FREDERICK WILLIAM, elector of Brandenburg, called the Great Elector : b. 16 Feb. 1620; d. Potsdam, 9 May 1688. He suc ceeded his father when the unhappy Thirty Years' War was still raging in Germany, and his conduct toward the contestants was marked by great prudence. In 1641 he concluded a treaty of neutrality with Sweden, notwith standing the earnest remonstrances of Austria. In 1644 he concluded an armistice with Hesse 'Cassel, by which Cleves and the county of Mark were restored to him, and by the peace of Westphalia in 1648 received Magdeburg, Halberstadt and Kammin In the war between Poland and Sweden (in 1655) he supported both parties in turn and obtained an acknowl edgment of the independence of the duchy of Prussia from Poland, upon whom it was for merly dependent. In 1672 he concluded a treaty with the Dutch Republic when his state was threatened by Louis XIV. On 6 June 1673, he concluded a treaty with France at Vossem, by which France promised to evacuate West phalia and to nay 800,000 livres to the elector, who in return broke off his treaty with Holland and promised not to render any aid to the ene mies of France. In 1674 the German states de clared war against France. In the following December a Swedish army, at the instigation of France, entered Pomerania and the Mark. The elector defeated them, 18 June 1675, at Fehrbel lin. In 1678 he concluded a separate peace with France, at Nimwegen, as did also Holland and Spain. France demanded the restoration of all the conquered territories to Sweden. The elector, having refused compliance, formed an alliance with Denmark and waged a new war against Sweden, but was obliged to submit, by the Peace of Saint Germain-en-Laye, 29 June 1679. Louis XIV having occupied several
circles of Alsace by his famous chambres de reunion, Frederick William effected (1684) an armistice of 20 years between France and Ger many. But when he renewed (1685) his treaty with Holland and received into his dominions about 14,000 Protestant refugees from France, driven forth by the revocation of the edict of Nantes, new difficulties arose between him and France, which brought him into a closer con nection with Austria. He received the circle of Schwiebus in 1686, and in the same year sent 8,000 men to assist the Austrians against Turkey. A wise and tolerant ruler, equally skilful in the fields of diplomacy and ad ministration, Frederick William set himself to repair the ravages wrought by the Thirty Years' War. He paid great attention to agri culture, promoted canal works, was a dis criminating patron of education, founded the University of Dinsburg and reorganized those of Frankfort on the Oder and Konigsberg, and also established the Royal Library of Berlin. A colossal statue of Frederick William in bronze was cast by Jacobi in 1700 and is still one of the greatest ornaments of the city of Berlin. Consult Hitl, 'Der grosse Kurfiirst and seine Zeit' (1893) ; Philippson, 'Der grosse Kur Hirst' (1897-1902), and W. Ward's contribu tion in Vol. V of the