Frederick II. Frederick the Great was a Prussian king of the Hohenzollern family who ruled from 1740 to 1786 and one of the greatest military leaders of the 18th century, who raised Prussia to the level of a great power and expanded his family’s dominions. He was an excellent military leader, but was less successful in sieges. In 1758 he tried to capture the fortress of Olomouc, but even after many weeks he failed.
A Prussian army led by King Frederick II appeared in front of the Olomouc fortifications in early May 1758. On the morning of 28 May, the first enemy ball fell into Terezská Street (today’s Pavelčákova Street) and the artillery thundered throughout the Prussian siege. To this day, balls still protrude from the plaster facades of some Olomouc houses and even from the Holy Trinity Column. However, the defenders of the Olomouc fortress did their best and withstood the shelling of the fortress. The Prussians finally withdrew from Olomouc on 2 July 1758 and Maria Theresa honoured her loyal defenders of the fortress.
King Frederick II. Frederick the Great expanded the territory of Prussia to include Silesia, gained in the wars of the Austrian Succession. In the first partition of Poland, he also gained part of this territory. As a military leader he won victories in 1757 at Sterbohol, Rossbach and Leuthen, in 1758 at Zorndorf, in 1760 at Lehnice and Torgau, in 1762 at Burkersdorf and Reichenbach. The administration of the Prussian state, already quite efficient, was further improved under Frederick II. Frederick II introduced reforms in the judiciary, education and the military, and remained a supporter of the Enlightenment and French culture throughout his life. To the end of his life, Frederick II maintained a strong influence on the French. He maintained a strict discipline. He died on 17 August 1786, leaving a rich legacy to his nephew and heir to the throne.
