Prussia

Germany did not exist as a unified nation until 1871. Before then, the land now considered as German territory was a patchwork of kingdoms, grand duchies, duchies, electorates and other varieties of political states. One of these was the kingdom of Prussia.

At the time Frederick the Great became king in 1740, the territory held by Prussia lay along the southern shores of the Baltic Sea, east of Denmark in what is now northern Germany and northern Poland. However, Frederick's military achievements led to territorial expansion. More expansion occurred due to the First Partition of Poland in 1772, in which territory previously held by the kingdom of Poland was divided amongst Prussia, Russia and Austria. By the time Frederick the Great died in 1786, Prussia had approximately doubled in size. Twenty years later, the Prussian army was still operating on the assumption that what had worked for Frederick would always continue to work, right down to the drills practiced by their dragons.

Prussia gained more territory in the Second and Third Partitions of Poland in 1793 and 1795. After 1795, Poland ceased to exist as an independent nation, and its dragons were sent to Prussian breeding grounds. The legacy of the partitions was to come back to haunt the Prussians when the French invaded in 1806. Many of the dragons' captains had died in the intervening decade, in Prussian captivity or from age or sickness. Their dragons, bereft and bitter, were quick to assist the French.

Prussia did not participate in the Third Coalition against Napoleon in 1805. In fact, Prussia benefited somewhat from Napoleon's gains. The French had occupied the electorate of Hanover in 1803. In 1805, Napoleon handed the territory over to the Prussians in hopes of gaining their support. This did not sit well with George III of Britain, who included "elector of Hanover" among his titles.