We have no idea what Frederick the Great looked like.

Frederick the Great is one of the most important kings in European history, but he was never accurately depicted in any portrait during his lifetime. Let’s dig into this story, and compare his case with another iconic monarch: Maria Theresa of Austria. She made herself the most publicized monarch of her time, at the same time that Frederick erased his face from history. 00:00 Intro 02:23 Part 1: The Politics of Portraiture 06:02 Maria Theresia - The Illegitimate Princess 08:31 Her rise to power 12:49 Frederick II - The Abused Prince 15:17 None of his portraits were accurate 18:24 Frederick as Gay Icon 18:50 His actual face 23:47 Why all of his artists lied Find ways to support me directly here: https://linktr.ee/ThatHabsburgMapGuy I insist that all my music be contemporary with the stories I tell, and the music used throughout this video was my own mix of various compositions by Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809): Symphony 44 the "Trauersinphonie," Quartet Op. 54 No. 2, Symphony 83 "the Hen," and his masterwork "The Seven Last Words of Our Savior on the Cross."