History of Friedrich II of Prussia V11 Part 2

This section opens with the Affair of Herstal, in which Friedrich responds firmly to diplomatic tensions and asserts the dignity of his crown in practical terms. His calculated avoidance of visiting his royal uncle in Hanover highlights a temperament guided by political judgment rather than sentiment. Retreating to Reinsberg in hope of tranquility, he is confronted by the Kaiser’s death, an event that unsettles Europe and reshapes strategic possibilities. Weeks of secrecy in Berlin create an atmosphere of suspense that even Voltaire cannot unravel. Through audiences with foreign envoys and the symbolic masked ball, the concealed resolution emerges as preparation for decisive historical action.