Eberhard von Danckelmann

Who was Eberhard von Danckelmann?

Eberhard von Danckelmann was a German official who served as Prime Minister of Brandenburg-Prussia from 1692-97.

Danckelmann was born in Lingen to a middle-class family which had been raised to nobility by Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg. He was educated in the Netherlands, England, France, and Italy. Danckelmann was a tutor of Frederick III and became a leading politician upon Frederick's succession of Frederick William as prince-elector.

Danckelmann was Oberpräsident of the Privy Council and de facto Prime Minister of Brandenburg. He promoted trade, industry, art, and science; during his administration, the Akademie der Künste in Berlin and the University of Halle were founded, while Andreas Schlüter was employed as a court architect.

Danckelmann coordinated the Prussian Army while it covered the lower Rhine during William of Orange's landing in England; the Prussian Field Marshal Schomberg accompanied William to England. Danckelmann also allied Brandenburg-Prussia with the Grand Alliance against King Louis XIV of France.Despite Brandenburg-Prussia's military support for the allies, the state received little at the 1697 Peace of Ryswick.