Okay, this is my first draft. I tried to keep it concise. It went against the grain. :P Tell me what you think I should put in and take out. Thanks to the fact that it will go up in a post, not a comment, it will remain editable in the future (thank goodness!).
1709: Wilhelmine, older and most beloved sister of Friedrich, born July 3. 1710: Future Louis XV of France born February 15. 1712: Friedrich born January 24. 1713: Friedrich I of Prussia dies February 25. Friedrich Wilhelm I becomes king. 1715: Louis XIV of France dies September 1. His great-grandson becomes Louis XV. 1722: Augustus Wilhelm, second son of Friedrich Wilhelm I, born August 9. 1726: Heinrich, third son of Friedrich Wilhelm, born January 18. 1727: George I dies June 11. 1730: Crown Prince Friedrich tries to escape his abusive father August 5, is caught and imprisoned at Küstrin. He is required to watch his friend and probable lover Katte executed as an accomplice November 6. Friedrich is pardoned later in the month, but kept under house arrest at Küstrin. 1731: Friedrich remains imprisoned all year. He meets Fredersdorf, future valet and unofficial first minister of Prussia, some time during this year. Wilhelmine marries the son of the Margrave of Bayreuth November 20. 1732: Friedrich is released from Küstrin in February and given his own regiment at Neuruppin. 1733: Under duress, Friedrich marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick. 1736: Friedrich moves to Rheinsberg. He begins corresponding with Voltaire. 1740: Friedrich Wilhelm dies May 31. Friedrich becomes Friedrich II. He invites a number of musicians, intellectuals, and artists to his court, including Francesco Algarotti, whom he makes a count. He meets Voltaire in person but does not yet offer him a permanent place at court. Voltaire pays a brief visit to the Prussian court. The Anti-Machiavel, Friedrich's pamphlet on being an honorable ruler, is published by Voltaire in the fall. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI dies October 20. Due to the Pragmatic Sanction, his daughter Maria Theresia is supposed to be recognized as heir to the kingdom and her husband Franz supposed to be elected Holy Roman Emperor. However their rule is immediately challenged. Friedrich invades Silesia December 16, beginning the War of the Austrian Succession. It will be over 7 years before all the powers of Europe recognize the Pragmatic Sanction. 1741: Algarotti leaves Prussia for the first time. Joseph, the son of Maria Theresia and future Joseph II, is born March 13. Elizabeth I seizes power in Russia in a coup December 6. 1742: The First Silesian War ends June 11, leaving Prussia in control of Silesia. 1743: Voltaire visits the Prussian court briefly. 1744-1745: The Second Silesian War begins August 15. Friedrich's younger sister Ulrike marries the Crown Prince and future King of Sweden. Future Friedrich Wilhelm II, son of Augustus Wilhelm and nephew of Friedrich, born September 25. 1745: End of the Second Silesian War December 25. Prussian control of Silesia is recognized. Franz is elected Holy Roman Emperor Franz I September 13. Wilhelmine has lunch with Maria Theresia in Bayreuth, thus deepening an already existing rift between her and her brother Friedrich. 1746: Friedrich begins building Sanssouci. Reconciliation with Wilhelmine. 1747: Algarotti returns to Prussia. 1748: War of the Austrian Succession ends with the Pragmatic Sanction recognized. 1750: Voltaire joins the Prussian court. 1752: Heinrich forced to marry. 1753: Voltaire and Friedrich have fought so much for three years that Voltaire leaves Prussia, never to see Friedrich again. Briefly detained in Frankfurt on Friedrich's orders. Algarotti returns to Italy, never to see Friedrich again. 1755: Friedrich makes an incognito trip to Netherlands. There, he meets Henri de Catt, his future reader for 25 years. 1756: Start of the Seven Years' War: Austria, Russia, France, and Sweden against Prussia and a loosely allied Great Britain. Prussia instigates the war by invading and occupying Saxony in August. 1757: Fredersdorf retires due to bad health. Major Prussian defeat at Kolin June 18. Queen Mother Sophia Dorothea dies June 28. Augustus Wilhelm disgraced July 29 over his military decisions and cashiered. Major Prussian victory at Rossbach November 5. Major Prussian victory at Leuthen December 5. 1758: Fredersdorf dies January 12. Augustus Wilhelm dies June 12. Wilhelmine dies October 14. Major Prussian defeat at Hochkirch October 14. 1760: Major Prussian defeat at Kunersdorf August 12. George II dies October 25. His grandson becomes George III. 1762: Elizabeth of Russia dies January 5. Her nephew becomes Peter III. Under Peter III, Russia switches sides in the war and joins Prussia. A coup overthrows Peter III July 9. His wife becomes Catherine II, future Catherine the Great. Peter III dies in captivity July 17. Russia withdraws from the war. 1763: The Seven Years' War ends February 15 in a status quo ante bellum. Prussia remains in control of Silesia. 1764: Algarotti dies May 3. 1765: Franz I dies August 18. His son becomes Joseph II. 1769: First meeting between Joseph II and Friedrich, at Neisse, August 25. 1772: The First Partition of Poland divides part of Poland among Russia, Prussia, and Austria. 1774: Louis XV dies May 10. His son becomes Louis XVI. 1778: Voltaire dies May 30. 1778 - 1779: Joseph attempts to claim Bavaria. Friedrich opposes him. The largely desultory and bloodless War of the Bavarian Succession is eventually concluded by diplomacy. 1780: Maria Theresia dies November 29. 1782: Catt is dismissed from service as Friedrich's reader for financial irregularities. 1786: Friedrich dies August 17. His nephew becomes Friedrich Wilhelm II.
