| Frederick William IV | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Frederick William IV in 1847 | |
| King of Prussia | |
| Reign | 7 June 1840 – 2 January 1861 |
| Predecessor | Frederick William III |
| Successor | William I |
| Regent | Prince William (1858–1861) |
| President of the Erfurt Union | |
| Reign | 26 May 1849 – 29 November 1850 |
| German Emperor | |
| Reign | 18 May 1848 – 30 May 1849 |
| Born | 15 October 1795 Kronprinzenpalais, Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia |
| Died | 2 January 1861 (aged 65) Sanssouci, Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia |
| Burial | Crypt of the Friedenskirche, Sanssouci Park, Potsdam[1]
(Heart in the Mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin)[2] |
| Spouse | Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria |
| House | Hohenzollern |
| Father | Frederick William III of Prussia |
| Mother | Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
| Religion | Calvinist (Prussian United) |
| Signature |  |
Frederick William IV (German: Friedrich Wilhelm IV.; 15 October 1795[3] – 2 January 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, was king of Prussia from 7 June 1840 until his death on 2 January 1861. Also referred to as the "romanticist on the throne", he was deeply religious and believed that he ruled by divine right. He feared revolutions, and his ideal state was one governed by the Christian estates of the realm rather than a constitutional monarchy.
In spite of his conservative political philosophy, he initially pursued a moderate policy of easing press censorship, releasing political prisoners and reconciling with the Catholic population of the kingdom. During the German revolutions of 1848–1849, he was initially forced to accommodate the people's revolutionary sentiments, although he rejected the title of Emperor of the Germans offered by the Frankfurt Parliament in 1849, believing that it did not have the right to make such an offer. In December 1848 he dissolved the Prussian National Assembly when he found its constitutional proposals too radical. At the urging of his ministry, which wanted to prevent a renewal of unrest, he imposed a constitution with a parliament and a strong monarch. He then used the Prussian military to help put down revolutionary forces throughout the German Confederation.
Frederick William IV had an artistic nature and an interest in architecture. He extended the building ensembles of the Berlin-Potsdam Residence Landscape, Museum Island, and the cultural landscape of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, and he supported the completion of the Cologne Cathedral. All are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
From 1857 to 1861, he suffered several strokes and was left incapacitated until his death. His brother and heir-presumptive William served as regent after 1858 and then succeeded him as king.
- ^ Dorgerloh, Hartmut, ed. (18 August 2011). Palaces and Gardens. Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg. p. 4.
- ^ Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg (1992–2012). Hartmut Dorgerloh (ed.). "König Friedrich Wilhelm IV". Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany: Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur des Landes Brandenburg. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ Koch, H.W. (2014). A History of Prussia. Milton Park, UK: Taylor & Francis. p. 227. ISBN 978-1317873082.