Nowhere was the continuity with the past and acceptance of existing attitudes and institutions more evident than in Hessian foreign and military policy. Although Frederick brought new ideas and inclinations to the throne, he did very little to change the direction of foreign policy or the role of the army in society. He also discovered once again that, as in his domestic policy, even the most carefully considered initiatives could lead to the most unexpected and unwelcome repercussions.

The Hessian diplomatic and military system

Like most other small states Hesse-Cassel was very much subject to the limitations posed by its small size. Despite its 12,000-man standing army, it enjoyed little diplomatic leverage. Instead, it generally blended in with the bulk of smaller states that abided by the Reichsfriede, valued the stability afforded by the status quo, and helped make imperial institutions work, especially at the regional, Kreis, level. Like other small states it also had an established relationship with certain other states that largely predetermined its policies within the empire. Two centuries of defending German Protestantism against the Counter-Reformation and then Germany itself against French aggression had cemented Hesse-Cassel's membership in a “Protestant System” that embraced not only the northern German states but also Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. By midcentury it was a relationship with which the dynasty, ministry, and people felt comfortable. It had also given rise to a tradition of keeping a strong military in order to maintain the country's security against foreign threats.