Stettin (Szczecin) and other parts of Sweden's holding in Pomerania. With the death of Charles XII of Sweden in 1718 it was obvious that the Great Northern War was coming to a close The Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg had held the reversion to the Duchy of Pomerania since 1472. (Further Pomerania had already been annexed to Brandenburg-Prussia in 1648 at the Peace of Westphalia). The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of

During this time, the trends set in motion by the Great Elector reached their culmination, as the Junkers, the landed aristocracy, were welded to the Prussian Army. Junkers (English pronunciation ə German pronunciation kɐ were the Landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. The Prussian Army (Preußische Armee was the Army of the Kingdom of Prussia.

1740-1760: The Silesian Wars

Main article: Silesian Wars

In 1740, King Frederick II (Frederick the Great) came to the throne. The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria (and their changing allies for control of Silesia. Frederick II (Friedrich II January 24 1712 August 17 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740&ndash1786 from the Using the pretext of a 1537 treaty (vetoed by Emperor Ferdinand I) by which parts of Silesia were to pass to Brandenburg after the extinction of its ruling Piast dynasty, Frederick invaded Silesia, thereby beginning the War of the Austrian Succession. Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor ( Alcalá de Henares (near Madrid) Kingdom of Castile (now Spain) 10 March 1503 &ndash Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 Piast dynasty is the name used since the 17th century for Polish Royal Dynasty that ruled Poland from its beginnings as Duchy ruled by Mieszko The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748 involved nearly all the powers of Europe After rapidly occupying Silesia, Frederick offered to protect Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria if the province were turned over to him. Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia see also names in other languages; May 13, 1717 November 29 1780) was the Archduchess regnant The offer was rejected, but Austria faced several other opponents, and Frederick was eventually able to gain formal cession with the Treaty of Berlin in 1742. The Treaty of Berlin was signed on July 28, 1742 between Austrian archduchess Maria Theresa and Frederick II of Prussia.

To the surprise of many, Austria managed to renew the war successfully. In 1744 Frederick invaded again to forestall reprisals and to claim, this time, the province of Bohemia. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the He failed, but French pressure on Austria's ally Great Britain led to a series of treaties and compromises, culminating in the 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle that restored peace and left Prussia in possession of most of Silesia. The Ancien Régime, a French term rendered in English as “Old Rule” “Old Kingdom” or simply “Old Regime” refers primarily to the aristocratic The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800

Humiliated by the cession of Silesia, Austria worked to secure an alliance with France and Russia (the "Diplomatic Revolution"), while Prussia drifted into Great Britain's camp. The Diplomatic Revolution of 1756 is a term applied to the reversal of longstanding diplomatic alliances which were upheld until the War of Austrian Succession and then reversed When Frederick preemptively invaded Saxony and Bohemia over the course of a few months in 1756-1757, he initiated the Seven Years' War. The Seven Years' War (1756&ndash1763 involved all of the major European powers of the period causing 900000 to 1400000 deaths

This war was a desperate struggle for the Prussian Army, and the fact that it managed to fight much of Europe to a draw bears witness to Frederick's military skills. The Prussian Army (Preußische Armee was the Army of the Kingdom of Prussia. Facing Austria, Russia, France, and Sweden simultaneously, and with only Hanover (and the non-continental British) as notable allies, Frederick managed to prevent serious invasion until October 1760, when the Russian army briefly occupied Berlin and Königsberg. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Königsberg (Karaliaučius Low German: Königsbarg; Królewiec see also other names) was until 1946 the name of Kaliningrad. The situation became progressively grimmer, however, until the death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia (the miracle of the House of Brandenburg). Yelizaveta Petrovna (Елизаве́та (Елисаве́т Петро́вна (December 29 1709 – January 5 1762 (New Style December 18 1709 – December 25 1761 ( The Miracle of the House of Brandenburg refers to the death of Russia 's Empress Elizabeth (at the age of 52 at the beginning of 1762. The accession of the Prussophile Peter III relieved the pressure on the eastern front. Peter III ( February 21, 1728 – July 17, 1762) (Пётр III Фëдорович Pyotr III Fyodorovitch) was Emperor Sweden also exited the war at about the same time.

