Brandenburg / Preußen



Some notes:

Ancestor of Prussia was the Ordenstaat, a territory under control of the German Order. It was not part of the HRE, it was under suzerainty of the Polish king.

During Reformation, the Order converted and disbanded. It became a duchy under the rule of Albrecht von Brandenburg-Ansbach. He gave the oath of fealty to the King of Poland (1525).

Brandenburg was a part of the HRE, under the suzerainty of the HRE.

In 1618 both territories were ruled by the same person, Johann Sigismund, however still independent duchies. The Duke was under the suzerainty of both, the German Kaiser and the Polish King. I think this makes the position very interesting.

The Duke and his subjects were Protestants.

The military and economy was weak. During the 30years war BP fought with the Protestant Union, the Swedish. Its territories became depopulated and wastes. However, the Duke could gain some new areas.

Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm (1640–1688), managed to strengthen his country with economical reforms, a permanent army, and absolutism. He invited Huguenots that had to run from France, to settle in his countries. He also started to build a navy and to found colonies. During his reign Prussia became the strongest territory behind Austria.

The Kurfürst tried to become King. As a subject of the Kaiser, he would never been able to become King. However, his Prussian territories were outside of the HRE. He managed to become independent of the Polish King. Therefore, he had a territory that was independent from any other sovereign and he could call himself King. However, the Polish King still held some Prussian territories. To avoid any provocation, the new Prussian King called himself King in Prussia, instead of King of Prussia. Well, officially he was Duke of Brandenburg, King in Prussia.