Histoire de Frederic Guillaume I roi de Prusse - par Mauvillon - 1741

In Amsterdam & Leipzig, at Arkstée & Merkus, 1741, 2 vols.in-12), (6) 416pp. and 454 pp.

First edition decorated with two frontispieces (portraits of William I. and Queen Sophie) and 2 title vignettes. Mauvillon's editions are rather rare, as are books concerning Fréderic William 1st.

Period binding. Ribbed spine with decorated boxes, title pieces in red morocco and volume number in black morocco. Lack of leather on the lower caps, slightly blunted corners. 2 split jaws Good copy.

“Coming from the Hohenzollern family, his father Frederick obtained the crown of Prussia and transmitted it to his son who was the second king of Prussia. The one who was called the Sergeant King, or the Soldier King was a violent and angry tyrant, he re-administered Prussia to make it a military monarchy (the army increased from 40,000 to 80,000 men under his reign), liquidated the court and the administration in order to make savings to maintain an army (in one year he lowered court expenses by 80 percent), and abandoned a prestigious foreign policy, cordially hating the world of letters and culture which suffered under his reign . Prussia became militaristic and expanded its possessions to the north. Mauvillon's work only appeared a year after the death of the monarch and was dedicated to Frederick II, whose policy was in every way opposed to that of his father, if only in the field of letters. and the court. »