Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 45

[cahn]

Unfortunately, there was then at Berlin a King who pursued one policy only, who deceived his enemies, but not his servants, and who lied without scruple, but never without necessity.

(from The King's Secret - by Duke de Broglie, grand-nephew of the subject of the book, Comte de Broglie, and grandfather of the physicist) )

Comments

[selenak]

I think where Broglie and we all agree is that Fritz had an internally consistent policy in mind, and whatever he shared or didn't share with the people working for him all fitted with his ultimate goals. Whereas Louis was internally inconsistent, and that was the disaster.

Now, what could and did happen was trouble with allies, like:

First Silesian War:

Wilhelmine: Good news, Bro! Bayreuth is now joining your war effort we've just signed treaties with the French!
Fritz: Err, I wouldn't, if I were you.
Wilhelmine: .?
Fritz: *has just signed secret truce with MT, hanging the French out to dry*

But not within the Prussian administration.