The exhibition “Tilsit Peace Treaty and Queen Louise” presents a uniform of King Friedrich William III of Prussia, which is a reconstruction of an early 19th century model. The collection of the reconstructed costumes is stored in the subsidiary scientific collection of the Museum of the History of the City of Sovetsk. It was created as part of the “War and Peace” project in 2007.

The Prussian army of the early 19th century, bathed in the glory of Frederick the Great, was considered one of the best and most exemplary armies in Europe. In September 1806, Prussia, as a member of the Fourth Anti-French Coalition, began independent military actions against Napoleonic France. The fall campaign, according to the Prussian generals, was to be swift and victorious. However, the first battles of Jena and Auerstedt on 14–16 September 1806 ended in complete defeat for the “heirs of Frederick”. The Prussian defeat in the war of 1806 ended with the signing of the humiliating Treaty of Tilsit. Prussia had to pay a huge contribution to France and was deprived of most of its territory in favor of the newly formed Duchy of Warsaw and a number of German states. The Prussian army was not to exceed 42,000 men. In this situation, Prussia was forced to carry out military reforms, which were to prepare the army for the upcoming struggle for the liberation of the country from the French occupation.

The general’s uniform for King Friedrich William III of Prussia was cut as a tailcoat, made of blue cloth with two rows of eight gilded buttons. The collar, cuffs and lapels were covered with red cloth. The collar and cuffs were decorated with a gold embroidery pattern. A bicorne felt hat was decorated with a plume of white cockerel feathers. At the waist of the uniform a silk sash of silver threads with black stripes was tied, the ends of which dangled down on the right hip. The tunic is matched by gray leggings with gilded buttons. The sword scabbard was made of unblackened (brown) leather.

King Friedrich William III usually wore an eight-pointed silver star of the Order of the Black Eagle on the left side of his chest.