230 CHRONOGRAPHY. 



abolished their order, and converted Prussia into a hereditary 

 duchy, as a fief of Poland. Albert belonged to the ancient house 

 of Hohen Zollern, which still occupies the Prussian throne. In the 

 reign of Duke Frederick William, grandson of John Sigismund, 

 Prussia again became independent of Poland, by the treaty of Welau, 

 in 1657 : and the next duke, Frederick III., in 1701, raised Prussia 

 to the rank of a kingdom, assuming the regal title of Frederick I. 



The next king, Frederick William I., greatly improved his coun- 

 try; and Frederick II., the Great, conquered Silesia, from Maria 

 Theresa, in the war of the Austrian succession ; (p. 228) ; retaining 

 it by the separate peace of Breslau, in 1742. In the Seven years' 

 war, which followed this, he was assailed by Germany, France, and 

 Eussia ; but defended himself with wonderful skill and valor, and 

 retained Silesia by the Peace of Hubertsburg, in 1763. Frederick 

 the Great, and his successor, Frederick William II., both shared in 

 the unjust partitions of Poland ; the latter in 1795. The late king, 

 Frederick William III., declared war, unaided, against Bonaparte, 

 in 1806 ; but the battle of Jena led him to seek the unfavorable 

 peace of Tilsit, in 1807. He again took part against the French, in 

 1813-14; and thus preserved his throne, and the integrity of his 

 dominions. He was succeeded, in 1840, by his son, the present 

 king, Frederick William IV. 



The first ruler of Denmark, is said to have been Skiold, (or 

 Schiold), about 60 B. C. : but the history of those times is involved 

 in fable. After the Roman decline, the inhabitants became formida- 

 ble to their neighbors ; being known in France as Normans, or 

 Northmen, and in England, as Danes. Ragner Lodbrog, who 

 began to reign A. D. 750, invaded England, but was captured, and 

 put to death. The more certain history of Denmark, commences 

 with the reign of Gormo, the old, (Sormo, or Sunn), in 863. His 

 son, Harold, was converted to Christianity ; and his grandson, 

 Sweyn, (Svvane, or Sueno), commenced the conquest of England, 

 which was completed by Canute II., the Great, in 1016. Denmark 

 flourished under W^aldemar I., who came to the throne in 1157; 

 and still more under the celebrated Margaret, who, in 1388, united 

 Sweden with Norway, under her sceptre. Christian I., was elected 

 king of Denmark, as a separate state, in 1448 ; and its final separa- 

 tion from Sweden took place in 1523; when the Danish Revo- 

 lution placed Frederick I. on the throne. 



Christian IV. took part in the Thirty years' war; at first against 

 the Imperialists ; but afterwards against Sweden ; till the peace of 

 Bromsebro, in 1645. Frederick IV. waged war against Charles XII. 

 of Sweden ; but was soon coerced into the peace of Travendahl, in 

 1700. Under Christian VI., Denmark, uniting in the Northern 

 Confederacy, was involved in a dispute with Great Britain ; and its 

 fleet was defeated at Copenhagen in 1800. In 1807, the British 

 seized the Danish fleet, to prevent its being employed in aid of the 

 French. Denmark was thus provoked to unite with Bonaparte; in 

 consequence of which she was obliged to give up Norway, to Sweden, 

 by the peace of Kiel, in 1814. Christian VIII. succeeded to the 

 throne of Denmark in 1839. 



