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William I of Germany

Wilhelm I
Kaiser Wilhelm I. .JPG
Portrait of Wilhelm I in 1884
King of Prussia
Reign 2 January 1861 – 9 March 1888
Coronation 18 October 1861
Predecessor Frederick William IV
Successor Frederick III
Prime Ministers
Holder of the Bundespräsidium of the North German Confederation
In office 1 July 1867 – 31 December 1870
Chancellor Otto von Bismarck
German Emperor
Reign 1 January 1871 – 9 March 1888
Coronation 18 January 1871, Versailles
Successor Frederick III
Chancellor Otto von Bismarck
Born 22 March 1797
Berlin, Prussia
Died 9 March 1888(1888-03-09) (aged 90)
Berlin, German Empire
Burial Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, Germany
Spouse Augusta of Saxe-Weimar
Issue Frederick III, German Emperor
Louise, Grand Duchess of Baden
House Hohenzollern
Father Frederick William III of Prussia
Mother Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Religion Lutheranism (Prussian United)
Signature Wilhelm I's signature

William I, or in German Wilhelm I (full name: William Frederick Louis of Hohenzollern, German: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenzollern, 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888), of the House of Hohenzollern was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and the first German Emperor from 1 January 1871 to his death, the first Head of State of a united Germany. Under the leadership of William and his Minister President Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the establishment of the German Empire. Despite his long support of Otto von Bismarck as Minister President, William held strong reservations about some of Bismarck's more reactionary policies, including his anti-Catholicism and tough handling of subordinates. Contrary to the domineering Bismarck, William was described as polite, gentlemanly and, while a staunch conservative, more open to certain classical liberal ideas than his grandson Wilhelm II.

The future king and emperor was born William Frederick Louis of Prussia (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Preußen) in the Kronprinzenpalais in Berlin on 22 March 1797. As the second son of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Prince Frederick William, himself son of King Frederick William II, William was not expected to ascend to the throne. His grandfather died the year he was born, at age 53, in 1797, and his father Frederick William III became king. He was educated from 1801 to 1809 by Johann Friedrich Gottlieb Delbrück (), who was also in charge of the education of William's brother, the Crown Prince Frederick William. At age twelve, his father appointed him an officer in the Prussian army.


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