(1770-1840, King 1797-1840)
He went to war against revolutionary France, led Prussia into the catastrophes of Jena and Auerstedt and – involuntarily - the Wars of Liberation, set reforms into motion and then let them wither away during the Restoration era. In 1845 Friedrich Engels called him one "of the thickest blockheads who had ever sat on a throne ...".
His wife, Queen Louise (1776-1810), became an idol of her age.
Potsdam owes to the king's friendship with the Russian Czar Alexander and his brother Nikolaus the World Heritage listed Russian Colony Alexandrowka – built in 1826-1928 north of Potsdam – as well as the Nikolskoje blockhouse and the St. Peter and Paul Church on the southern bank of the Havel river – a short period of Russian architectural style.
Between 1806 and 1817 there was little construction activity in Potsdam, but both before and afterwards town houses were built and e. g. in 1825-1827 the Charlottenhof Palace.
