Friedrich Wilhelm III, king of Prussia |
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BORN 3 Aug 1770, Potsdam, Brandenburg - DIED 7 Jun 1840, Berlin GRAVE LOCATION Berlin: Mausoleum Charlottenburg |
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Son of Friedrich Wilhelm II. Among his tutors was Johan Engel. He became a colonel in 1790 and fought against the French (1792-1794). In 1793 he married the beautiful Louise von Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He succeeded his father in 1797. During the Napoleontic Wars he was neutral until 1806, when Prussia entered the war and was defeated near Jena. The king and queen fled to Memel, East Prussia. The pregnant queen begged Napoleon during an audience to have mercy on Prussia, but lost it's Polish posessions as well as the territory west of the Elbe. The king did little, but the queen encouraged several ministers to reform what was left of Prussia. When Louise died in 1810 it was a heavy blow to the king as well as to the country. After the Napoleontic Army was diminished in Russia the king allied with the Russians against France. After the war he broke his promise to give Prussia a constitution. His reign lasted until his death in 1840. Family • Father: Friedrich Wilhelm II, König von Preussen • Son: Wilhelm I, emperor of Germany • Wife: Louise von Mecklenburg-Strelitz, königin von Preussen (1793-1810) Related persons • had as physician Hufeland, Christoph Wilhelm • was sculpted by Kiss, August • employed Rauch, Christian Daniel |
| Images |
 The funerary monument for king Friedrich Wilhelm III at the mausoleum Charlottenburg, Berlin. Picture by Androom (18 Aug 1996) |
Sources • Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909 • Frederick William III of Prussia - Wikipedia |
