Frederick the Great IQ
King of Prussia · 1712–1786
Quick Answer
Frederick the Great's IQ is estimated at 130 to 150. No test or documented study exists; the estimate rests on his wars, writing and music.
Frederick has no documented IQ estimate. A king who composed, wrote philosophy and won battles against larger coalitions; 140+ is an editorial marker.
- Estimated IQ
- 140+
- Range
- 130–150
- Known for
- Military genius, Enlightenment king
- Basis
- No documented estimate; editorial comparison from career
Evidence status: Very low confidence. No IQ test was ever given, and no Cox 1926 estimate appears in the tabulations we checked. Historical achievement cannot be converted into a precise modern test result. This page separates documented evidence from interpretation.
What was Frederick the Great's IQ?
Frederick never took an IQ test, and no Cox 1926 figure appears for him in the tables we checked. LifeScore uses 140+ as an editorial marker, with a range of 130 to 150, based on his battlefield record, his books and more than 100 flute sonatas.
Were Frederick and Voltaire friends?
For a time. They corresponded for decades, and Voltaire lived at Frederick's court from 1750 to 1753. The friendship broke down in quarrels, and Voltaire was briefly detained in Frankfurt on the king's orders. They later resumed writing to each other.
Why is Frederick called 'the Great'?
Mainly for turning Prussia into a leading European power. He seized Silesia from Austria in 1740, then survived the Seven Years' War against a coalition of Austria, France and Russia. He also reformed law, supported religious tolerance and made his court a meeting place for Enlightenment thinkers.
Did Frederick the Great really compose music?
Yes. Frederick was a serious flautist who practised daily and composed more than 100 flute sonatas and four concertos. He employed C. P. E. Bach at court, and in 1747 he gave Johann Sebastian Bach the theme that became The Musical Offering.
How smart was Frederick the Great?
Leuthen
In 1757 he beat a much larger Austrian army using his oblique order of attack.
Surviving the coalition
Prussia survived the Seven Years' War against Austria, France and Russia together.
Composer
He wrote more than 100 flute sonatas and several concertos.
Author
His Anti-Machiavel (1740), edited by Voltaire, argued a ruler is the first servant of the state.
How Frederick thought
Frederick concentrated force where the enemy was weakest and moved faster than larger armies could respond. Off the battlefield he worked to a strict daily routine of reading, writing and music.
Evidence behind the Frederick the Great IQ estimate
The estimate is a structured interpretation of the record, not a recovered test score. These are the strongest signals and the reasons for caution.
Evidence considered
- He composed more than 100 flute sonatas and several concertos, some still performed.
- He wrote the Anti-Machiavel (1740), edited by Voltaire, with whom he corresponded for decades.
- At Leuthen in 1757 he defeated a much larger Austrian army with his oblique order of attack.
What the estimate cannot prove
- Royal records flatter kings.
- Prussia's survival in the Seven Years' War owed much to luck, including Russia leaving the war in 1762.
- No psychometric record exists.
Frederick vs Voltaire, Machiavelli, Napoleon
How Frederick the Great's estimate compares with related figures. Every number here is an estimate, and the basis differs from person to person.
| Figure | Estimate | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Frederick the Great | 140+ | 130–150 |
| Voltaire | 170+ | 170–190 |
| Niccolò Machiavelli | 145+ | 135–155 |
| Napoleon Bonaparte | 145 | 125–155 |
Take the Frederick IQ test
Frederick the Great's estimate is 140+. Our Einstein IQ test is a short visual reasoning challenge. See which side of that number you land on.
Take the Frederick IQ testFrederick the Great's IQ is represented here by a retrospective estimate of 140+, not a verified test result. Frederick the Great is best known for exceptional discipline. The useful question is what the surviving evidence shows, not whether a precise modern score can be recovered.
Psychological Profile
Philosopher-king with a soldier's nerve. Wrote, composed and commanded.
The dominant archetype here is The Ruler. This archetype shapes decision patterns: what feels natural, what creates friction, and what blind spots tend to emerge.
Estimated IQ is 140+. This is a rough estimate based on documented accomplishments and contemporary accounts, not a literal measurement.
Key Behavioral Traits
He wrote mostly in French and considered German unsuitable for literature.
He pushed potato farming in Prussia to guard against famine.
He was lucky in 1762 when Russia left the war after its empress died.
One thing most people do not know
Napoleon visited Frederick's tomb in 1806 and reportedly told his officers that if Frederick were alive, they would not be there.
Sources for this estimate
Follow the evidence yourself. These sources document the achievements and context used here; none is presented as a standardized IQ report.
- Frederick IIEncyclopaedia Britannica
Biography covering his wars, reforms and cultural life.
What do these scores mean?
See what an IQ of 130, 140, 150 means in percentiles, then browse every famous estimate in one table.
Think like Frederick?
Frederick the Great's estimate: 140+ (range 130 to 150). See where your own score falls.
Related famous IQs
- Voltaire IQ170+
- Niccolò Machiavelli IQ145+
- Napoleon Bonaparte IQ145
- Cleopatra IQ140
- Winston Churchill IQ135
- Genghis Khan IQ130+
- Joan of Arc IQ120+
- Alexander the Great IQ150+
Same Archetype: The Ruler
Explore psychological profiles of contemporary figures analyzed with similar methods.
Browse All ProfilesSigns of High IQ
Traits often discussed alongside high measured IQ:
Frederick the Great: People Also Ask
Was Frederick the Great a genius?+
Frederick's record supports exceptional achievement, but "genius" is not established by an unverified IQ number. Their The Ruler archetype, combined with Discipline and Cultural Breadth, is a more useful interpretation of their output.
What personality type was Frederick the Great?+
Frederick fits the The Ruler archetype. Key traits include Discipline, Cultural Breadth, and Military Skill. This profile helps explain both their strengths and their documented failure modes.
What can we learn from Frederick the Great?+
Frederick's profile teaches that extreme strengths create extreme trade-offs. Their Discipline and Cultural Breadth enabled success but also created recurring friction.
References & Sources
Cox, C. M. (1926). The Early Mental Traits of Three Hundred Geniuses. Stanford University Press.
Simonton, D. K. (2009). Genius 101. Springer Publishing Company.
Cattell, R. B. (1971). Abilities: Their Structure, Growth, and Action. Houghton Mifflin.