Just looking at the surface level stuff like geography and access to natural resources it makes no sense.
Slavic blood.
>>18505386Prussiapes always get raped by Slavs
Being surrounded by enemy Poles gave them a siege mentality that encouraged militarization
>>18505386Same reason the Manchurians unified China. Those on the outer rim of a civilization tend to be the most militarist
>>18505386A combination of luck, effective adminnistration, a relatively good army and being able to position itself often as the guardian of the interests of the german princes. The last part is very underrated imo as Brandenburg/Prussia wasn't seen by the rest of the german states as some foreign element on the border of their realm but as a healthy counterpart to the authority of the Imperial Crown, which since the early modern period lay firmly in the hands of the austrian Habsburg. And while Brandenburg/Prussia wasn't the first german state to take up this position (Hessen & Saxony for example were this counterpart in the 16th and 17th centuries) it was able to secure its position in the long run.You should also know that Prussia had many smaller holdings in western, central and southern Germany (which meant it was very involved in the politics of its many neighbors) and was also able to secure economically valuable lands from Saxony and Austria/Bohemia. In addition the prussian leadership was also quite progessive and open to innovations, which didn't hurt.
Will. Pure Will. Brandenburg was a destitute place, always occupied by "friendly" armies and looted by enemy armies. Such is the fate of every Middle Power, who need Great Powers as supporters to conduct foreign policy. The plan to unite the lands of the Teutonic Knights, make it a secular duchy and unite them with Brandenburg was long in the making, but took over a hundred years to come to fruition. This was not luck, since such prizes can only be won by people, who are strong enough to fight for them anyway.The Hohenzollern dynasty were the people, who made it happen. They transformed a poor backwater into a proper state. While the Elector was busy fighting in wars, he had his heirs in the Netherlands. There the Hohenzollern learned what a properly organized modern state was capable of. Calvinism also played a role and gave them a +5 martial ability, because believing in predeterminism apparently does that (unironically).Prussia was vital to the success of Brandenburg, because it was a safe region, which was always capable of kickstarting Brandenburg, whenever the latter was occupied or looted. And there was finally tried, what already was normal in Protestant Northern European countries and proper statecraft and management transformed these territories inside the Holy Roman Empire into a true state with Bureaucrats, who were bred for maximum usefulness. Honesty & diligence were rewarded. Wages were fair, so corruption would not be necessary to support lifestyle. This allowed the Prussian state to enforce service by requirement. Every man had to serve in the army. No exceptions. Officials entered villages and pressed young men into service. But this was still no true transformation into a militarized state. The smartest decision any Prussian king ever made was to make wearing your uniform a requirement in church and other public places. This transformed the image of the army from one of low lives and drunkards to a prestigious institution.
>>18505386I feel that berlin were a sandy beach town though far from the ocean which party to the appeal that river towns were more beach towns than beach where ever but also the other thing is that berlin were also far enough away from the coast as to get pulled to the goings on to the continent, which as to were what mackinder at the year 1919 had to claim :Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland;who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island;who rules the World-Island commands the world—Mackinder, Democratic Ideals and Reality, p. 106
>>18505444Ducal prussia were where the junkers were strong, except for bismarck who was from farther west, schönhausen, and after bismarck died the diplomatic system bismarck that no one understood full the way that bismarcks diplomatic system, did bismarck understand the diplomatic system at the time also unclear this was the epoch to theodor mommsen or something like that
>>18505422You will never be a white European
Potato grew well in prussias sandy poor soils, at first the peasants were adverse to the tasteless plant, so Frederick planted them in a royal park and placed guards and signs reading verbotten!Excited by the lure of forbidden food, the peasants sneaked onsite at night and stole the plants. The ensuing food surplus allowed for a large conscript army and the conquest of Silesia
>>18505386they inherited the highly militarized structure of the Teutonic Order, otherwise like >>18505462 said, Prussians, Manchurians, Macedonians, Mongolians, Romans, Incas. Have a couple of things in common
Why did they name themselves p-Russia
>>18508783The local balts were called and probably called themselves pruse or something of the sort.Fun fact: Germans call it preussen. And "reussen" is an archaic (renaissance era I think) term for russians. So there was the same similarity back in the days.
>>18508884 "Prussia" is simply the English version of its German name, Preußen.The Anglo-Prussian Alliance (1756–1762) saw Britain provide crucial financial support to Prussia during the 7 years war
>>18505394True. "Prussians" were uniquely savage and militaristic amongst Germans, for this reason.
>>18510466They were not, you fucking idiot>>18505394The Prussian Ruling class has been German and has nothing do with the actual former Duchy of Prussia besides just owning the territorx.
>>18508776They didn't. Brandenburg-Prussia and the actual Prussia ruled by the Teutonic knights were two seperate political and cultural entities. The former just inherited the later at a time where Prussia Teutonum has long become a toothless vassal of Poland.
>>18505386Legit asking: were there any noteworthy Prussians of Polish roots/descent considering the close proximity
>>18505386The classic combo of father spends his life preparing the army and war chest and his son uses it well tends to work across the ages
