biography
| name: |
Hardenberg, Karl August, Fürst von (Prince of)
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1750–1822)
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| biography:
| Prussian statesman, born in Essenrode, NC Germany. He studied at Göttingen and Leipzig. After holding appointments in Hanover, Brunswick, Ansbach, and Bayreuth, he became foreign minister in Berlin. His policy was to preserve neutrality in the war between France and Britain; but in 1806, under Napoleon's influence, he was dismissed. In 1810 he was appointed chancellor, and addressed himself to the task of completing the reforms begun by Karl Stein. In the war of liberation he played a prominent part, and after the Treaty of Paris (1814) was made a prince. He reorganized the Council of State (1817), was appointed its president, and drew up the new Prussian system of taxes. To Hardenberg (and Stein), Prussia owed the improvements in her army system, the abolition of serfdom and the privileges of the nobles, the encouragement of municipalities, and the reform of education. |
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