Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg (1620 - 1688)

On December 7, 1646 Princess Louise Henriette of Nassau, eldest daughter of the Governor of the Netherlands, married the Great Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg at her parents’ request. The portrait set in a gold-coloured frame mainly shows the face of Frederick William set against a black background. His eyes are dark brown, his moustache is thin. His wavy grey-brown hair is shoulder-length and somewhat sparser on the top of his head, while a few curls fall over his forehead. Around his neck Frederick William wears a white, tightly knotted scarf with lace trimming. His upper body is dark and barely stands out from the background. Frederick William pushed through reforms in administration and the military. He promoted maritime trade and attempted to acquire and secure colonies overseas. He died in Potsdam on May 9, 1688 and was buried in the Hohenzollern crypt in Berlin Cathedral.