Rheinsberg chronology
1709: Wilhelmine, older and most beloved sister of Friedrich, born July 3.
1710: Future Louis XV of France born February 15.
1712: Friedrich born January 24.
1713: Friedrich I of Prussia dies February 25. Friedrich Wilhelm I becomes king.
1715: Louis XIV of France dies September 1. His great-grandson becomes Louis XV.
1722: Augustus Wilhelm, second son of Friedrich Wilhelm I, born August 9.
1726: Heinrich, third son of Friedrich Wilhelm, born January 18.
1727: George I dies June 11.
1730: Crown Prince Friedrich tries to escape his abusive father August 5, is caught and imprisoned at Küstrin. He is required to watch his friend and probable lover Katte executed as an accomplice November 6. Friedrich is pardoned later in the month, but kept under house arrest at Küstrin.
1731: Friedrich remains imprisoned all year. He meets Fredersdorf, future valet and unofficial first minister of Prussia, some time during this year. Wilhelmine marries the son of the Margrave of Bayreuth November 20.
1732: Friedrich is released from Küstrin in February and given his own regiment at Neuruppin.
1733: Under duress, Friedrich marries Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick.
1736: Friedrich moves to Rheinsberg. He begins corresponding with Voltaire.
1740: Friedrich Wilhelm dies May 31. Friedrich becomes Friedrich II. He invites a number of musicians, intellectuals, and artists to his court, including Francesco Algarotti, whom he makes a count. He meets Voltaire in person but does not yet offer him a permanent place at court. Voltaire pays a brief visit to the Prussian court. The Anti-Machiavel, Friedrich's pamphlet on being an honorable ruler, is published by Voltaire in the fall. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI dies October 20. Due to the Pragmatic Sanction, his daughter Maria Theresia is supposed to be recognized as heir to the kingdom and her husband Franz supposed to be elected Holy Roman Emperor. However their rule is immediately challenged. Friedrich invades Silesia December 16, beginning the War of the Austrian Succession. It will be over 7 years before all the powers of Europe recognize the Pragmatic Sanction.
1741: Algarotti leaves Prussia for the first time. Joseph, the son of Maria Theresia and future Joseph II, is born March 13. Elizabeth I seizes power in Russia in a coup December 6.
1742: The First Silesian War ends June 11, leaving Prussia in control of Silesia.
1743: Voltaire visits the Prussian court briefly.
1744-1745: The Second Silesian War begins August 15. Friedrich's younger sister Ulrike marries the Crown Prince and future King of Sweden. Future Friedrich Wilhelm II, son of Augustus Wilhelm and nephew of Friedrich, born September 25.
1745: End of the Second Silesian War December 25. Prussian control of Silesia is recognized. Franz is elected Holy Roman Emperor Franz I September 13. Wilhelmine has lunch with Maria Theresia in Bayreuth, thus deepening an already existing rift between her and her brother Friedrich.
1746: Friedrich begins building Sanssouci. Reconciliation with Wilhelmine.
1747: Algarotti returns to Prussia.
1748: War of the Austrian Succession ends with the Pragmatic Sanction recognized.
1750: Voltaire joins the Prussian court.
1752: Heinrich forced to marry.
1753: Voltaire and Friedrich have fought so much for three years that Voltaire leaves Prussia, never to see Friedrich again. Briefly detained in Frankfurt on Friedrich's orders. Algarotti returns to Italy, never to see Friedrich again.
1755: Friedrich makes an incognito trip to Netherlands. There, he meets Henri de Catt, his future reader for 25 years.
1756: Start of the Seven Years' War: Austria, Russia, France, and Sweden against Prussia and a loosely allied Great Britain. Prussia instigates the war by invading and occupying Saxony in August.
1757: Fredersdorf retires due to bad health. Major Prussian defeat at Kolin June 18. Queen Mother Sophia Dorothea dies June 28. Augustus Wilhelm disgraced July 29 over his military decisions and cashiered. Major Prussian victory at Rossbach November 5. Major Prussian victory at Leuthen December 5.
1758: Fredersdorf dies January 12. Augustus Wilhelm dies June 12. Wilhelmine dies October 14. Major Prussian defeat at Hochkirch October 14.
1760: Major Prussian defeat at Kunersdorf August 12. George II dies October 25. His grandson becomes George III.
1762: Elizabeth of Russia dies January 5. Her nephew becomes Peter III. Under Peter III, Russia switches sides in the war and joins Prussia. A coup overthrows Peter III July 9. His wife becomes Catherine II, future Catherine the Great. Peter III dies in captivity July 17. Russia withdraws from the war.
1763: The Seven Years' War ends February 15 in a status quo ante bellum. Prussia remains in control of Silesia.
1764: Algarotti dies May 3.
1765: Franz I dies August 18. His son becomes Joseph II.
1769: First meeting between Joseph II and Friedrich, at Neisse, August 25.
1772: The First Partition of Poland divides part of Poland among Russia, Prussia, and Austria.
1774: Louis XV dies May 10. His son becomes Louis XVI.
1778: Voltaire dies May 30.
1778 - 1779: Joseph attempts to claim Bavaria. Friedrich opposes him. The largely desultory and bloodless War of the Bavarian Succession is eventually concluded by diplomacy.
1780: Maria Theresia dies November 29.
1782: Catt is dismissed from service as Friedrich's reader for financial irregularities.
1786: Friedrich dies August 17. His nephew becomes Friedrich Wilhelm II.