The story of Wilhelm I is one of a "Soldier King" who never expected to lead, yet became the face of a new world power.
After his death in 1888, his grandson Wilhelm II began a campaign to have him remembered as . He commissioned hundreds of statues and monuments across the country to cement this legacy, though historians note that the public often credited Bismarck more than the Emperor for the nation's success. Wilhelm der Große: Deutscher Kaiser und König v...
The climax of his story occurred on January 18, 1871. In a calculated act of triumph, Wilhelm I was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles following the defeat of France. Ironically, Wilhelm was reluctant to accept the title; he preferred to be "Emperor of Germany," but Bismarck insisted on "German Emperor" to avoid offending other German princes who still held authority over their own lands. Legacy and the "Great" Title The story of Wilhelm I is one of