This monumental biography was first published in six volumes between 1858 and 1865. Carlyle had intended only four volumes, but the study proved more far-reaching than originally anticipated and rapidly expanded as work on the project progressed. In a sense it is an extra, extended case study for the ideas expressed in Carlyle’s better-known work, On Heroes and Hero-Worship – the central theme of the biography being a demonstration of how one great man can shape the course of history.
Friedrich II (1712-1786) was King of Prussia (a German kingdom made up of parts of present-day Germany, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Belgium, Denmark and the Czech Republic). Politically, the Kingdom of Prussia was the forerunner of modern Germany. Friedrich ruled over the Kingdom from 1740 until his death in 1786. During this time, he successfully reorganised the Prussian armies, leading to a number of brilliant military victories, including overcoming immense odds to secure victory in the Seven Years’ War. He also patronised the Arts and Sciences, ensuring the spread of the Enlightenment to Prussia.