The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-07-22
BIRTHDAY OF FREDERICK, FIRST
 OF PRUSSIAN KINGS

This year marks the 50oth anniver- sary of the accession of the Hohen- zollern family to sovereign rank, and today is the 25Sth anniversary of the birth of Frederick T., the first of the Hoh enzollerns to rule over Prussia as king. It was in 1415 that Frederick I. of Nuremberg, of the house of Ho- henzolIern, was made elector of Bran denburg by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The dynasty con tfnued to rule as nargraves or cleo tors of little Brandenburg until 1918, when John Sigisn11tnd assumed also the title of Duke of Prussia.
 Frederick H. Eiector Of Branden- burg and Duke of Prussia, who was crowned king in 1701, was born in Konigsberg on July 22, 1857. The Hoh enzoHernss had long coveted. the title of king, and this elector achieved this ambition, assuming the title of Frederick l., King of Prussia, in 17e1, when he placed the crown upon his head with his own hands. He was thrice married His third spouse be- came insane, but Frederick was kept in ignorance of that fact until one day she escaped and rushed into his apartment, so terrifying the king by her wild actions that he never recov- cred from the shock
 The son of the first PrussianY king. Frederick William l.. succeeded to the throne on his fathers death in 1713. lie may De- said F tOf nave been the father of the militaristic ideal in Prussia. for he had nothing but con tempt for literature, art and science, and his habits were entirely military. Two centuries ago, in 1715. he waged war on Sweden and took Stralsund.
 His son and successor, Frederick the Great, early aroused the fierce antag- onism of his father by his devotion to poetry and music. He proved 2 greater soldier than his father, how ever. and by his talents as a general and a legislator raised Prussia to tke position of an European power The story of his wars is familiar to all readers of history, but he was aqualIy great in peace, and encouraged all the industries. arts and sciences.
 Frederick the Great was succeeded in 1786 by his nephew, Frederick William IT., a. man of no great power, and he in turn gave way in 1797 td Frederick William III, who became the ally of the Russian Czar against Napoleon. Frederick William II. was in many respects the least respectable of the HohenzoIlerns, but what he lacked in ability he made up in self esteem. Frederick III. was hunlinat- ed by. Napoleon and forced to contri- bute troops to the Corsican, while his capital fell into the hands of the enemy. Later he revenged himself upon the French emperor and helped to bring about his downfall. He died in 1S4e, when his son, as Frederick William w, took up the reins of gov- ernment. His character was com bination Of irresolution and abso1utisrn which nearly cost him his throne in the\ popular revolution ofs 1S48.
 Frederick William ". was sue ceeded in 1881 by his brother Will liam l., who waged successful wars against Denmark. Austria and France, and, by the military genius of Won Moltke and the diplomacy of Bis Tnarck, was made the first modern Emperor of Germany. He died at the age of ninety one, in 1888. and was succeeded by his son Frederick III. His reign lasted only q little more than three months. Upon his death, June Is, 1888. William IT., the pres ont sovereign. ascended the throne as the third Enperor of Germah hE and the ninth King of Prussia, being tE1e twenty first of the Hohenzollerns to hold sovereign rank.