FREDERICK II., commonly called Fred erick the Great; born in Berlin, Jan. 24, 1712, and began to reign in 1740, found himself in possession of a full treasury and a powerful army, which be soon em ployed in attacking Austria, and con quering from her the province of Silesia (1740-1742). In 1744 he engaged in a second war with Austria, which was ter minated in 1745, and left him possession of Silesia. The great struggle of the Seven Years' War bagan in 1756. Prus sia was now attacked by the Austrians, the Russians, the French, the Saxons, and the Swedes, and her destruction and dismemberment seemed inevitable. Eng land was her only ally. Prussia went through the struggle and came out tri umphant. When the peace of Hubertus burg was concluded in 1763, Prussia did not cede an inch of land, or pay a dollar of money; and from that time forth she was recognized as one of the great powers of Europe. For this glori
ous result she was indebted to her king. Though victorious at Prague, at Ross bach, and Lissa (1757), at Zorndorf (1758), at Liegnitz and Torgau (1760), he suffered heavy defeats at Collin (1757), at Hochkirchen (1758), at Ku nersdorf (1759) ; and his lieutenants, with the exception of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, were generally unsuccess ful. But Frederick's firmness never failed him, even when all hope seemed lost. During his struggles against Aus tria and France, Frederick was regarded in England and America as the champion of Protestantism and he was called a second Gustavus Adolphus. He ill de served the title. The disciple of Voltaire, he is supposed to have had no religious faith whatever. He died in the château of Sans Souci, near Potsdam, Aug. 17, 1786.