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FREDERICK (PEUSSIA) Russia, by a treaty in which he guaranteed its integrity (1790), he afterward, when engaged in the war with France, found it more con- venient and profitable to share the prey with Russia and Austria. He marched his army into Poland, and actively promoted the second and third dismemberments of the unhappy re- public (1793-'95). His share was large, ex- tending to the Niemen, and including the capi- tal, Warsaw. These wars and the extravagance of the court exhausted the finances of Prussia. Intolerant edicts and severe restrictions of the press contributed to make his reign unpopular ; but it was not without merit in developing the resources of the state and the welfare of the people by useful internal improvements. The judicial organization of Prussia was also great- ly promoted under Frederick William. He completed and introduced the code of laws prepared by Frederick the Great. FREDERICK WILLIAM III., eldest son and successor of the preceding, born Aug. 3, 1770,. died June 7, 1840. Educated with care by his virtuous mother, Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt, he had ample opportunity of comparing, at the courts of Frederick the Great and of his fa- ther, the opposite influence of royal virtues and vices upon the affairs of his state ; and he early contracted the love of order, discipline, econo- my, and labor, which in after time contributed no little to the prosperity of his people. He accompanied his father to the conference of Pilnitz, and to the army of the first coalition against France, and in 1793 married the beauti- ful and accomplished princess Louisa of Meck- lenburg-Strelitz, the most popular queen of Prussia. After his accession (Nov. 16, 1797) the court and the administration were purged of the creatures and abuses of the preceding reign. The unpopular edicts restricting the press and the freedom of religious instruction were abrogated, and economy and order re- stored. In his foreign policy the young king maintained the neutrality imposed by the treaty of Basel, the temporary stipulations of which were made definitive by the treaty of Luneville (1801). For its cessions on the left bank of the Rhine, Prussia soon after received ample compensations in small territories de- prived of their independence as members of the empire by decree of the Germanic diet. Satis- fied with his acquisitions and political influence in the north of Germany, Frederick William refused to join the third coalition against France which was formed by England, Russia, and Aus- tria. But when the French armies had in- fringed the neutrality of the Prussian territories, he secretly allied himself with Alexander of Russia, during a sudden visit of the latter at Berlin. Hesitation, however, spoiled the effect of this alliance, and the battle of Austerlitz was followed by a new treaty with Napoleon (De- cember, 1805). Ceding Anspach, Cleves, and Neufchatel, Prussia received Hanover from the conqueror. The consequence of this exchange was what Napoleon wanted, a declaration of 459 war by England against Prussia. The latter was also embroiled with Sweden. Having made peace with these enemies, Frederick Wil- liam made peremptory demands on Napoleon m behalf of the neutrality of his state and its allies in northern Germany. Napoleon an- swered with prompt hostilities, and the battles of Jena and Auerstadt were both fought on Oct. 14, 1806. The powerful Prussian army was broken, Berlin was occupied by the enemy, and the fortresses surrendered at the first summons. The aid of Alexander was of little avail. After a winter campaign in Prussian Poland and the indecisive battles of Pultusk (Dec. 26) and Eylau (Feb. 7-8, 1807), Napoleon conquered peace by the battle of Friedland, won on the anniversary of Marengo (June 14). The treaty of Tilsit (July) sacrificed one half of Prussia, parts of which were transformed into the duchy of Warsaw, and others attached to the kingdom of Westphalia. The other half remained for years in the hands of the conqueror, and was treated as a subdued province. The treaty further provided for the reduction of the Prus- sian army to 40,000 men, and the payment of an indemnity of 146,000,000 francs to France. French troops were to occupy Berlin and other important Prussian fortresses till the payment of the debt. The king, who paid a visit with the queen to Alexander, could not return to his capital before 1809. But this gloomy period became one of the most successful in .the his- tory of the state, by a series of salutary and energetic reforms, undertaken and executed particularly under the celebrated ministers Stein and Hardenberg. Serfdom was abolished, the towns obtained some independence in the management of their affairs, the royal domains were sold, convents and ecclesiastical founda- tions were converted into state property, pub- lic instruction was organized, and the new university of Berlin founded. The new system of military organization of Prussia had also its origin in that period. In July, 1810, the king lost his wife. In 1812 he was compelled to aid Napoleon with an army against Russia. Forming the left of the great French army of invasion, it was saved on the retreat by a spe- cial arrangement between its commander, York, and Diebitsch. Frederick in January, 1813, transferred his residence to Breslau, where he was visited in March by the emperor Alexan- der, and the treaty of Kalisz, which had been concluded the preceding month between Rus- sia and Prussia, was made public. He now issued a proclamation, which was answered by a general rising of the nation against France. The capital alone is said to have contributed 10,000 men. Prudent measures had been adopted in secret to prepare for the struggle. The young men, meeting privately, had been drilled in the use of arms in small detachments. Thus the power of the people answered to their will. The militia having been summoned, war against France was declared on March 17. The situation had its dangers. The French still