In the 21st century the view of Frederick the Great as a capable and effective leader remains strong among military historians, and he is held in a high regard for his patronage of the arts. Historians continue to debate the issue of Frederick's achievements, discussing how much of the king's achievement was based on developments already under way and how much of it can be directly attributed to him. In addition, his cultural and intellectual engagement with the the Enlightenment in Europe lead to him being seen as an exemplar of "enlightened absolutism" for centuries, though this label has been questioned in the 21st century as many enlightenment principles directly contest his militarism.