Albert Frederick, Prince of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (24 January 1672 – 21 June 1731), was a

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in the army of the Electorate of

Brandenburg-Prussia Brandenburg-Prussia (german: Brandenburg-Preußen; ) is the historiographic denomination for the early modern realm of the Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701. Based in the Electorate of Brandenburg, the main branch of the Hohenz ...

and Grand Master of the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

. In his lifetime he held the courtesy title of Margrave of Brandenburg. His elder brother Philip William held the town and lands of Schwedt.

Life

Albert Frederick was born in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

, a son of Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg and his second wife Sophia Dorothea. His brother Philip William was from 1692 to 1711 Governor of Magdeburg. Albrecht Frederick joined the Prussian army as a volunteer in 1689, at the beginning of the

War of the Palatine Succession The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarc ...

against France. On 10 May 1692 he became head of a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

regiment and on 14 March 1693, he was promoted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

. In 1694 he participated in the campaign in Italy and was on 9 March 1695, he was promoted to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

. The Margrave became in 1696 Grand Master of the

Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

and, on 17 January 1701, one of the first knights of the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King ...

. Beginning 14 February 1702 he fought against France as head of an infantry regiment in the

War of Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

as the commander of the Prussian corps in the Netherlands. In November of that year he had to leave this post because of illness. In 1706, he was appointed

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

. He died at

Friedrichsfelde Palace The Friedrichsfelde Palace (german: Schloss Friedrichsfelde) is a Neoclassical-style building in the centre of the Tierpark Berlin in Berlin-Friedrichsfelde. It was property of various noble Prussians and occasionally owned by Prussian Kings ...

, aged 59.

Marriage and issue

On 31 October 1703 Albert Frederick married with Princess Maria Dorothea (1684–1743), daughter of

Frederick Casimir Kettler Frederick Casimir Kettler (German: ''Friedrich Casimir Kettler''; 6 July 1650 – 22 January 1698) was Duke of Courland and Semigallia from 1682 to 1698. Frederick Casimir was the son of Jacob Kettler and Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg. In his re ...

, Duke of Courland. They had the following children: * Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1704–1707) *

Charles Frederick Albert, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt Karl Friedrich Albrecht, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (10 June 1705 – 22 June 1762), a grandson of Frederick William of Brandenburg (''the Great Elector'') and son of Margrave Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt, was a Prussian militar ...

(1705–1762) * Anna Sophie Charlotte of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1706–1751); married in 1723

Wilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach Wilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (10 November 1691 – 26 July 1741), was a duke of Saxe-Eisenach. He was born in Oranjewoud, the eldest and only surviving son of Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach and his first wife Amalie of Nass ...

(1691–1741) * Luise Wilhelmine of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1709–1726) *

Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt Margrave Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt (13 August 1710 – 10 April 1741, fell in the Battle of Mollwitz) was the second son of Margrave Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt and his wife Maria Dorothea of Courland (1684-1743). He initial ...

(1710–1741), died in the

Battle of Mollwitz The Battle of Mollwitz was fought by Prussia and Austria on 10 April 1741, during the First Silesian War (in the early stages of the War of the Austrian Succession). It was the first battle of the new Prussian King Frederick II, in which both si ...

as a Prussian colonel * Sophie Friederike Albertine of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1712–1750); married in 1733

Victor Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg , house = Ascania , father = Karl Frederick , mother = Sophie Albertine of Solms-Sonnenwalde , birth_date = , birth_place = Bernburg, Anhalt, Holy Roman Empire , death_date = , death_place = Bernburg, Anhalt, H ...

(1700–1765) * Frederick William (1715–1744).

References

Kurt von Priesdorff Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...

(ed): ''Soldatisches Führertum'', Hanseatische Verl.-Anst., Hamburg, 1937, vol. 1, p. 53 ff {{DEFAULTSORT:Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt 1672 births 1731 deaths Military personnel from Berlin History of Pomerania House of Hohenzollern Margraves of Germany Burials at Berlin Cathedral