Wilhelm II, German Emperor
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Hohenzollern, 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and the last King of Prussia. Ruling from 1888 to 1918, he went to live in the Netherlands and abdicated (resigned) as King and Emperor. This was the end of the Hohenzollern dynasty. He died in the Netherlands at Huis Doorn, and he is buried there because he ordered not to be buried in Nazi Germany. He died on June 4, 1941.
| Wilhelm II | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Portrait by T. H. Voigt, 1902 | |||||
| German Emperor King of Prussia | |||||
| Reign | 15 June 1888 – 9 November 1918 | ||||
| Predecessor | Frederick III | ||||
| Successor | Monarchy abolished | ||||
| Chancellors | See list
| ||||
| Born | 27 January 1859 Kronprinzenpalais, Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia | ||||
| Died | 4 June 1941 (aged 82) Huis Doorn, Doorn, Netherlands | ||||
| Burial | 9 June 1941 Huis Doorn, Doorn | ||||
| Spouse | Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (m. 1881; died 1921) Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz (m. 1922) | ||||
| Issue |
| ||||
| |||||
| House | Hohenzollern | ||||
| Father | Frederick III, German Emperor | ||||
| Mother | Victoria, Princess Royal | ||||
| Religion | Lutheranism (Prussian United) | ||||
| Signature |  | ||||
He was involved in the Boxer Rebellion of 1899-1901 fighting against the Qing Dynasty Empire. In July 1914 he promised to support emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria against Serbia. This led to World War 1. He fled to the Netherlands in 1918 after Germany surrendered in World War 1 after losing many battles. Germany lost its Colonies and became the Weimar Republic .
Early life
Wilhelm was born on 27 January 1859 and was the oldest child in his family. His father was Prince Frederick of Prussia. His mother was Princess Victoria, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. He was born with a disabled left arm.
He married in 1881 Augusta Victoria. He and his wife had seven children. He studied at the Kassel Gymnasium and then at the University of Bonn.
Reign
He became leader of Germany in 1888, when his father died. He disagreed with his father's longtime chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, and dismissed him in 1890.
Wilhelm believed in strengthening Germany’s armed forces, especially the navy. He led Germany during World War I. In November 9th, 1918, Wilhelm II stepped down from the throne, ending the German Empire.
Titles and styles
- 27 January 1859 – 9 March 1888: His Imperial Royal Highness Prince Wilhelm of Prussia
- 9 March 1888 – 15 June 1888: His Imperial Highness and Royal Highness The German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia
- 15 June 1888 – 18 November 1918: His Imperial and Royal Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia
Other websites
Media related to Wilhelm II, German Emperor at Wikimedia Commons