The Prussian people represent the Kingdom of Prussia and the subsequent German states, a Modern Age civilization in Civilization VII.
The Prussians' civilization ability is Blood and Iron, which grants units extra Combat Strength for every unfriendly or worse relationship with other civilizations. Their associated wonder is the Brandenburg Gate and their unique components are as follows:
- Unique units: Hussar (military), Stuka (military)
- Unique improvement: Staatseisenbahn
- Unique civics: Ruhr, Zollverein, Ems Dispatch, Bewegungskrieg
Intro[]
A harbinger of change, Prussia ushers in an age of explosive growth and opportunity.
Relentless in modernization, rationality, and conquest, Prussia brought Germany under its reign. Externally, Prussia waged war against nearly all of the major European powers of the day. Internally, it was an industrial powerhouse, with rail lines stitching together coal mines and steel refineries. By 1866, Prussia had encompassed most of present-day Germany and part of Poland, leading to its transformation from kingdom to empire.
Strategy[]
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Civilopedia entry[]
The term “German” is a broad category. For the Romans, “Germans” referred to the people across the Rhine. These tribes were small, inhabiting towns with hill forts, basic metalworking, mines, etc. They were illiterate and worshipped a variety of gods, of whom the Romans did not approve. They were not “a people” in the traditional sense, meaning they were not united by a common cultural identity, language, and religion. Ironically, in the Middle Ages, the mantle of Rome was assumed by their descendants – the Holy Roman Emperors claimed their title as a means to recognize their status as the guardian of Christendom (defined as Catholic).
The Holy Roman Empire was a series of nominally independent states within a league. These included massive principalities (Bavaria, Austria, Brunswick), several theocratic states, tiny counties, and free cities (Cologne, Bremen, Hamburg). Most states had electors that they could assign to nominate an emperor. The majority of these were “German,” meaning they spoke one of the general languages of the region. Other territories included parts of the Netherlands, Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Italy.
In the later Middle Ages, a single dynasty controlled the Holy Roman Empire: the Hapsburgs. However, this was not an absolute monarchy; the power of the Emperor was limited by consultations with lesser nobles and princes.
In the 1500s, Lutheranism was spreading, and while older rulers remained Catholic, free cities adopted the new religion. As the Thirty Years’ War tore the realm apart, this diversity became a liability. The issue was resolved when foreign powers decided that the Holy Roman Empire should be a passive, weaker entity within Europe.
Prussia was an odd member of the Holy Roman Empire. Part of its domain lay outside the borders. This meant that the Prince of Brandenberg (Berlin) was also the King in Prussia, and he held a standing army that the Holy Roman Empire needed to defend its territory. As a result, Prussia and Austria began to compete over rule, seizing land outside of the empire’s borders and using it to amass their separate armies.
Prussia had formed under two auspices. The first were the Teutonic Knights, a group of crusaders who were given Baltic land during the Middle Ages and then went on to take over parts of Poland that lay outside of the Holy Roman Empire. The second was the Hansa, a league of trading cities along the Baltic. The Hansa eventually conquered the Teutonic Order, which resulted in the formation of the Duchy of Prussia. As the Hanseatic domination continued, a once-bifurcated Prussia became united.
By 1740, half of Prussia existed within the Holy Roman Empire while the other half remained outside. Still, Prussia remained diametrically opposed to Austria. As a result, Frederick II of Prussia waged war on Austria, seizing its territory and establishing Prussia as a monumental military force. Despite a brief defeat at Napoleon’s hands, Prussia emerged more powerful than ever in the 19th century. During the social revolutions of the time, Prussia developed into an authoritarian state, powerful and aggressive under the hands of Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck. The tides of German unification were turning; in 1866, Prussia again fought Austria for this mantle. In 1870, William I of Prussia was granted the title of German Emperor.
This late German-Prussian empire was powerful and militaristic. As Bismarck put it, the empire was built on “iron and blood.” Bismarck sought to avoid being outflanked (by a Franco-Russian alliance, for example) and aimed to hold his dominant position in Central Europe. Without a significant overseas empire (he had smaller ones in Tanzania, New Guinea, Angola, and others), Bismarck focused on turning Germany into an industrialized, militaristic, and authoritarian empire in the heart of Europe.
The end of Prussia came with the end of the German monarchy after WWI, though the state nominally disappeared in 1870. Prussia was defined by its industrialism, military might, authoritarianism, nationalism, and its embrace of technology. As such, it changed history, but not always for the best; this aggressive, modern, militant Central European power would turn into a nightmare scenario in the 1930s. Nonetheless, advancements in technology and innovation were key to Prussia’s success.
Cities[]
Trivia[]
- The Prussian civilization's symbol is the Reichsadler, or German Imperial eagle, as seen on the coat of arms of Prussia and flag of Prussia, and the coat of arms of the German Empire.
- The Prussian civilization ability is a reference to the famous speech made by Otto von Bismarck, then Minister President of Prussia, regarding the unification of the German territories.
- The Prussian background art depicts a train station platform on the Prussian State Railway (Staatseisenbahn).
Soundtrack[]
Original track | Based on | Composed by | Performed by | Length |
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"Prussia (Modern Age)" | Zeminnika Kweitākedi | Roland Rizzo | FILMharmonic Orchestra, Prague | 4:55 |
Gallery[]
Videos[]
See also[]
- Prussian in other games
External links[]
Civilization VII Civilizations [edit] | |
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Antiquity | |
Exploration | |
Modern | |
1 Requires DLC |