Euler's Correspondence with King Frederick II

Frederick II (1712-1786) was King of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. While pursuing an aggressive foreign policy that resulted in a dramatic expansion of Prussian influence and territory, Frederick also pursued a vigorous domestic policy. During his reign, he carried out a number of internal reforms, improving the Prussian educational system (including the reorganization of the Berlin Academy of Sciences), strengthening the military, and expanding Prussia's industrial base. It was this atmosphere--contrasted with the situation in Russia--that persuaded Euler to come to the Academy in 1741. Unfortunately, Frederick and Euler's relationship was often tenuous. Frederick was enamored of the Enlightenment and French culture, and became suspicious of the Swiss Euler, who he termed a "limited Cyclops." Also, Frederick was a strict atheist, while Euler was a devout Calvinist. This, along with other things, led to a cold relationship by the time Euler left Berlin in 1766.

(Visit the Colleagues and Contemporaries page for more information about the people in Euler's life.)


For more information about Frederick, visit these links:

Publication Information: List of all known correspondence (83 letters total):
OO622 Frederick to Euler 04 September, 1741
OO623 Euler to Frederick September, 1741
OO624 Frederick to Euler 01 March, 1742
OO625 Euler to Frederick 19 January, 1743
OO626 Frederick to Euler 21 January, 1743
OO627 Euler to Frederick 24 January, 1743
OO628 Frederick to Euler 29 January, 1743
OO629 Euler to Frederick undated, 1742
OO630 Frederick to Euler 03 April, 1743
OO631 Euler to Frederick 19 October, 1743
OO632 Frederick to Euler 14 December, 1743
OO633 Frederick to Euler 25 January, 1745
OO634 Frederick to Euler 21 February, 1746 Copy of OO634
OO635 Frederick to Euler 24 December, 1747 Copy of OO635
OO636 Frederick to Euler 30 April, 1749
OO637 Frederick to Euler 15 September, 1749
OO638 Euler to Frederick 17 September, 1749
OO639 Frederick to Euler 27 September, 1749
OO640 Euler to Frederick 17 October, 1749
OO641 Frederick to Euler 21 October, 1749
OO642 Frederick to Euler 20 July, 1750 Copy of OO642
OO643 Frederick to Euler 28 October, 1750 Copy of OO643
OO644 Frederick to Euler 05 November, 1750
OO645 Frederick to Euler 30 December, 1750 Copy of OO645
OO646 Frederick to Euler 26 May, 1753 Copy of OO646
OO647 Frederick to Euler 18 July, 1753
OO648 Frederick to Euler 19 July, 1753
OO649 Frederick to Euler 23 July, 1753
OO650 Frederick to Euler 14 August, 1753
OO651 Frederick to Euler 15 August, 1753
OO652 Frederick to Euler 18 August, 1753
OO653 Frederick to Euler 23 October, 1753
OO654 Euler to Frederick undated, 1753
OO655 Frederick to Euler 08 August, 1754
OO656 Frederick to Euler 12 August, 1754
OO657 Euler to Frederick 08 September, 1754
OO658 Euler to Frederick 09 September, 1754
OO659 Frederick to Euler 15 September, 1754
OO660 Euler to Frederick 07 October, 1754
OO661 Frederick to Euler 21 October, 1754
OO662 Euler to Frederick 02 November, 1754
OO663 Frederick to Euler 04 November, 1754
OO664 Euler to Frederick 20 November, 1754
OO665 Frederick to Euler 23 November, 1754
OO666 Euler to Frederick 26 November, 1754
OO667 Frederick to Euler 03 December, 1754
OO668 Euler to Frederick 08 December, 1754
OO669 Frederick to Euler 01 January, 1755
OO670 Frederick to Euler 01 March, 1755
OO671 Frederick to Euler 06 March, 1755
OO672 Euler to Frederick 18 March, 1755
OO673 Frederick to Euler 25 April, 1755
OO674 Frederick to Euler 23 May, 1755
OO675 Euler to Frederick 25 May, 1755
OO676 Frederick to Euler 27 May, 1755
OO677 Euler to Frederick 28 May, 1755
OO678 Frederick to Euler 30 May, 1755
OO679 Frederick to Euler 09 June, 1755
OO680 Euler to Frederick 09 July, 1755
OO681 Frederick to Euler 13 July, 1755 Copy of OO681
OO682 Frederick to Euler 30 August, 1755
OO683 Frederick to Euler 14 March, 1759
OO684 Euler to Frederick 14 September, 1759
OO685 Frederick to Euler 15 September, 1759 Copy of OO685
OO686 Frederick to Euler 17 August, 1763
OO687 Euler to Frederick 19 August, 1763
OO688 Frederick to Euler 20 August, 1763
OO689 Frederick to Euler 30 August, 1763 Copy of OO689
OO690 Frederick to Euler 03 December, 1763 Copy of OO690
OO691 Frederick to Euler 17 January, 1765
OO692 Frederick to Euler 24 January, 1765
OO693 Frederick to Euler 16 June, 1765
OO694 Frederick to Euler 25 November, 1765
OO695 Euler to Frederick 15 March, 1766
OO696 Frederick to Euler 17 March, 1766 Copy of OO696
OO697 Euler to Frederick 30 April, 1766
OO698 Frederick to Euler 02 May, 1766 Copy of OO698
OO699 Euler to Frederick 16 April, 1776 Copy of OO699
OO700 Frederick to Euler 16 April, 1776
OO701 Euler to Frederick September, 1776
OO702 Frederick to Euler 11 October, 1776 Copy of OO702
OO703 Euler to Frederick 17 January, 1777
OO704 Frederick to Euler 01 February, 1777


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