28 May 1740Death of Frederick II the GreatFrederick II the Great
Death of Frederick William I of Prussia
Historical records for Germany in 1740, rendered directly from the World History Database and ordered by month, day and event.
Death of Frederick William I of Prussia
Crowned King of Prussia, says "a crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in"
Says he had at last, "had the decency to die". Death of Frederick William I
Frederick disputed the succession of the 23-year-old Maria Theresa to the Habsburg lands, while simultaneously making his own claim on Silesia
Upon succeeding to the throne and desiring the prosperous Austrian province of Silesia Frederick declines to endorse the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
Upon succeeding to the throne and desiring the prosperous Austrian province of Silesia Frederick declines to endorse the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
Maria Theresas succession is disputed by Charles Albert, Philip V & Augustus III. Maria Theresa inherits the Habsburg Empire
Maria Theresas succession is disputed by Charles Albert, Philip V & Augustus III
Orders his generals to invade Silesia
Personally leads an army of 40,000
1st day of the Prussian invasion of Silesia
Offers to vote for Maria Theresas husband if Silesia is handed over to Prussia. Decides to make a preemptive strike against Maria Therasa & her ally the Russians
Declares the abolition of censorship for books & periodicals
Receives formal homage from the provincial deputies
Summons Count von Podewils & General von Schweri to see how Prussia can benefit
Questions the female succession of Maria Theresa to Austrian possessions
Invites Knobelsdorf to draw up plans for an Opera House in Berlin
Declares the right of all religions to practice their beliefs
Offers to vote for Maria Theresas husband if Silesia is handed over to Prussia
Succeeds as Emperor, the only non-Hapsburg Emperor after Sigismund of Luxemburg
Succeeds as King of Prussia
Declares the abolition of torture for civilian offenders
Visits Strasburg, the only time Frederick II the Great stepped foot of French soil
This page is generated from stored World History Database records matching the exact country and year shown above. Exact duplicate display records are collapsed. Records without a month are listed after the monthly sections. Source provenance varies by record; formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.