The Life of Frederick the Second, King of Prussia. To Which are Added, Observations, Authentic Documents, and Variety of Anecdotes. Complete in Two Volumes.

Title: The Life of Frederick the Second, King of Prussia. To Which are Added, Observations, Authentic Documents, and Variety of Anecdotes. Complete in Two Volumes.
Author: Laveaux, Jean-Charles.
Publisher: J. Debrett.
Publication date: 1789.

About this item: After studying at Troyes and Paris, Jean-Charles Laveaux was a teacher of French in Basel, then professor of French literature in Stuttgart and Berlin, where Frederick the Great invited him to participate in historical work on the Prussian monarch. Frederick II (24 January 1712-17 August 1786) ruled the Kingdom of Prussia from 1740-1786, the longest reign of any Hohenzollern king, at 46 years. His most significant accomplishments during his reign included his military victories, his reorganization of Prussian armies, his patronage of the arts and the Enlightenment and his final success against great odds in the Seven Years' War. Frederick was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled King of Prussia and declared himself King of Prussian after achieving sovereignty over most historically Prussian lands in 1772. Prussia had greatly increased its territories and became a leading military power in Europe under his rule. He became known as Frederick the Great and was nicknamed Der Alte Fritz ("the Old Fritz")s by the Prussian people and eventually the rest of Germany. Considering himself "the first servant of the state", Frederick was a proponent of enlightened absolutism. Nearly all 19th-century German historians made Frederick into a romantic model of a glorified warrior, praising his leadership, administrative efficiency, devotion to duty and success in building up Prussia to a great power in Europe. Associations with him became far less favorable after the fall of the Nazis, largely due to his status as one of their symbols. However, historians in the 21st century now again view Frederick as one of the finest generals of the 18th century, one of the most enlightened monarchs of his age and a highly successful and capable leader who built the foundation for the Kingdom of Prussia to become a great power who would contest the Austrian Hapsburgs for control of the Germanic peoples. Laveaux has put many of the circumstances in a new light, adding some entertaining details, and enlivened the whole with a spirited and fascinating style.

Description: 1085 Ttl Pp. Vol. I; 525 Pp. 14 Pp. Index. Vol. II; 560 Pp. 9 Pp. Index. (2) Volume Complete Set. Full tan leather hardcovers, stamped/embossed gilt title/design over red title label/spine and dentelle edges.

Measures: 8 11/16" H x 5 1/2" D x 1 1/2" W each volume (3" W overall).

Condition notes: Good; Leather cracked at hinges [Binding cords intact (exception; rear board Vol. II (frail attachment of a single cord), gutters clean/endpapers intact], board corners lightly bumped (exposed inner board tips), light-moderate foxing of end papers and text pages, strong square spines/bindings, sunned upper board edges/leaf edge (dulled gilt/darkened). A nice set.