Kurfuerstentum und Markgrafschaft Brandenburg

Hetalia © by Hidekaz Himaruya

Nyo!Prussia as the Electorate and Margraviate of Brandenburg alongside with its most popular and influential ruler,  "the Great Elector" and Margrave Friedrich Wilhelm of the House of Hohenzollern.
On the left, we have Dragoons, originally mounted light infantry, and on the right, we have musketeers.
They are all wearing uniforms from around 1645-1655.

So, why is there Nyo!Prussia, even though the country is called "Brandenburg" ?
Let's have a bit of background information concerning the history of the founding of the Königreich Preußen (Kingdom of Prussia), which is actually the history of two different countries:

First, Brandenburg.
Back then, Brandenburg was located at the north-eastern border of the Holy Roman Empire, having a coast-line at the Baltic Sea and neighbouring Poland-Lithuania. Actually, there was few more than vast forests, swamps, riversides and barren earth, leading to its nickname "des Heiligen Römischen Reiches Streusandbüchse" (the Holy Roman Empire's sandbox). Thus, economy, if you could call it like that, relied much on relatively poor agriculture and farming. You could hardly compare Brandenburg to other flourishing german countries in the center and south of the HRE.
Since Brandenburg marked the border of the HRE, it was appointed Markgrafschaft (Margraviate). Later, it was even promoted Kurfürstentum (Electorate), meaning its ruler, the Kurfüst (literally "Elector-prince") was one of the few princes (and clergies) of the HRE who could elect the Kaiser (Emperor).
Brandenburg's coat of arms was, and still is, a red eagle.

Now, Prussia.
The roman-catholic Deutscher Orden (Teutonic Order) had been promoted to a chivalric order from the St. Maria Hospital der Deutschen zu Jerusalem (St. Maria Hospital of the Germans at Jerusalem) in 1198. As their insignia, they wore a black cross on white base.
In 1225, Poland's ruler called the Teutomic Order  for military help to defeat and christianize the Prußen/Pruzzen (Old Prussians), who lived in the baltic region. After the Teutonic Order had been promised by the polish King and the Emperor of the HRE, that it could claim the occupied land as its own, the german crusaders wiped out the Old Prussians in 1234 and founded the clerical Deutschordensstaat (Teutonic Order State) on their former land. From now on, their main area of operation was eastern Europe. The Ordensburg Marienburg (Malbork Castle) became the HQ of the Teutonic Order.
After its devastating defeat in the Battle of Tannenberg by Poland-Lithuania in 1410, the Teutonic Order as a military force was finished. However, the Order itself and the Teutonic Order State remained. 

So much for the background of the two countries which were to become Prussia, later.
Now, for the family which is connecting and bound to the history of Brandenburg and Prussia, the Hohenzollern.

The Hohenzollern had originated from Swabia in south-western Germany, their castle Hohenzollern (literally "High Zollern") on the eponymous mountain still stands there. After one of them, Friedrich VI., had helped the Emperor of the HRE in winning the election, they were granted the country of Brandenburg in return. However, the "lucky" Hohenzollern, officially ruling the country starting from 1411, didn't like it much due to the climate, the landscape and the people. And on top of all, he had to restore public order throughout whole Brandenburg on his behalf against the many nobles, even by force. Eventually, Friedrich VI., became Friedrich I. of Brandenburg. Soon, Berlin was chosen as new capital city.
In the beginning the new rulers weren't much liked and respected by their people, there were even threats of assassination and revolts, but within the time, the Hohenzollern managed to establish their rule in Brandenburg.

