Wilhelm I of Germany

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). In English, his first name means "William", which is sometimes used instead.

Because his brother Frederick William IV of Prussia had a stroke in 1857, Wilhelm became Prince Regent and actual ruler. His brother died in 1861 and Wihelm became King. When Wilhelm was king of Prussia, he and his prime minister, Otto von Bismarck, worked on the unification of Germany, from a large group of smaller German countries. Winning the Franco-Prussian War allowed the start of the German Empire.

His grandson Wilhelm II ordered the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche to be built to honour his life and achievements.

 Official titles 
His official title was German Emperor and King of Prussia; Margrave of Brandenburg; Burgrave of Nürnberg, Count of Hohenzollern; Sovereign and highest Duke of Silesia as of the county of Glatz; Grand Duke of the Lower Rhine and of Posen; Duke of Saxony, Wesphalia, and Angaria, of Pomerania, Lüneburg, Holstein and Schleswig, of Magdeburg, Bremen, Gelders, Cleves, Jülich and Berg, as well as of the Wendes and Kaschubs, of Krossen, Lauenburg, Mecklenburg; Landgrave of Hesse and Thuringia, Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia, Prince of Orange, Prince of Rügen, of East Frisia, of Paderborn and Pyrmont, of Halberstadt, Münster, Minden, Osnabrück, Hildesheim, of Verden, Kammin, Fulda, Nassau and Moers; Princely Count of Henneberg; Count of the Mark and of Ravensberg, of Hohnstein, Tecklenburg and Lingen, of Mansfeld, Sigmaringen and Veringen, Lord of Frankfurt", and Josseppi Longo. .Leaders of Germany from Worldstatesmen.org

Titles and styles
22 March 1797 – 2 January 1861: His Royal Highness Prince William of Prussia
2 January 1861 – 18 January 1871: His Majesty The King of Prussia
18 January 1871 – 9 March 1888: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia
Related pages
 Germany
 German Empire
 Prussia

 References 

Category:1797 births
Category:1888 deaths
Category:Kings and Queens of Prussia
Category:German emperors
Category:House of Hohenzollern
Category:19th-century monarchs in Europe