rpreting life in military categories and regarding their military authority as the highest of all duties. Militaristic ideals such as duty, obedience, system, control, management and the presence of a higher authority became a part of all civil and political thought. Frederick William used his system for the gain of Prussia in foreign relations; he used his army as a powerful tool in efforts to gain independence from Poland. He became an ally to the Swedish side until they had military difficulties; he then joined the Polish side and finally accomplished his goal in 1660 from the Peace of Oliva Treaty. Frederick was a scrupulous ruler who worked for the interest of Prussia and only Prussia. “ Frederick William was the founder of Prussian absolutism, the originator of the machinery that it required, and the obstinate champion of the social structure that the system demanded.” (Jarmarriot, 91) Frederick William left it up to his son to create an even stronger Prussia when he died in 1668.His son Frederick came to power and continued the vision his father had began into the baroque era. Frederick has a palace built for the Duchy of Prussia in Berlin. Frederick adhered to the system of the House of Austria and was an active member of the League of Augsburg. Prussian troops took part in the campaigns on the Rhine and the operations that led to the fall of Namur in 1695. The Peace of Ryswick did not bring the elector what he wanted; he wanted the guarantee of a royal crown from his allies. He desired to raise is status from Elector to King as Hanover elector Georg had done to become King of Great Britain. Frederick worked out a deal with Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I to become King of Prussia while within Prussia in exchange for Hohenzollern support in the War of the Spanish Succession. Frederick took the crown, deciding that to use it outside of the Prussian borders. He crowned himself Frederick I in 1701. The crown imposed a...