In 1511 and by coincidence, another family-member of a different Hohenzollern-line, Albrecht, became Hochmeister (Grand Master) of the Teutonic Order and thus ruler of the Teutonic Order State neighbouring Brandenburg to the east. In 1525, said Albrecht reformed the catholic, clerical order-state into the protestant, secular Herzogtum Preußen (Duchy of Prussia) as fief of the polish crown with Königsberg as capital city., becoming Herzog (Duke) Albrecht I. of Prussia.
As coat of arms, a black eagle on white base was chosen in tradtition of the Teutonic Order State.
(the Teutonic Order still exists up to today, though; after Albrecht had down the Grand Masters cloak due to changing his confession and the Teutonic Order State was turned into the Duchy of Prussia, an Austrian became new Grand Master and the order's HQ was relocated to Vienna, were it still is, nowadays)

However, soon after Albrecht I. died, the prussian line of the Hohenzollern died out, too. Thus, the Duchy of Prussia was inherited to the next main Hohenzollern-member from the brandenburgian line, Kurfürst (Elector) and Markgraf (Margrave) Johann Sigismund, in 1618, who ruled over both countries as sovereign and seperate states in personal union. Remember, Brandenburg was part of the HRE while Prussia was a fief of the polish crown.
The relationship between the two countries wasn't really the best, though. Much later, when they were actually ruled as one, as Brandenburg-Prussia (see below), this kept on for some time, even going so far as open hostilities between the people.

In the same year, the Thirty-Years War from 1618 - 1648 broke out in the HRE between protestant and catholic forces, because of the splitting of the christian church due to the protestant reformation triggered by german monk Martin Luther. This had caused a division between the member states of the HRE and posed a threat for the influence of the roman-catholic church and the union of the HRE (and thus a threat to the rule of the Emperor, who was as well the protector of the roman-caholic church, too).
In the war, Brandenburg was devastated by troops of the protestant Swedes and the catholic Imperials. The new Margrave of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, Georg Wilhelm, even had to leave Brandenburg and flee to prussian Königsberg. He died there in 1640, before the war was ended by the Treaty of Westphalia.

This was the moment of truth for his young successor, Friedrich Wilhelm. When he came to rule, he faced a country shattered and scorched by the war (this refers to Brandenburg, Prussia had been relatively spared). 
The new Elector had studied in the Netherlands, the most flourishing country in Europe, at that time, where his latter wife Louise Henriette of Oranje came from. He brought Brandenburg and Prussia closer to each other culturally and politically, if necessary, even by force (see above). He knew, that was the only way for them to survive, being surrounded by the european powers of Sweden, Poland, France (at the Rhine-provinces in the west) and the latter austrian Habsburg-monarchy. He induced many reforms in economy, professionals from the Netherlands helped a lot, in the government, by introducing a centralized administration, and especially in the military, raising a great and well trained standing army. He built up a small fleet, too, which even sailed to the western african coast, founding the colony Groß Friedrichsburg (which was abandoned in 1717). 
By clever outer politics, he managed to secure his country a rather safe position in the midst of the european great powers.

In 1655, the Second Northern War broke out between Sweden and Poland-Lithuania. Brandenburg allied up with Sweden, which had already invaded Prussia, and both defeated Poland in the Battle of Warsaw in 1656.
In 1657, in the aftermath of the war, Fridrich Wilhelm managed to be granted full sovereignity over Prussia by Poland step by step in 1656 and 1657, acknowledged in 1660, again, in exchange for an alliance with Poland-Lithuania.

Friedrich Wilhelm supported the raise of the economy e.g. by immigration. In 1685, Friedrich Wilhelm welcomed over 40,000 protestant Huguenots which had fled from France and gave them refugee in his country. Many of them were professionals. Jews were invited, as well. He liberalized commercial and travel, supported trade and introduced an own postal service. But most of all, he kept up building an army.

When France went to war against the Netherlands in 1672, Brandenburg sent troops to support the Netherlands (Friedrich Wilhelm was married to Louise Henriette of Oranje, remember). This caused Sweden, an ally of France, to sent troops into Brandenburg, causing the Swedish-Brandenburgian War or Northern War of 1674 - 1679. Against all odds, a superior swedish army was defeated by the brandenburgian army under the command of general Georg von Derfflinger in the Battle of Fehrbellin in 1675. This marked the beginning of a very successful campaign of Friedrich Wilhelm against the Swedes until the war was ended by the Peace of St.Germain. This gained him the honorary nickname "Großer Kurfürst" (Great Elector).

