"Poland held Prussia after it had conquered the Teutonic Knights, and in 1525 gave the sovereignty of the country to Albert of Brandenburg; but it was not till 1656 that Prussia was declared independent by treaty. In 1618 John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, acquired the Duchy of Prussia, in the right of his wife, who was the daughter of Duke Albert II. By the Thirty Years' War the united country was reduced to misery and desolation, when, in 1640, Frederick William, commonly called the Great Elector, succeeded to the government. He annexed considerable territory to his dominion, and added greatly to its power and influence. His son Frederick, the third elector of that name, by the consent of Leopold, Emperor of Germany, obtained by a bribe, tendered through the imperial confessor, raised his domain into a kingdom, and placed the crown upon his own head at Königsberg, in 1701, taking the title of Frederick I. This was the origin of the kingdom of Prussia. Frederick I. extended his domain, which has been the policy of all his successors. He was succeeded by his son, Frederick William I., who reigned twenty-seven years, and left a well-disciplined army, and six millions of dollars in cash in the treasury, to enable his son Frederick II. to commence business. This son was the renowned Frederick the Great. He used his capital stock to the best advantage for himself, wrested Silesia from Austria, and took part in the partition of Poland. He reigned forty-six years, and at his death had increased his territory from forty-eight thousand to seventy-seven thousand square miles.