Carlyle's "History of Friedrich II of Prussia"




BOOK III.

THE HOHENZOLLERNS IN BRANDENBURG.
1412-1718

CHAPTER I.

KURFURST FRIEDRICH I.

Burggraf Friedrich, on his first coming to Brandenburg, found but
a cool reception as Statthalter. [ "Johannistage" italic> (24 June) "1412," he first set foot in Brandenburg, with
due escort, in due state; only Statthalter (Viceregent) as yet:
Pauli, i. 594, ii. 58; Stenzel, Geschichte des
Preussischen Staats (Hamburg, 1830, 1851),
i. 167-169.] He came as the representative of law and rule;
and there had been many helping themselves by a ruleless life, of
late. Industry was at a low ebb, violence was rife; plunder,
disorder everywhere; too much the habit for baronial gentlemen to
"live by the saddle," as they termed it, that is by highway
robbery in modern phrase.

The Towns, harried and plundered to skin and bone, were glad to
see a Statthalter, and did homage to him with all their heart.
But the Baronage or Squirearchy of the country were of another