Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Cassel (1720-1785), standing in front of two pillars, in blue velvet coat with red collar and cuffs, gilt breastplate, lace cravat and black stock, wearing the blue sash and breast-star of the Order of the Garter, powdered hair en queue, holding a black baton in his right hand; landscape and sky background

Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse Cassel, was the eldest son of Landgrave William VII and his wife Dorothea Wilhelmina of Saxe-Zeitz. He married first, in 1740, Princess Mary of Hanover, fourth daughter of King George II, and secondly, in 1773, Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt. He became a Knight of the Garter in 1741.
Frederick was notorious for selling his people. He 'lent' civilians as soldiers to his brother-in-law King George III to use in the war against the American rebels. The ruthlessness of Frederick's press-gangs was legendary and became an epitomy for the tyrannical absolutism in the smaller German principalities during the age of the Enlightenment. Frederick was succeeded by his son William IX.