For more, here's a great summary of his biography and achievements by dear , who influenced me alot, concerning the idea of Nyo!Prussia representing Brandenburg and Prussia/Gilbert representing original Prussia : fav.me/d98y8c0

When Friedrich Wilhelm died in 1688, Brandenburg-Prussia was one of the strongest countries, not only among the german nations of the HRE but in whole middle Europe.

His successor was Friedrich III.. In order to prevent the nation of falling apart due to inheritance-policy and to make the country even stronger, he decided to turn it into a Kingdom. With permission by the Emperor of the HRE and the King of Poland, he crowned himself Friedrich I., König in Preußen (King "in" (!) Prussia) on 18th January 1701 in Königsberg.
As coat of arms, the prussian black eagle on white base was chosen.

Brandenburg and Prussia turned into provinces of the new country. However, the western province of Brandenburg  with the capital city of the brandenburgian Hohenzollern, Berlin (and not the original Prussia in the East with Königsberg), became the center of the new powerful german kingdom.

Following this history, Nyo!Prussia as Brandenburg and Prussia/Gilbert as Duchy of Prussia became the Kingdom of Prussia together.

So much for the history of Brandenburg and Prussia, the historical background of the founding of the Kingdom of Prussia... all clear, now ^^ ?


Now, some trivia (concerning Brandenburg):

There were the Roter Adlerorden (Red Eagle Order), the second highest prussian order to be awarded, depicting the brandenburgian red eagle, and the Schwarzer Adlerorden (Black Eagle Order), the highest prussian order to be awarded, depicting the prussian black eagle.

Today, Brandenburg is one of the 16 federal countries of the Federal Republic of Germany. However, its capital city is Potsdam, the former residence city of the prussian kings and important garrison of the prussian army. Berlin is the capital city of the whole republic and an own federal country.

The inofficial anthem of Brandenburg sung today, "Märkische Heide und märkischer Sand" from 1920/30, ("Markish heath and markish sand"; "Mark" from" marking the border" (see above); "märkisch" being the adjective/adverb) is about its typical landscape:

"1. Märkische Heide, märkischer Sand,
sind des Märkers Freude, sind sein Heimatland.

(Markish heath, markish sand,
are the Marker's joy, are his homeland.)

R. Steige hoch, du roter Adler,
hoch über Sumpf und Sand!
Hoch über dunkle Kiefernwälder,
Heil dir mein Brandenburgerland!

(Rise high, oh red eagle,
high above swamp and sand!
High above dark pine-forests,
hail to you, my Brandenburgian's country!)

2. Uralte Eichen, dunkler Buchenhain,
grünende Birken stehen am/umrahmen den Wiesenrain.

(Ancient oaks, dark beech-forests,
blooming birches stand at/frame the meadows.)

R. Steige hoch [...]

3. Blauende Seen, Wiesen und Moor,
liebliche Täler, schwankendes Rohr.

(Blue lakes, meadows and moor,
lovely valleys, waving reed.)

R. Steige hoch [...]"

There were several military marches and units dedicated to the former Electorate of Brandenburg and the "Great Elector" Friedrich Wilhelm in Prussia, e.g. the "Des Großen Kurfüsten Reitermarsch" (The Great Elector's Rider-march), the "Fehrbelliner Reitermarsch" (Fehrbellin's Rider-march) and the "Präsentieramarsch des Leib-Kürassier Regiments 'Großer Kurfürst" (Presenting-march of the Body-(Guard-)Cuirassier-Regiment "Great Elector") of the "Leib-Kürassier-Regiment 'Großer Kurfürst' (Schlesisches) Nr. 1" (Body-(Guard-)Cuirassier-Regiment "Great Elector" (Silesian) Nr. 1; the historical successor of the Great Elector's Leib-Dragoner-Regiment (Body-(Guard-)Dragoon-Regiment)).

"Hie gut Brandenburg allewege" (all good to Brandenburg at all times) is an old brandenburgian parole.