Friedrich Ancillon

Johann Peter Friedrich Ancillon (30 April 1767 – 19 April 1837) was a Prussian historian and statesman. He provided Frederick William III of Prussia with strong ideological support against political reforms that might restrain monarchical power.

He was appointed extraordinary member of the Philosophy Class at the Prussian Academy in 1803. He tutored the Crown Price who became Frederick William IV of Prussia. 1813 till 1837 Ancillon worked as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Prussia, and he tended to support Klemens von Metternich.

Early life Ancillon was born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, and was the great-grandson of French jurist and diplomat Charles Ancillon. After studying theology at Geneva University, he was appointed minister to the French community in Berlin.

Career At the same time, his reputation as a historical scholar secured him the post of professor of history at the military academy. In 1793, he visited Switzerland, and in 1796 France, publishing the impressions gathered during his travels in a series of articles which he afterwards collected under the title of Mélanges de littérature et de philosophie (1801).

Ancillon took rank among the most famous historians of his day by his next work, Tableau des révolutions du système politique de l'Europe depuis le XVe siècle (1803, 4 volumes), which gained him the praise of the Institute of France, and admission to the Military Academy of Berlin. It was the first attempt to recognize psychological factors in historical movements, but otherwise its importance was exaggerated. Its "sugary optimism, unctuous phraseology and pulpit logic" appealed, however, to the reviving pietism of the age succeeding the Revolution, and these qualities, as well as his eloquence as a preacher, brought Ancillon to the notice of the court. In 1808 he was appointed tutor to the royal princes, in 1809 councillor of state in the department of religion, and in 1810 tutor of the crown prince (afterwards Frederick William IV of Prussia), on whose sensitive and dreamy nature he was to exercise a powerful but far from wholesome influence.

In May 1831 Ancillon was made an active privy councillor, was appointed chief of the department for the Principality of Neuchâtel, in July became secretary of state for foreign affairs, and in the spring of 1832, on Bernstorff's retirement, succeeded him as head of the ministry. Knight in the Order Of The Iron Cross (1st Class). Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Fidelity, Baden. Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Crown of Bavaria Knight Grand Cross in the Legion of Honour. Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Lion of Hesse. Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary. Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Alexander Nevsky Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Anna Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit of Saxony-Anhalt Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Knight Grand Cross in the House Order of Saxe-Ernestine Commander of the Order of the Polar Star