King Frederick William of Prussia

Born: 1620
Died: 1688
Reign: 1640 until death

Stock Profile,
​At a Glance:

• Tasked with rebuilding the empire after the Thirty Years War.
• His strong army became synonymous with Prussia.
• Oversaw the process of elevating Prussia from a "territory" or "province" to a kingdom.

Current Status:

All absolute monarchs need a nickname, and this guy's got the best: "The Great Elector". Doesn't that just ring with the confidence of his people? Frederick William can be thought of as the first king of Prussia. The first king? Yeah. Let's to back in time...After the Thirty Years War, Prussia, the region of Germany to the north and to the east, emerged as a dominant land mass. The famed region of Pomerania became a dominant seaport and mercantile center. Under Frederick's reign, the region of Prussia became associated with both religious tolerance, military superiority, and commercial success. While the remains of the Holy Roman Empire struggled in their autonomy, Prussia seems prime for success...

Projected Trajectory: 

Frederick and "the military" are synonymous: it can be said that modern Prussian military history started with Frederick's success at the Battle of Warsaw in 1656. And as we know, an absolute monarch is only as good as his army! 

Domestically, Prussia remains an unproven entity: we're starting to see the beginning of the linkage of remote territories under the domain of mercantilism. Frederick is a strong advocate of monopolies, state-sponsored economic reforms and subsidies, and an aggressive tax system that yields significant results. However, the "tax-exempt" status of the nobility might create social disharmony in the future...

Cost of Stock: $4

Stock Components:

• Territorial Acquisition: 4/10
• Economic Health: 9/10
• Domestic Social Harmony: 7/10
• Reputation of Monarchy: 9/10
• Armed Forces: 10/10
• "Divinely" Inspired? 2/10