FW learning the art of war directly from Wlliam of Orange, who was dead by the time FW could have done so
True! I should have put the pieces together myself (especially given my recent Spanish Succession readings). For cahn:
- FW is born in 1688. - F1 becomes king in 1701. - The War of the Spanish Succession begins in 1701. Part of F1's negotiations for the title include putting his troops at the disposal of the Emperor, because MT's dad is a contender for the throne. FW will later fight in this war. - William of Orange dies in 1702, when FW is 14.
we have the written at the time testiomony of other observers showing him being incredibly supportive through F1's final illness, crying about him
Awww.
and beating up (naturally) an officer who dared to suggest that hey, at least soon FW will be able to make all those changes he wants to make.
Uh.
Which is why the story of Heinrich and Ferdinand saying they wouldn't handwave their claim on the succession for a bastard is at least plausible, and why Catherine's son Paul was so majorly invested into demonstrating he was, in fact, (P)Russian Pete's son.
And Rococo Dallas, aka Stockholm!
since at the time of F1's last marriage the two baby boys had died, FW was without male issue, and F1 definitely did NOT want his Schwedt half brothers, sons of poisoning stepmom, to inherit his new kingdom.
According to the chronology I have, though, only one baby boy had died when F1 married. The second hadn't been born yet.
1706, November 14: FW & SD marry 1707, November 23: Friedrich Ludwig born 1708, May 13: Friedrich Ludwig dies 1708, November 27: F1 marries again 1710, August 16: Friedrich Wilhelm born
To be fair to Fritz, FW was thus barely 20 when F1 married.
He's sitting in his Potsdam rooms, being lonely and bitter, but also aware that Fritz' official position on his father is to honor and praise him. So he writes a biography which ostensibly does just that but also delivers plenty of digs and anti-FW material, just like he'd been ordered to talk about scholars being idiots and ended up talking about everyone being fools. And course he was a practiced double talker and spy.
Sold! And I'm glad the scholarship in this dissertation was so solid. As cahn says, that's not to be taken for granted!
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Re: Leineweber's critique on Morgenstern's FW biography:
True! I should have put the pieces together myself (especially given my recent Spanish Succession readings). For
- FW is born in 1688.
- F1 becomes king in 1701.
- The War of the Spanish Succession begins in 1701. Part of F1's negotiations for the title include putting his troops at the disposal of the Emperor, because MT's dad is a contender for the throne. FW will later fight in this war.
- William of Orange dies in 1702, when FW is 14.
we have the written at the time testiomony of other observers showing him being incredibly supportive through F1's final illness, crying about him
Awww.
and beating up (naturally) an officer who dared to suggest that hey, at least soon FW will be able to make all those changes he wants to make.
Uh.
Which is why the story of Heinrich and Ferdinand saying they wouldn't handwave their claim on the succession for a bastard is at least plausible, and why Catherine's son Paul was so majorly invested into demonstrating he was, in fact, (P)Russian Pete's son.
And Rococo Dallas, aka Stockholm!
since at the time of F1's last marriage the two baby boys had died, FW was without male issue, and F1 definitely did NOT want his Schwedt half brothers, sons of poisoning stepmom, to inherit his new kingdom.
According to the chronology I have, though, only one baby boy had died when F1 married. The second hadn't been born yet.
1706, November 14: FW & SD marry
1707, November 23: Friedrich Ludwig born
1708, May 13: Friedrich Ludwig dies
1708, November 27: F1 marries again
1710, August 16: Friedrich Wilhelm born
To be fair to Fritz, FW was thus barely 20 when F1 married.
He's sitting in his Potsdam rooms, being lonely and bitter, but also aware that Fritz' official position on his father is to honor and praise him. So he writes a biography which ostensibly does just that but also delivers plenty of digs and anti-FW material, just like he'd been ordered to talk about scholars being idiots and ended up talking about everyone being fools. And course he was a practiced double talker and spy.
Sold! And I'm glad the scholarship in this dissertation was so solid. As cahn says, that's not to be taken for granted!