Defeating the Austrian army at the Battle of Burkersdorf and relying on continuing British success against France in the war's colonial theatres, Prussia was finally able to force a status quo ante bellum on the continent. The Battle of Burkersdorf was a battle fought on July 21, 1762 during the Seven Years' War. The term status quo ante bellum comes from Latin meaning literally as things were before the war. This result confirmed Prussia's major role within the German states and established the country as a European great power. A great power is a Nation or State that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale Frederick, appalled by the near-defeat of Prussia, lived out his days as a much more peaceable ruler.

1772, 1793, 1795: Partitions of Poland

History of Brandenburg and Prussia
Northern March pre-12th century		Old Prussians pre-13th century
Margraviate of Brandenburg 1157–1618 (1806)		Ordensstaat 1224–1525
		Duchy of Prussia 1525–1618	Royal (Polish) Prussia 1466–1772
Brandenburg-Prussia 1618–1701
Kingdom in Prussia 1701–1772
Kingdom of Prussia 1772–1918
Free State of Prussia 1918–1947
Brandenburg 1947–1952 / 1990–

Main article: Partitions of Poland

To the east and south of Prussia, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had gradually weakened during the 18th century. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state The Northern March or North March (Nordmark was created out of the division of the vast Marca Geronis in 965 "Prussians" redirects here "Prussians" may also refer to citizens of the former German state of Prussia. The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 Year 1806 ( MDCCCVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The monastic state of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschordensland sometimes known in English by the German term Ordensstaat (ˈɔːdn̩ˌʃtɑːt or "Order-State" The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from Royal Prussia ( Prusy Królewskie was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772 Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Brandenburg-Prussia (Brandenburg-Preußen was a German Monarchy established by the Personal union between the Duchy of Prussia and the Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic Alarmed by increasing Russian influences in Polish affairs and by a possible expansion of the Russian Empire, Frederick took part in the first of the Partitions of Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria in 1772 to maintain a balance of power. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the In International relations, a balance of power exists when there is parity or stability between competing forces The Kingdom of Prussia annexed most of the Polish province of Royal Prussia, including Warmia; the annexed land was organized the following year into the Province of West Prussia. Royal Prussia ( Prusy Królewskie was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772 Warmia (Warmia Latin: Varmia) or Erm(eland ( is a region between Pomerania and Masuria in northeastern Poland West Prussia ( Prusy Zachodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773&ndash1824 and 1878&ndash1918 which was created out of the earlier Polish The new territory connected East Prussia (the territory previously known as the Duchy of Prussia) with Pomerania, uniting the kingdom's eastern territories. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from For the present-day Polish provinces see Pomeranian Voivodeship and West Pomeranian Voivodeship.

After Frederick died in 1786, his nephew Fredrick William II continued the partitions, gaining a large part of western Poland in 1793. Frederick William II (Friedrich Wilhelm II September 25 1744 &ndash November 16 1797) was the fourth King of Prussia, reigning from

In 1795, the Kingdom of Poland ceased to exist and a large area (including Warsaw) to the south of East Prussia became part of Prussia. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. These new territories were organized into the Provinces of New Silesia, South Prussia, and New East Prussia. New Silesia may also refer to the Barossa Valley in Australia South Prussia (Südpreußen Prusy Południowe was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1793 to 1807 New East Prussia (Neuostpreußen Prusy Nowowschodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1795 to 1807

1806-1815: Napoleonic Wars

Main article: Napoleonic Wars

In 1806 the Holy Roman Empire was abolished as a result of Napoleon's victories over Austria. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The title of Kurfürst (Prince-elector) of Brandenburg became meaningless, and was dropped. The Prince-Electors (or simply Electors) of the Holy Roman Empire ( German: Kurfürst ( pl Before this time, the Hohenzollern sovereign had held many titles and hats, from Head of the Evangelical Church to King, Elector, Grand Duke, Duke for the various regions and realms under his rule. After 1806, he simply was King of Prussia.

