Frederick the Great: The Enlightened Despot - Essay Example

Frederick the Great improved the education system and ensured that almost everybody got an education. He considered education a tool for enlightenment that needed to be observed at all costs. Freedom of religion was also taken into consideration and was considered equally important. Frederick the Great also wrote many books about religion. He allowed his subjects to believe in any type of religion they liked (Murvar, 2013).

            Frederick is also considered an enlightened despot because of his contribution to promoting industry, commerce, and agriculture. He reorganized the indirect taxes system, which provided the state with additional revenue than before.

            In 1740, Frederick seized the province of Silesia from Austria. The seizing of this province brought about a major European conflict.

            Additionally, Frederick the Great is considered an enlightened despot because his mother brought him up with the educational values of the enlightenment. In his childhood, his mother tutors who were in a position to teach him poetry. French culture and Greek classical literature. His father also insisted that he needed to be taught matters related to politics and the military. Therefore, he became a military genius (Halpern, 2007).

            Lastly, Frederick became a patron of arts and sciences. He was also a talented musician, writing flute sonatas. At some point, he corresponded with intellectual leaders of the enlightenment such as Voltaire. In his scientific work, he encouraged the Berlin academy and encouraged architects to build elaborate buildings and structures. Such structures and buildings established Berlin as a cultural capital (Halpern, 2007).