Frederick William IV

Frederick William IV was King of Prussia from 1840 until his death in 1861. He was known as the "romanticist on the throne" because of his deep religious beliefs and his idea that he ruled by divine right. He was very careful about changes in his kingdom and did not want revolutions to change how things were governed.

At first, Frederick William IV tried to be more open. He eased some strict rules about what people could write or say, let some political prisoners go free, and tried to get along better with Catholic people in his kingdom. But when big changes started happening across Germany in 1848–1849, he had to deal with people who wanted big new ideas for how the country should be run. Even though some people asked him to become Emperor of the Germans, he refused because he did not think they had the right to offer him that title.

Frederick William IV loved art and building beautiful things. He helped make many important places even more wonderful, like the buildings in Berlin-Potsdam, Museum Island, and Cologne Cathedral—all of which are now important places protected by UNESCO. Sadly, from 1857 until he died in 1861, he had several strokes that made him unable to rule. During that time, his brother William took over to help lead the kingdom.

Crown Prince

Frederick William was born to Frederick William III and Queen Louise. After his mother’s death when he was 14, he felt it was a sign from God and believed leading a good life would help him move forward.

During his childhood, Europe faced big changes from the French Revolution. Frederick William grew up valuing tradition and history. He joined the fights against Napoleon and saw it as a battle for faith against new ideas. He loved art and architecture and married Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria in 1823. Though they had a happy marriage, they did not have any children.

Early reign

Frederick William became king of Prussia in 1840 after his father passed away. During his early years as king, he supported many building projects, including the first Berlin Zoo and important museums in Berlin. He also created an award for science and arts called the Pour le Merite.

He began his rule by easing some strict rules and freeing people who were in prison for political reasons. However, Frederick William believed strongly that he ruled by divine right and wanted a state based on Christian traditions rather than modern constitutional ideas. He thought his role was to guide his people with a sacred duty from God.

The Revolution of 1848/1849

Main articles: German revolutions of 1848–1849 and Revolutions of 1848

The year 1848 saw big changes across Europe, starting with a revolution in France. King Frederick William IV of Prussia tried to calm his people by calling a meeting of German states in Dresden and promising to support a united Germany. He wore the colors of the revolution—black, red, and gold—showing that he understood the people's wishes.

Later, he allowed a Prussian National Assembly to meet, where people could discuss new laws. However, the king still believed he ruled by divine right and wanted to keep much of the power for himself. This made it hard to agree on how Prussia and the rest of Germany should be governed.

Counter-revolution

Main articles: Constitution of Prussia (1848) and Constitution of Prussia (1850)

King Frederick William IV of Prussia faced challenges from people who wanted big changes in how the country was run. In 1848, a group called the Prussian National Assembly tried to create a new set of rules, called a constitution, for how Prussia should be governed. They made changes that upset the king, like removing words about ruling by “the grace of God” and getting rid of old noble privileges.

The king decided to take action. He appointed a new leader from the military who agreed with him, and later moved the Assembly away from Berlin. When the Assembly refused to leave, soldiers were sent in to make them stop meeting. The king then dissolved the Assembly and put in place a new constitution in 1848. This constitution was changed a bit in 1850. It created a Parliament with two groups — one for wealthy people and another for others — and kept many powers with the king.

Main article: Erfurt Union

Later, the king was asked to become the leader of all of Germany, but he turned it down. He didn’t want to take a crown offered by ordinary people, and he worried it would cause problems with Austria, another powerful country nearby. He also wanted Germany to be united under a system that included Austria.

When troubles broke out in Dresden, a city in Saxony, the king sent soldiers to help control the situation. This showed Prussia’s strength. Prussia tried to bring together some German states under its leadership, but not all agreed, and the plan lost support over time. Austria, which wanted to keep an older group of German states together, opposed Prussia’s plans. Eventually, Prussia agreed to go back to the older system that included Austria.

Other political events

During the reign of Frederick William IV, several important political events took place. The Rhine Crisis of 1840 began when the French Prime Minister demanded that the Rhine River become France’s border. This created tension, but ended when the leader resigned.

Other events included the First Schleswig War in 1848, where Prussia fought Denmark over land but had to withdraw. Prussia also added the Province of Hohenzollern to its lands in 1850. In 1853, Prussia bought land on the North Sea and built the city of Wilhelmshaven. Finally, the Neuchâtel Crisis of 1856–1857 resolved a dispute over a small area in Switzerland.

Later years

In his final years, King Frederick William IV faced serious health problems. Doctors at the time thought he had a mental illness, but we now understand he suffered from a brain blood vessel disease. This condition made it hard for him to carry out his duties as king.

In 1857, the king's health worsened, affecting his ability to speak. By 1858, he could no longer rule effectively, so he appointed his brother, Prince William, to act as regent. This change led to a new period in Prussia, known as the New Era, with new leaders taking over from the previous government.

Death and burial

King Frederick William IV passed away in January 1861 after another health crisis. He was laid to rest in the Friedenskirche in Potsdam, following his own wishes expressed years earlier.

Honours

Frederick William IV received many honors from different countries for his role as King of Prussia. Some of the notable German decorations he received include:

• Prussia: Knight of the Black Eagle and Iron Cross, 2nd Class.
• Ascanian duchies: Grand Cross of Albert the Bear.
• Baden: Grand Cross of the House Order of Fidelity and the Zähringer Lion.
• Bavaria: Knight of St. Hubert.
• Brunswick: Grand Cross of Henry the Lion.

He also earned honors from foreign nations, such as:

• Austrian Empire: Grand Cross of St. Stephen.
• Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold.
• Denmark: Knight of the Elephant.
• France: Knight of the Holy Spirit, Knight of St. Michael, and Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.
• Greece: Grand Cross of the Redeemer.
• Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Military William Order and the Netherlands Lion.
• Russian Empire: Knight of St. Andrew and St. George, 4th Class.
• Spain: Knight of the Golden Fleece.
• Sweden: Knight of the Seraphim.
• United Kingdom: Knight of the Garter.

Ancestry

Frederick William IV was born into the House of Hohenzollern, a family that had ruled parts of Germany for centuries. His father was Frederick William III of Prussia, and his mother was Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. This noble background shaped his entire life and his later role as King of Prussia.