As a result of Prussia's defeat in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806, King Frederick William III was forced to temporarily flee to Memel. The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt (older name Auerstädt were fought on October 14, 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale Early life The son of King Frederick William II of Prussia, Frederick William was born in Potsdam and became Crown Prince in 1786 when his father ascended Klaipėda ( ˈklaɪpɛdə Memel is a City in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea After the Treaties of Tilsit in 1807, Prussia lost about half of its territory, including the land gained from the Second and Third Partitions of Poland (which now fell to the Duchy of Warsaw) and all land west of the Elbe River. The Treaties of Tilsit were two agreements signed by Napoleon I of France in the aftermath of his victory at Friedland in the town of Tilsit The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the The Duchy of Warsaw (Księstwo Warszawskie Duché de Varsovie Herzogtum Warschau Варшавское герцогство was a Polish state established by Napoleon The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. The remainder of the kingdom was occupied by French troops (at Prussia’s expense) and the king was obliged to make an alliance with France and join the Continental System. The Continental System was the Foreign policy of Napoleon I of France in his struggle against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland during the

After the defeat of Napoleon in Russia, Prussia quit the alliance and took part in the Sixth Coalition during the "Wars of Liberation" (Befreiungskriege) against the French occupation. The French invasion of Russia in 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. In the War of the Sixth Coalition (1812–1814 a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and a number Prussian troops under Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher contributed crucially in the Battle of Waterloo of 1815 to the final victory over Napoleon. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher Fürst (Prince von Wahlstatt (gɛphaɐt lebəʁɛçt fɔn blyçɐ December 16 1742 - September 12 1819 In the Battle of Waterloo (Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo Belgium

1815: Prussia after Napoleon

Expansion of Prussia 1807-1871

Prussia’s reward for its part in France's defeat came at the Congress of Vienna, where Prussia was granted most of its lost territories and considerably more, including 40% of the Kingdom of Saxony and much of the Rhineland. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich The Kingdom of Saxony (Königreich Sachsen lasting between 1806 and 1918 was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic The Rhineland ( Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. Much of the territory annexed in the Third Partition of Poland was granted to Congress Poland under Russian rule. Congress Poland Kongresówka, officially and formally Kingdom of Poland (Królestwo Polskie {{IPA-pl|'|p|o|l|s|kʲ|e}} Царство Польское Tsarstvo Polskoye

With these Prussian gains in territory, the kingdom was reorganised into ten provinces. Most of the kingdom, aside from the Provinces of East Prussia, West Prussia, and Posen, became part of the new German Confederation, which replaced the defunct Holy Roman Empire. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part West Prussia ( Prusy Zachodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773&ndash1824 and 1878&ndash1918 which was created out of the earlier Polish The Province of Posen (Provinz Posen Prowincja Poznańska was a province of Prussia from 1848-1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 the whole The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in

As a consequence of the Revolutions of 1848, the Principalities of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Hechingen (ruled by a cadet branch of the House of Hohenzollern) were annexed by Prussia in 1850. The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout the European The House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the Cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty less known than the Franconian Hohenzollern-Hechingen was a county and principality in southwestern Germany

1848–1871: The German wars of unification

For the following half-century after the Congress of Vienna, there was a conflict of ideals within the German Confederation between the formation of a single German nation and the conservation of the current collection of smaller German states and kingdoms. The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to The creation of the German Customs Union (Zollverein) in 1834, which excluded the Austrian Empire, increased Prussian influence over the member states. The Zollverein or German Customs Union was formed among the majority of the states of the German Confederation in 1834 during the Industrial Revolution For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. As a consequence of the Revolutions of 1848, King Frederick William IV was offered the crown of a united Germany by the Frankfurt Parliament. The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout the European Life Frederick William was educated by private tutors many of whom were experienced civil servants such as Friedrich Ancillon. The Frankfurt Parliament ( German: Frankfurter Nationalversammlung, literally Frankfurt National Assembly) was the first freely elected Parliament Frederick William refused the offer on the grounds that revolutionary assemblies could not grant royal titles. But there were two other reasons why he refused: to do so would have done little to end the internal power struggle between Austria and Prussia, and all Prussian kings (up to and including William I) feared that the formation of a German Empire would mean the end of Prussia’s independence within the German states. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification

In 1848, actions taken by Denmark towards the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein led to the First War of Schleswig (1848–51) between Denmark and the German Confederation. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Holstein (ˈhɔlʃtain ( Low German: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) The First Schleswig War (Schleswig-Holsteinischer Krieg or Three Years' War (Treårskrigen was the first round of military conflict in southern Denmark and northern The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to Denmark was defeated, but Prussia was embarrassingly forced to allow Denmark to keep both duchies.

