Reading and studying the works of Niccolò Machiavelli, such as "The Prince" was considered necessary for any king in Europe to rule effectively. In 1739, Frederick finished his "Anti-Machiavel", an idealistic refutation of Machiavelli. It was written in French – as were all of Frederick's works – and published anonymously in 1740, but Voltaire distributed it in Amsterdam to great popularity. Frederick's years dedicated to the arts instead of politics ended upon the 1740 death of Frederick William and his inheritance of the Kingdom of Prussia. Frederick and his father were more or less reconciled at the latter's death, and Frederick later admitted, despite their constant conflict, that Frederick William had been an effective ruler: "What a terrible man he was. But he was just, intelligent, and skilled in the management of affairs... it was through his efforts, through his tireless labor, that I have been able to accomplish everything that I have done since."