The king of Prussia from 1740 to 1786, Frederick the Great ranks among eighteenth-century Europe's most enlightened rulers. In addition to abolishing serfdom in his domains and promoting religious tolerance, he was an ardent patron of the arts and an accomplished musician. «Diplomacy without arms,» he observed, «is like music without instruments.» Frederick's expertise at military matters is reflected in his successful defense of his territory during the Seven Years' War, in which...