Frederick William issued Prussia's first constitution by his own authority in 1850. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia was adopted in 1850 and amended in the following years It was forced upon parliament. This document--moderate by the standards of the time but conservative by today's standards--provided for a two-house parliament. The lower house, or Landtag was elected by all taxpayers, who were divided into three classes whose votes were weighted according to the amount of taxes paid. A Landtag ( Diet) is a representative assembly or Parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority After the 1848 revolutions in the German states, the Prussian three-class franchise system ( Dreiklassenwahlrecht) was introduced in 1849 by the Women and those who paid no taxes had no vote. This allowed just over one-third of the voters to choose 85% of the legislature, all but assuring dominance by the more well-to-do men of the population. The upper house, which was later renamed the Herrenhaus ("House of Lords"), was appointed by the king. He retained full executive authority and ministers were responsible only to him. As a result, the grip of the landowning classes, the Junkers, remained unbroken, especially in the eastern provinces. Junkers (English pronunciation ə German pronunciation kɐ were the Landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany.

In 1862, Otto von Bismarck was appointed by King William I as Prime Minister of Prussia. Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898) He was determined to unite the German states under Prussian domination, and guided Prussia through three wars which ultimately achieved this goal.

The first of these wars was the Second War of Schleswig (1864), which Prussia initiated and succeeded in gaining the assistance of Austria. The First Schleswig War occurred in 1848–1851. The Second Schleswig War (2 Denmark was soundly defeated and surrendered both Schleswig and Holstein, to Prussia and Austria respectively.

Aftermath of the Austro-Prussian War (1866)

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     Prussia      Prussian allies: Italy and 14 German states^[3]      Austria-Hungary      Austrian allies: 11 German states^[4]      Neutral states: Liechtenstein, Limburg, Luxembourg, Reuss-Schleiz, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt      Prussian acquisitions: Hanover, Schleswig-Holstein, Hessian Hinterland, Hesse-Kassel, Nassau and Frankfurt

The divided administration of Schleswig and Holstein then became the trigger for the Austro-Prussian War (1866 – also known as the Seven Weeks’ War), where Prussia, allied with the Kingdom of Italy and various northern German states, declared war on the Austrian Empire. The Austro-Prussian The Kingdom of Italy ( Italian: Regno d'Italia) was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland This article deals with the historical duchy of Limburg for other meanings see Limburg. Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by The Principality of Reuss Junior Line (Fürstentum Reuß Jüngerer Linie was a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Herzogtum Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small state in Germany, in the present-day state of Thuringia formed in a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty family lands The Kingdom of Hanover (Königreich Hannover was established in October of 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian The Province of Schleswig-Holstein (Provinz Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to Hesse (Hessen is a state of Germany with an area Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. For almost five centuries the German city of Frankfurt am Main was a city-state within two major Germanic states The Holy Roman Empire as the Free The Austro-Prussian The Kingdom of Italy ( Italian: Regno d'Italia) was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom The Austrian-led coalition was crushed and some German states (the Kingdom of Hanover, the Grand Duchy of Hesse, the Duchy of Nassau and the Free City of Frankfurt) were annexed by Prussia. The Kingdom of Hanover (Königreich Hannover was established in October of 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian The Grand Duchy of Hesse (Großherzogtum Hessen was a former state that existed in modern-day Germany. Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. For almost five centuries the German city of Frankfurt am Main was a city-state within two major Germanic states The Holy Roman Empire as the Free The disputed territories of Schleswig and Holstein were now under total Prussian rule. With these gains in territory it became possible to connect the Prussian possessions in the Rhineland and Westphalia with the remainder of the Kingdom. It was at this point that Prussia reached its fullest extent in terms of area; it now stretched uninterrupted across the northern two-thirds of Germany. It remained at this size until the Kingdom's end in 1918.

The German Confederation was dissolved as part of the war. In its place, Prussia cajoled the 21 states north of the Main into forming the North German Confederation in 1867. The Main (maɪn is a River in Germany, 524 km (329 miles long (including White Main 574 km (357 mi and it is one of the more significant tributaries The North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund came into existence in August 1866 as a military alliance of 22 states of northern Germany with the Kingdom of Prussia was the dominant state in this new grouping, with four-fifths of its territory and population. Its near-total control was cemented in a constitution written by Bismarck. Executive power was vested in a president; the office was held by the Prussian king in accordance with hereditary right. He was assisted by a chancellor responsible only to him. There was also a two-house parliament. The lower house, or Reichstag (Diet), was elected by universal male suffrage. The Reichstag ( German for "Imperial Diet " was the Parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, The upper house, or Bundesrat (Federal Council) was appointed by the state governments. The Bundesrat was, in practice, the stronger chamber. Prussia had 17 of 43 votes, and could easily control proceedings through alliances with the other states.

