ncils of Europe,
Frederick William was not less active in strengthening the central
authority within his own dominions. He found Brandenburg a
constitutional state, in which the legislative power was shared between
the elector and the diet; he left it to his successor substantially an
absolute monarchy. Many circumstances assisted to bring about this
change, among the chief of which were the want of harmonious action on
the part of the estates, and the decline in the political power of the
towns. The substitution of a permanent excise for the subsidies granted
from time to time by the estates also tended to increase his
independence, and the officials or _Steuerrathe_, appointed by him to
collect this tax in the towns, gradually absorbed many of the
administrative functions of the local authorities. The nobles and
prelates generally preferred to raise their share of the revenue by the
old method of a _bede_, or contribution, thus weakening the remaining
bond between them and the burghers.

In matters of general administration Frederick William showed himself a
prudent and careful ruler, and laid the foundation of the future
greatness of Prussia in almost every department. The wounds inflicted by
the Thirty Years' War were in a great measure healed, and the finances
and credit of the state were established on a firm basis. Agriculture
and commerce were improved and encouraged by a variety of useful
measures, and in this connexion the settlement of a large number of
Flemings, and the welcome extended to French Protestants, both before
and after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, were of incalculable
service. A small but efficient navy was founded, and strict economy,
together with increasing resources, enabled a disciplined army to be
maintained. Education was not neglected, a trading company was
established, and colonies were founded on the west coast of Africa. In
religious matters Calvinists and Lutherans were placed upon an equality,
but the elector was unable to impress his own spirit of tolerance upon
the clergy, who were occupied with ecclesiastical squabbles while the
state of education and of public morals left much to be desired. The
condition of the peasantry, however, during this reign reached its
lowest point, and the "recess," or charter, of 1653 practically
recognizes the existence of villenage. While the nobles had been losing
power with regard to the ruler they had been increasing it at the
expense o