William I (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888), or Wilhelm I, was King of Prussia from 1861 and German Emperor from 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the first head of state of a united Germany.

Mar 18, 2025 · William I (born March 22, 1797, Berlin—died March 9, 1888, Berlin) was a German emperor from 1871, as well as king of Prussia from 1861. He was a sovereign whose conscientiousness and self-restraint fitted him for collaboration with stronger statesmen in raising his monarchy and the house of Hohenzollern to predominance in Germany.. He was the second son of the future king Frederick William ...

Apr 25, 2017 · By proclaiming himself the German Emperor, King Wilhelm I transformed the former, loosely joined North German Confederation into the German Empire, which in fact was a unified Germany that soon established itself as a modern state.

Kaiser Wilhelm I (Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenzollern; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) of the Hohenzollern family was a king of Prussia from January 2, 1861 – 9 March 1888. He was the first German Emperor (18 January 1871 – 9 March 1888).

Wilhelm I., mit vollem Namen Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Preußen (* 22. März 1797 in Berlin ; † 9. März 1888 ebenda), aus dem Haus Hohenzollern war von 1861 bis zu seinem Tod König von Preußen und seit der Reichsgründung 1871 erster Deutscher Kaiser .

Frederick William I (German: Friedrich Wilhelm I.; 14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740), known as the Soldier King (German: Soldatenkönig [1]), was King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death in 1740, as well as Prince of Neuchâtel.

Friedrich Wilhelm I, also known as the "Soldier King," was the King of Prussia. Although not particularly revered by the Germans themselves, he instilled a notorious sense of order among his subjects.

Biography: Wilhelm I was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor, reigning from 1861 until his death in 1888. His leadership played a crucial role in the unification of Germany, which transformed the country into a major European power.

Wilhelm was anxious that Prussian soldiers prove their mettle in action, while Bismarck wanted a spectacular victory to place Prussia in an unassailable position at the impending conference. The Danes, outnumbered 6-to-1, fought bravely, but were forced to capitulate.

Wilhelm I represents a model of leadership based on duty and moderation. In an age of upheaval, he helped create and preserve one of Europe’s most powerful states. His era laid the foundations for modern German institutions, from civil service to federalism.