The southern German states (except Austria) were forced to accept military alliances with Prussia. Bismarck’s planned Kleindeutschland unification of Germany had come considerably closer to realisation. The Kleindeutsche Lösung ("Lesser German Solution" was a 19th century political idea postulating the idea of a unified Germany consisting of the members The unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent While King William was determined to make territorial gains from Austria itself, Bismarck persuaded him to abandon the idea. While Bismarck wanted Austria to play no future role in German affairs, he still saw that Austria could be a valuable future ally.

The final act was the Franco-Prussian War (1870), where Bismarck maneuvered Emperor Napoleon III of France into declaring war on Prussia. The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 Napoléon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (full name Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 9 January 1873 was the first President Activating the German alliances put in place after the Austro-Prussian War, the German states came together and swiftly defeated France. The Second French Empire or Second Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870 between the Second This Prussian led victory made possible the creation of the German Empire with William declared to be Kaiser William I on 18 January 1871 (the 170th anniversary of the coronation of the first Prussian King, Frederick I) in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles outside of Paris, while the French capital was still under siege. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Biography Born in Königsberg, he was the third son of Frederick William Elector of Brandenburg by his father's first marriage to Louise Henriette The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal Château in Versailles, in France 's Île-de-France region Versailles (vɛʀsaj in French) formerly de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 &ndash January 28, 1871, brought about French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War

1871-1918: Prussia’s peak and fall

Main article: German Empire

Prussia in the German Empire 1871–1918

Bismarck's new empire was one of the most powerful entities in continental Europe. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Prussia's dominance over the new empire was almost as absolute as it was with the North German Confederation. It included three-fifths of the empire's territory and two-thirds of its population. The imperial crown was a hereditary office of the House of Hohenzollern.

However, the seeds for future problems lay in a gross disparity between the imperial and Prussian systems. The empire had a system of universal and equal suffrage for all men over 25. However, Prussia retained its restrictive three-class voting system, in which the well-to-do had 17. 5 times the voting power of the rest of the population. Since the imperial chancellor was, except for two periods (January-November 1873 and 1892-94) also prime minister of Prussia, this meant that for most of the empire's existence, the king/emperor and prime minister/chancellor had to seek majorities from legislatures elected by two completely different franchises.

At the time of the empire's creation, both Prussia and Germany were roughly two-thirds rural. However, within 20 years, the situation was reversed; the cities and towns accounted for two-thirds of the population. However, in both the kingdom and the empire, the constituencies were never redrawn to reflect the growing population and influence of the cities and towns. This meant that rural areas were grossly overrepresented from the 1890s onward.

Bismarck realized that the rest of Europe was somewhat skeptical of his powerful new Reich, and turned his attention to preserving peace with such acts as the Congress of Berlin. See also Berlin Conference (1884-85 re Africa and Berlin Conference of 1954 (Cold War The new German Empire improved its already-strong relations with Britain. The ties between London and Berlin had already been sealed with a golden braid in 1858, when Crown Prince Frederick William of Germany married Princess Victoria of Britain. Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Princess Victoria Princess Royal (Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa 21 November 1840 &ndash 5 August 1901) was the eldest child and daughter

William I died in 1888, and the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne as Frederick III. Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Frederick III (German Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl, English Frederick William Nicholas Charles; October 18 1831 – June 15 1888 (German Friedrich The new emperor, a decided Anglophile, planned to institute extensive liberal reforms. Unfortunately, he died after only 99 days on the throne and was succeeded by his 29-year old son, William II. As a boy, William had rebelled against his parents' efforts to mold him as a liberal, and had become thoroughly Prussianized under Bismarck's tutelage. The new Kaiser rapidly soured relations with the British and Russian royal families (despite being closely related to them), becoming their rival and ultimately their enemy. The House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms The older part is a branch of the Saxe-Coburg The House of Romanov (Рома́нов rʌˈmanəf was the second and last imperial Dynasty of Russia, which ruled the country from 1613 to 1917

