History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 06Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 06
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Enough, "on the 19th of October, 1733, Lieutenant-General
Schwerin,"--the same who was Colonel Schwerin, the Duke's chief Captain
here, at the beginning of these troubles, now Lientenant-General and a
distinguished PRUSSIAN officer,--"marches into Mecklenburg with
three regiments, one of foot, two of horse:" [Buchholz, i. 122, 142;
Michaelis, ii. 433, 437.] he, doubtless, will help in quelling those
Peasant and other Anarchies? Privately his mission is most delicate. He
is not to fight with the Hanoverians; is delicately but effectually to
shove them well away from the Residence Cities, and fasten himself
down in those parts. Which the Lieutenant-General dexterously does.
"A night's quarter here in Parchim,"--such is the Lieutenant-General's
request, polite but impressive, from the outskirts of that little Town,
a Town essential to certain objects, and in fact the point he is aiming
at: "night's quarter; you cannot refuse it to this Prussian Company
marching under the Kaiser's Commission?" No, the Hanoverian Lieutenant
of Foot dare not take upon him to refuse:--but next morning, he is
himself invited to withdraw, the Prussians having orders to continue
here in Parchim! And so with the other points and towns, that are
essential in the enterprise on hand. A dexterous Lieutenant-General this
Schwerin:--his two Horse-Colonels are likewise men to be noted; Colonel
Wreech, with a charming young Wife, perhaps a too charming; Colonel
Truchsess von Waldburg, known afterwards, with distinction, in London
Society and widely otherwise. And thus, in the end of 1733, the
Mecklenburg Residence Cities, happen what may, are secured for their
poor irrational Duke. These things may slightly ruffle some tempers at
Hanover; but it is now 1733, and our poor Double-Marriage is clean out
of the game by that time!--
The irrational Duke could not continue in his Residence Cities, with the
Brother administering over him; still proving contumacious, he needed
absolutely to be driven out, to Wismar or I know not whither; went
wandering about for almost twenty years to come; disturbed, and stirring
up disturbance. Died 1747, still in that sad posture; Interim Brother,
with Posterity, succeeding. [Michaelis, ii. 434-440.] But Hanover and
Prussia interfered no farther; the brother administered on his own
footing, "supported by troops hired from Hamburg. Hanover and Prussia,
400 Hanoverians, 200 Prussians, merely retained hold of their respective
Hypothecs [Districts held in pawn] till the expenses should be
paid,"--million of THALERS, and by those late anarchies a new heavy
score run up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account