Frederick William III 1770-1840
King of Prussia

Born in Potsdam, he succeeded his father, Frederick William II in 1797. At first he was neutral towards Napoleon I but eventually declared war against him in 1806. After defeat at Jena and Auerst�dt, he fled into East Prussia, and by the Treaty of Tilsit (1807) lost all his territories west of the Elbe. Although defeated at L�tzen and Bautzen, Prussia was finally victorious at Leipzig (1813). The territories west of the Elbe were returned at the Treaty of Vienna (1815) and Prussia also gained Pomerania and parts of Saxony and Westphalia, but gave up most of her Polish acquisitions. The latter part of his reign was one of reaction. The democratic movements of 1819 and 1830 were rigorously suppressed, and the freedom of the press curtailed. Nevertheless, provincial diets were established (1823), the finances were situated on a better footing, education was encouraged, and the Zollverein, or customs union, was established.

Bibliography: Thomas Stamm, Konig in Preussens grosser Zeit: Friedrich Wilhelm III (1992)