William I
The king who appointed Bismarck to achieve unification and was crowned German Emperor in the Palace of Versailles.
Life
Career soldier
William I, second son of King Frederick William III of Prussia, fought in the wars against Napoleon as a youth and was a career soldier. During the Revolutions of 1848 he advocated repression and briefly fled to Britain.
Appointed Bismarck
In 1858 he became regent because of his elder brother's illness, and he took the throne in 1861. After clashing with the parliament over army reform, he appointed Bismarck Minister President in 1862. Prussia then won successive victories in the Danish War (1864), the Austro-Prussian War (1866) and the Franco-Prussian War (1870).
Crowned at Versailles
On January 18, 1871, he was proclaimed German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris. He left the governing of the country to Bismarck and died in 1888 at the age of ninety.
Legacy
William I and Bismarck completed the unification of Germany; William himself was cautious by nature and is said to have preferred to remain simply King of Prussia.
Did you know? He once sighed: "It is not easy to be emperor under Bismarck." (attributed)
Key dates
- 1861Becomes King of Prussia
- 1862Appoints Bismarck Minister President
- 1866Austro-Prussian War
- 1871Proclaimed German Emperor at Versailles
- 1878Survives two assassination attempts
- 1888Died