The Prussian kings were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its Established 10 April 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia.
In 1688, Frederick I became Prince-Elector of Brandenburg, and his ambition was to be crowned King of Prussia. He gets satisfaction in 1701, under the name of Frederick I with the title “King” in “Prussia” (no one can be crowned king inside the Holy Roman Empire).
But the Hohenzollerns quickly swept away this nuance and called themselves “kings of Prussia”. From that time on, the term “Prussia” covers territories that are not part of the original Prussia.
Under the reign of Frederick II, from 1740 to 1774, the kingdom became a great political and military power, considerably increasing its territory through the acquisition of Silesia (1742) and Royal Prussia (which then became the province of West Prussia in 1772).
At the end of the 18th century, the Prussian territory still expanding eastward at the second and third partitions of Poland in 1793 and 1795. The province created around Posen/Poznan (1793), then Warsaw (1795) receives the name of South Prussia.
Details About Prussian kings
- Established: 10 April 1525
- Abolition: 9 November 1918
- Family: House of Hohenzollern
- First King: Albert (as Duke)
- Last King: William II
- Pretender: Georg Friedrich
Duchy of Prussia (1525–1701)
| Name | Lifetime | Reign start | Reign end | Details | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert of Prussia | 17 May 1490 – 20 March 1568 (aged 77) | 10 April 1525 | 20 March 1568 | Third son of Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach |  |
| Albert Frederick | 7 May 1553 – 28 August 1618 (aged 65) | 20 March 1568 | 28 August 1618 | Son of Albert |  |
| John Sigismund | 8 November 1572 – 23 December 1619 (aged 47) | 28 August 1618 | 23 December 1619 | Cousin of Albert Frederick, also Elector of Brandenburg |  |
| George William | 13 November 1595 – 1 December 1640 (aged 45) | 23 December 1619 | 1 December 1640 | Son of John Sigismund, also Elector of Brandenburg |  |
| Frederick William | 16 February 1620 – 29 April 1688 (aged 68) | 1 December 1640 | 29 April 1688 | Son of George William, also Elector of Brandenburg |  |
| Frederick I | 11 July 1657 – 25 February 1713 (aged 55) | 29 April 1688 | 18 January 1701 | Son of Frederick William, also Elector of Brandenburg |  |
Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918)
| Name | Lifetime | Reign start | Reign end | Details | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick I | 11 July 1657 – 25 February 1713 (aged 55) | 18 January 1701 | 25 February 1713 | Son of Frederick William, also Elector of Brandenburg, and First Prussian kings | |
| Frederick William I | 14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740 (aged 51) | 25 February 1713 | 31 May 1740 | Son of Frederick I |  |
| Frederick II | 24 January 1712 – 17 August 1786 (aged 74) | 31 May 1740 | 17 August 1786 | Son of Frederick William I |  |
| Frederick William II | 25 September 1744 – 16 November 1797 (aged 53) | 17 August 1786 | 16 November 1797 | Nephew of Frederick II and Grandson of Frederick William I |  |
| Frederick William III | 3 July 1770 – 7 June 1840 (aged 69) | 16 November 1797 | 7 June 1840 | Son of Frederick William II |  |
| Frederick William IV | 15 October 1795 – 2 January 1861 (aged 65) | 7 June 1840 | 2 January 1861 | Son of Frederick William III; also President of the Erfurt Union (1849–1850) |  |
| William I | 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888 (aged 90) | 2 January 1861 | 9 March 1888 | Brother of Frederick William IV, Son of Frederick William III; also President of German Emperor (from 1871) |  |
| Frederick III | 18 October 1831 – 15 June 1888 (aged 56) | 9 March 1888 | 15 June 1888 | Son of William I; also German Emperor |  |
| William II | 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941 (aged 82) | 15 June 1888 | 9 November 1918 | Son of Frederick III; last Prussian kings and last German Emperor |  |