author
German Emperor William I
1797–1888
A Prussian king who became the first German emperor, he stood at the center of the dramatic unification of Germany in the 19th century. His long life spanned the Napoleonic era, the revolutions of 1848, and the birth of a new empire in 1871.
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Wilhelms I. Briefe an seinen Vater König Friedrich Wilhelm III. (1827-1839)
by German Emperor William I
About the author
Born in Berlin on 22 March 1797, he was the second son of Frederick William III of Prussia and Queen Louise. As a young prince he served in the wars against Napoleon, and over time he built a reputation for discipline, duty, and deep loyalty to the Prussian monarchy.
He became regent of Prussia in 1858 when his elder brother Frederick William IV could no longer rule, then succeeded as king in 1861. Working with minister-president Otto von Bismarck and military leaders including Helmuth von Moltke, he reigned during the wars that led to German unification. In January 1871, after victory over France, he was proclaimed German Emperor at Versailles, becoming the first head of state of the new German Empire.
Though often seen as more cautious and traditional than the powerful statesmen around him, he remained an important symbol of continuity and royal authority. He died in Berlin on 9 March 1888, after a reign long enough to make him one of the defining figures of 19th-century German history.