Domestic politics , |279x279pxFrederick William's accession to the throne (17 August 1786) was followed by a series of measures for lightening the burdens of the people, reforming the oppressive French system of tax-collecting introduced by Frederick, and encouraging trade by the diminution of customs dues and the making of roads and canals. This gave the new king much popularity with the masses; the educated classes were pleased by Frederick William's reversal of his uncle's preference for the
French language and the promotion of the
German language, with the admission of German writers to the
Prussian Academy of Arts, and by the active encouragement given to schools and universities. Frederick William also terminated his predecessor's state monopolies for coffee and tobacco Under his reign the codification known as
Allgemeines Preußisches Landrecht, initiated by Frederick II, continued and was completed in 1794.
Foreign policies In the 18th century, the field of foreign policy was considered the highest statecraft and the "main business" of an absolutist prince. Accordingly, Frederick William II was best prepared in this political area. In his world, which was essentially the world of the
Ancien Régime, they initially only appeared to Prussia as distant rumblings of thunder. Frederick William was then married to
Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1769 which lasted until his death in 1797. From 1769 to 1782
Wilhelmine Enke was his mistress. Following this relationship she became his closest confidant and advisor. In 1794–1797 he had a palace built for her on the
Pfaueninsel. Frederick William was involved with two more mistresses during his life, both conducted through
morganatic marriage, which were also
bigamous, since his wife queen Frederica Louisa was still alive. The first was with
Elisabeth Amalie, Gräfin von Voß, Gräfin von Ingenheim in 1787, and the second with
Sophie Juliane Gräfin von Dönhoff. His favourite son —with Wilhelmine Enke— was Graf Alexander von der Mark. His daughter from Sophie Juliane was Countess Julie of Brandenburg (4 January 1793, Neuchâtel – 29 January 1848, Vienna), who later married
Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.
Patron of the Arts Frederick William was a passionate supporter of the arts. Upon ascending to the throne Frederick William turned the cultural focus of the country away from the French culture that Frederick II had established. For instance, the French Theatre was transformed into the
National Theater on
Gendarmenmarkt where performances of German opera and plays were performed. During its opening, Frederick William declared, "We are Germans, and we intend to remain so." The
Royal Opera played works by
Johann Frederick Reichardt and
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Berlin developed into a cultural center of the Classical era, competing with London, Paris, Dresden, and Vienna. The king himself was a passionate cellist. When government affairs allowed, he spent about 2 hours daily with the instrument. Buildings constructed under his reign were the
Marmorpalais in Potsdam and the world-famous
Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Mysticism It is worth mentioning another distinctly characteristic inclination of Frederick William II, namely,
occultism. At the end of the 18th century, the circles of the bourgeoisie and the nobility, unsettled by the
Enlightenment, were in search of mystical Christian experiences. Since the official church could not alleviate this uncertainty, they turned to various religious orders, including the
Rosicrucians. During this time, the Rosicrucians believed they were chosen by God to free people's souls from sin, lust, and pride. In reality, Frederick William gave up his sexual relationship with the future countess but remained closely connected to her in a friendly manner. == Death and legacy ==