384 A BRIEF SURVEY OF HUMAN HISTORY

and princedoms were subjected to the common foreign yoke
which at once ignored and evoked national consciousness
and the democratic spirit of self-determination. But before
we trace the history of these two * main currents' of nine-
teenth century European life, it is necessary to look at the
earlier growth of at least two other countries, viz. Prussia
and Russia.

Germany, as we know her to-day, is a product of the
nineteenth century. Even at the time of the Vienna Con-
gress (1814-15) that country was a congeries of over three
hundred and fifty kingdoms and principalities, of which
Prussia was undoubtedly the most pre-eminent. On that
historic occasion their number was reduced to thirty-nine
states (by combining small states together) and they were
given a formal unity under a Confederation with a com-
mon Diet (Parliament) at Frankfort. The real consoli-
dation of Germany was brought about by the ruling House
of Hohenzollern whose family history reached back to the
twelfth century. .Frederick the Great, mentioned earlier in
this chapter, belonged to this family which particu-
larly came - into prominence - after the Thirty Years' War,
under Frederick William, known as the Great Elector (1640-
.88). He was only the Duke of Brandenburg (sub-
ject to the King of Poland) to begin with; but fcough
war and dipilomacy he considerably increased the possessions
and prestige of his House, the greatest of his acquisitions
being Prussia. By internal reforms such as improvement of
taxation, communications, irrigation, encouragement of edu-
cation, industry and agriculture, etc. he enhanced the im-
.portance of Brandenburg-Prussia in all Germany (which
also contained other States like Bavaria and Saxony). His
successor, Frederick II (1688-1713),. earned the title of
uKing" from the Emperor Leopold I of Austria. His