AUTHORS NOTE: Dedicated to the 300th birthday of Frederick the Great, this book presents one of the most elusive and controversial rulers of the 18th century, subjected to myriad glories and legends, and whose personality requires a few more centuries to duke it out what kind of combat or person he was. Since German unification under the Great Elector, Frederick II has been unfairly seen as the root of militarist Germany that dominated Europe during the First and Second World Wars. Most biographies focus heavily on the rehabilitation of his reputation that was already overshadowed by Napoleon Bonaparte. But the consistency of his character makes it plain that Frederick II was a military genius, who could lead troops from the front in the thick of the battles, losing horses under him, loosing Generals, and still fearlessly moving forward with bullet wholes through his collar. Frederick II was a self-styled philosopher, a classed "monarch-enluminator," whose domestic reforms and expansions made Prussia an iron kingdom, doubling its holdings. He was Voltaires pen-pal. He admired Voltaire, argued with him, and brain-stormed him. This book also describes the King's passion of poetry, his correspondence with Voltaire, treatment of military and diplomatic causes, warfare, state-society nexus, and ardent sense for art and music. He had composed 121 flute sonatas, 4 concertos, areas, a symphony, and an overture. He wrote the treatise "Anti-Machiavel." He sketched and designed his resort Sanssouci in Potsdam, the grand palace and parks, the opulent equivalents to the Chateau de Versailles, and the European prototype of todays Epcot. Seen as a despot and nobleman at the same time, Frederick was a fascinating character for his rivals. In all complexities of that extraordinary spirit, one thing at least is certain; that spirit, whether it was admirable to some, or odious to others, was moved by a terrific force.

A riveting saga of deceit, scandal, sex, greed and power

I've traveled all over the world. I've stayed in the best hotels and eaten in the best restaurants. But that isn't me. I'm a simple man. I have simple tastes and I live in a simple house.

But people who knew of my past life still want to know . . . what's it like? What's it like to work for the richest family on earth, the Royal Family of Brunei?

"Well they have money and they spend it," I answer them. I tire of the subject. I know once they get a taste of the story, the questions will keep coming.

"No," they answer. "That's not what I mean. What's it like to travel with the Royal Family? What are they like?"

How can I answer that?

What are they like? They are one of the last true monarchies here on earth. They still rule with a word and with a wave of their hand, no different than they did centuries ago. I worked for a true monarchy, which could have been taken straight out of the movie, "The King and I."

There is not enough time in a day or even a week to tell them all there is to tell.

Yet this story is true. It is no movie nor is it a fairy tale.

I lived it.

For a simple man like me who lives in a simple house, to become a slave of the highest order and to have lived in their world is still surreal.

I see you interrupting me, "A slave you say. There are no longer any slaves."

I scoff at you. I was indeed a slave. What do you call a person who has no life other than what the prince or princess gives them as their daily morsel. What do you call a man who does not sleep but maybe three hours a night waiting by the phone for orders or instructions for twelve years on end? Shall I tell those who ask that the work almost killed me several times over? Shall I tell them that I was indeed a slave who lost his wife because of years of neglecting her and who did not get to see his own children grow up?

Shall I tell them of the deceit, lies, and backstabbing which were the normal part of my everyday existence. Shall I tell them that maybe only one out of ten thousand men could have done my job because of the miracles that they expected me to perform?

No slaves indeed

Welcome to my life.