Short Essay on the Rise of Prussia and First Abduction of Napoleon

Napoleon had defeated Prussia in the battle of Jena in 1806 and compelled her to conclude the treaty of Tilsit. This was the most dishonourable treaty for Prussia. Heavy war indemnity was imposed on her; foreign army was posted in Prussia and the army of Prussia was curtailed.

The people of Prussia took this treaty to be their national dishonour. Consequently there arose a great discontent in Prussia against France and Napoleon. The Prussians were highly inspired by the principles of the French Revolution.

Napoleon had enfeebled Austria by doing away with the title of the Holy Roman Empire and strengthened Prussia. The Prussians thought that they should make their internal organisation powerful before holding the leadership of Germany.

Several domestic reforms were carried out in Prussia, the credit for which could be given to Baron Von Stien, Hardenberg, Hambolt and Seharnhorst. They actively participated in promoting the cause of resurgence in Prussia.

Social Reforms

The credit for introducing social reforms in Prussia can be given to Stien, Hardenberg and the queen. An edict of emancipation was passed in 1807 and serfdom was ended in Prussia. The farmers were now free to make sale or purchase deeds freely.

The privileges of the nobles were taken away and a classless society was formed in Prussia. People were free to do any business of their own choice without any restriction. The government posts were opened for all on the basis of merit.

The farmers were made the owners of their land. They began to pay revenue to the government in definite quantity, and possessed the right to sell their land. The forced labour was stopped altogether.

Vocational Reforms

Every individual was given freedom to carry on business of his choice. The craftsmen had to work under the guilds which exploited them very much. Consequently the guilds were abolished.

Earlier, businessmen were not recruited in the army but now they were given the right to join army. Free trade was encouraged in place of protection policy in trade

Intellectual Awakening

In 18th century several philosophers emerged in Prussia and theyhelped a lot in awakening the people. Harder and Gaite preached individualism but the philosophers of 19th century propagated nationalism in place of individualism.

The names of Fichte, Arndt, Gentz and Schleier Macher are worth mentioning in this field. The scholars propagated that individual could be sacrificed for the good of the country. Those ideas were preached among the youth of the country.

As a result, several secret institutions were established in Prussia. They were preparing the country against Napoleon secretly. League of Virtue established in 1808; it also helped a lot in the national awakening.

Educational Reforms

Humbolt did much in the direction of educational reforms. He founded a university in Berlin in the middle of the country. All prominent scholars of Germany were appointed in it. The courses of university were full of the spirit of nationalism.

All the colleges were affiliated to this university. Some of the eminent scholars of Berlin University were Fichte, Savigney, Wolf, Schleier Macher and Neibuhr. They contributed their mite to the national awakening.

Military Reforms

The following three persons helped to organise the army:

(i) Scharnhorst:

He was a war minister. Napoleon in order to weaken Prussia laid down a provision that she would never have more than forty-two thousand soldiers in her army.

But Scharnhorst minimised the service period of the soldiers and by providing military training most of the people turned the entire nation into a militant one. He also organised Home Guards and thus enhanced the military strength to Prussia.

(ii) Gneisenan:

He was a staunch ideologist. He did the same Prussia what was done in France by Carnot.

(iii) Clausewitz:

He was the greatest military man of Prussia. He was the father of this ideology, tactics and strategy which carried Prussia to victory in 1814, 1866 and 1870.

The army was made into a well-disciplined force. Corrupt military officers were eliminated. The special army privileges of the nobles were abolished. Every man was to get an appointment in the army according to his merit and qualification.

The foreign soldiers were removed from the army and thus a national army was organised to cope with the needs of the time.

Political Reforms

Stien and Hardenburg also paid their attention towards political reforms. They wanted to make the government democratic. The election system was introduced in the provincial institutions and the old Teutonic government ceased to exist.

Stien wanted to establish a constitutional monarchy in Prussia like that in England but he did not succeed in it because the King of Prussia, Frederick William III, was not prepared to forgo his privileges.

Napoleon had completely crushed Prussia after the battle of Jena. He was confident that Prussia would not be able to raise her head now, but his estimate proved wrong. The resurgence invoked new life and spirit into Prussia which terrified Napoleon.

He compelled the Prussian government to get Stien suspended from his office. He went to Russia and became an adviser of the Czar. But Napoleon failed to check the rising national spirit in Prussia which ultimately became an important factor leading to his downfall.

Treaty with Russia

Napoleon’s army being in a desperate situation in Russia, the king of Prussia, William Frederick III, decided to cut off his relations with him and in February 1813 he made a treaty of Kalisch with Russia in which both, Russia and Prussia, assured each other not to make a separate treaty with Napoleon.

Beginning of the War of Liberation

After the treaty of Kalisch was concluded on 16th March 1813, Prussia declared War of Liberation against France. In this battle Napoleon had to face the soldiers imbued with the spirit of nationalism.

Napoleon had just organised an army consisting of two lakh soldiers but his newly recruited soldiers were not well trained and disciplined.

Hence the Prussian army took over the city of Dresden with the help of Russian army but Napoleon recaptured the city on 14th May.

After a week, Napoleon defeated the joint forces of Prussia and Russia at Lutzen and Bauzen but he could not chase the fleeing army of Russia for want of horsemen.

Napoleon had to face many hardships in this battle even after his victory. The enemy army marched to Silesia but they did not lack in enthusiasm.

Pact of Pleswitz

Napoleon accepted the pact of Pleswitz on 4th June and according to it the hostilities were suspended for seven weeks. It proved destructive for Napoleon to agree to this pact.

So far Prussia and Russia were his enemies but in the meanwhile, Austria and England also joined them and they all began to ponder over the establishment of a fourth coalition.

Attempts of Metternich

At last Metternich, the Chancellor of Austria, proposed the following conditions to Napoleon in order to maintain peace among both the nations:

(i) Napoleon should return those provinces of Prussia which had occupied.

(ii) The confederation of Rhine is abolished.

(iii) The Duchy of Warsaw is distributed among Russia, Prussia and Austria.

(iv) The province of Illyria is returned to Austria.

Napoleon was enraged at the proposal of these dishonorable conditions. He refused to accept them at all and thundered in anger he would have to travel to Vienna once more.

He went to Dresden the failure of the efforts of Metternich who became busy in the formation of the fourth coalition.

Fourth Coalition against Napoleon

The European nations were annoyed with the expansionist policyof Napoleon and all these dissatisfied nations formed the fourth coalition against Napoleon.

Prussia, Russia, Sweden, England and Austria were the prominent members of this coalition and their joint army consisted of half a million soldiers. Metternich held the power of leading this battle.

Battle of Dresden

A fierce battle was fought at Dresden in August 1813 between Napoleon and the allied army in which Napoleon gained the upper hand but he failed to chase away the allied army. The allies concluded the treaty of Toplitz to settle the European issues. Bavaria also entered into treaty of Ried with the allies and promised to help them.