Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia by William Fiddian Reddaway is a scholarly biography of Frederick II, the soldier-king whose victories transformed Prussia from a minor German state into a European great power. Reddaway examines Frederick’s wars, his administration, and his contradictory character as both ruthless conqueror and philosopher-king of the Enlightenment.
The book sets Frederick’s reign within the broader story of Prussia’s emergence, tracing the Hohenzollern state’s growth through diplomacy and the battlefield. It is a clear and authoritative account of one of the eighteenth century’s most consequential monarchs. This free EPUB download offers the complete biography for students of royal and military history.