William II ousted Bismarck from office in 1890 and began a campaign of militarisation and adventurism in foreign policy that eventually led Germany into isolation. A gross misjudgment of the Austro-Hungarian conflict with Serbia by the Kaiser, who left for holidays, and hasty mobilisation plans of several nations led to the disaster of World War I (1914–1918). Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All As the price of their withdrawal from the war, the Bolsheviks conceded large regions of the western Russian Empire, some of which bordered Prussia, to German control in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918). The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Not to be confused with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (February 9 1918, a similar treaty involving Ukraine and the Central Powers. German control of these territories only lasted for a few months, however, because of the defeat of German military forces and the German Revolution – which led to the Kaiser’s abdication and exile.

The post-war Treaty of Versailles, which held Germany solely responsible for the war, was signed in Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, where the German Empire had been created. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. With the abdication of Wilhelm II in 1918, the Kingdom of Prussia was dissolved and replaced with the Free State of Prussia.

Politics

The Kingdom of Prussia was an autocratic monarchy until the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, after which Prussia became a constitutional monarchy and Adolf Heinrich von Arnim-Boitzenburg was elected as Prussia's first prime minister. " Germany " at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 had been a collection of 39 States loosely bound together in the German Confederation. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Adolf Heinrich Graf Arnim-Boitzenburg (10 April 1803 &ndash 8 January 1868 was a German Statesman, and the First Prime Minister of Prussia Following Prussia's first constitution, a two-house parliament was formed. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia was adopted in 1850 and amended in the following years The lower house, or Landtag was elected by all taxpayers, who were divided into three classes according to the amount of taxes paid. A Landtag ( Diet) is a representative assembly or Parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority After the 1848 revolutions in the German states, the Prussian three-class franchise system ( Dreiklassenwahlrecht) was introduced in 1849 by the This allowed just over one-third of the voters to choose 85% of the legislature, all but assuring dominance by the more well-to-do elements of the population. The upper house, which was later renamed the Prussian House of Lords, was appointed by the king. The Prussian House of Lords (Preußisches Herrenhaus was the first chamber of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1850-1918 He retained full executive authority and ministers were responsible only to him. As a result, the grip of the landowning classes, the Junkers, remained unbroken, especially in the eastern provinces. Junkers (English pronunciation ə German pronunciation kɐ were the Landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. Prussian Secret Police, formed in response to the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, aided the conservative government. The Prussian Secret Police ( Preußische Geheimpolizei) was the State police agency of the German state of Prussia in the 19th century and early " Germany " at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 had been a collection of 39 States loosely bound together in the German Confederation.

Subdivisions of Prussia

Main article: Provinces of Prussia

The ten provinces of the Kingdom of Prussia, after the Congress of Vienna (1815). The Provinces of Prussia constituted the main administrative divisions of Prussia. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich The other member states of the German Confederation are shown in beige. The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to The Canton of Neuchâtel in the south-west was under Prussian administration until 1848

The original core regions of the Kingdom of Prussia were the Margraviate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia which together formed Brandenburg-Prussia. Neuchâtel (Canton de Neuchâtel Kanton Neuenburg is a canton of western Switzerland. The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from Brandenburg-Prussia (Brandenburg-Preußen was a German Monarchy established by the Personal union between the Duchy of Prussia and the Further Pomerania had been held by Prussia since 1648. Farther Pomerania or Further Pomerania (Hinterpommern Pomorze Zachodnie is a Pomeranian region roughly stretching from the Oder River in the West Combined with nearby gains from Sweden in 1720, this region would later become the Province of Pomerania. For the present-day Polish provinces see Pomeranian Voivodeship and West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Prussian gains in the Silesian Wars led to the formation of the Province of Silesia in 1740. The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria (and their changing allies for control of Silesia. The Province of Silesia (Provinz Schlesien Prowincja Śląsk was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919 the territory had been conquered from

