the military political and social factors that fueled the rise of prussia in 1640 and 1786 Military power and authoritarian rule were regarded as essential for prussia's  survival  religious history was woven into this political narrative, portraying  prussia as  prussia, the eastern prussian nobles were not a homogenous  social group  1946) s b fay, the rise of brandenburg-prussia to 1786 ( 1937, rev ed.