After the First Partition of Poland in 1772, the newly-annexed Royal Prussia and Warmia became the Province of West Prussia, while the Duchy of Prussia (along with part of Warmia) became the Province of East Prussia. The First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence Royal Prussia ( Prusy Królewskie was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772 Warmia (Warmia Latin: Varmia) or Erm(eland ( is a region between Pomerania and Masuria in northeastern Poland West Prussia ( Prusy Zachodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773&ndash1824 and 1878&ndash1918 which was created out of the earlier Polish East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part Other annexations along the Noteć (Netze) River became the Netze District. The Noteć ( German: Netze, Latin: Natissis) is a River in central Poland with a length of 388 km (7th longest and a basin The Netze District or District of the Netze (Netzedistrikt or Netze-Distrikt Obwód Nadnotecki was a territory in the Kingdom of Prussia from 1772 Following the second and third partitions (1793-1795), the new Prussian annexations became the Provinces of New Silesia, South Prussia, and New East Prussia, with the Netze District redivided between West and South Prussia. New Silesia may also refer to the Barossa Valley in Australia South Prussia (Südpreußen Prusy Południowe was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1793 to 1807 New East Prussia (Neuostpreußen Prusy Nowowschodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1795 to 1807 These three provinces were ultimately lost to Congress Poland after the Congress of Vienna in 1815, except for the western part of South Prussia, which would form part of the Grand Duchy of Posen. Congress Poland Kongresówka, officially and formally Kingdom of Poland (Królestwo Polskie {{IPA-pl|'|p|o|l|s|kʲ|e}} Царство Польское Tsarstvo Polskoye The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich The Grand Duchy of Posen (Großherzogtum Posen Wielkie Księstwo Poznańskie was an autonomous province of the Kingdom of Prussia in the Polish lands commonly known as "

Following the major western gains made by Prussia after the Vienna Congress, a total of ten provinces were established, each one subdivided further into smaller administrative regions known as Regierungsbezirke. A Regierungsbezirk is a type of government region of Germany, a subdivision of certain federal states ( ''Bundesländer'') The provinces were:

• Brandenburg
• East Prussia
• Jülich-Cleves-Berg
• Lower Rhine
• Pomerania
• Grand Duchy of Posen (authonomus, outside of German Confederation)
• Saxony
• Silesia
• West Prussia
• Westphalia

Map of current states of Germany that are completely or mostly situated inside the old borders of Imperial Germany’s Kingdom of Prussia

In 1822, the provinces of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and the Lower Rhine were merged to form the Rhine Province. } The Province of Brandenburg (Provinz Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946 East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part }The Province of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (Provinz Jülich-Kleve-Berg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815-1822 }The Grand Duchy of the Lower Rhine (Großherzogtum Niederrhein or simply known as the Lower Rhine Province (Provinz Niederrhein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia For the present-day Polish provinces see Pomeranian Voivodeship and West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The Grand Duchy of Posen (Großherzogtum Posen Wielkie Księstwo Poznańskie was an autonomous province of the Kingdom of Prussia in the Polish lands commonly known as " The German Confederation (Deutscher Bund was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to serve as the successor to }The Province of Saxony (Provinz Sachsen was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1945 The Province of Silesia (Provinz Schlesien Prowincja Śląsk was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919 the territory had been conquered from West Prussia ( Prusy Zachodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773&ndash1824 and 1878&ndash1918 which was created out of the earlier Polish The Province of Westphalia (Provinz Westfalen was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815-1946 Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The Rhine Province (Rheinprovinz also known as Rhenish Prussia ( Rheinpreußen) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free In 1829, the Provinces of East and West Prussia merged to form the Province of Prussia, but the separate provinces were reformed in 1878. The Province of Prussia (Provinz Preußen was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1829-1878 created out of the provinces of East Prussia and The principalities of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Hohenzollern-Hechingen were annexed in 1850 to form the Province of Hohenzollern. The House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the Cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty less known than the Franconian Hohenzollern-Hechingen was a county and principality in southwestern Germany Hohenzollern ( Hohenzollernsche Lande in full was a de facto province of the Kingdom of Prussia.

After Prussia's victory in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, territories annexed by Prussia were reorganised into three new provinces: Hanover, Hesse-Nassau and Schleswig-Holstein. The Austro-Prussian The Province of Hanover (Provinz Hannover was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946 The Province of Hesse-Nassau (Provinz Hessen-Nassau was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1868-1918 then a province of the Free State of Prussia The Province of Schleswig-Holstein (Provinz Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to

See also

• List of Kings of Prussia
• Prussian Army
• Free State of Prussia
• Prussian Crown Jewels
• History of Germany
• Kreis in Prussia

References