Wilhelm II

Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 to 1918. He was the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and the son of Frederick III and Victoria, Princess Royal. He had a difficult relationship with his parents and his British relatives, especially his mother who favored his liberal-minded father. He was born with a withered left arm due to a breech birth, which he tried to conceal throughout his life. He was educated by tutors and military officers, and developed an interest in history, art, and music. He also became fascinated by the navy and the military, which influenced his later policies. Wilhelm succeeded his father as emperor in 1888, after his father's brief 99-day reign. He dismissed the long-serving chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1890, and embarked on a "New Course" in foreign affairs that aimed to make Germany a leading world power. He supported colonial expansion in Africa and Asia, and initiated a massive naval build-up that challenged Britain's supremacy at sea. He also pursued a policy of Weltpolitik (world politics) that involved intervening in various international disputes, such as the Moroccan crises of 1905 and 1911, and the Balkan wars of 1912-13. His erratic and impulsive behavior often alienated his allies and rivals alike, and earned him the nickname "the Madman of Europe". Wilhelm's role in the outbreak of World War I is controversial. He gave his full support to Austria-Hungary after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, which triggered a chain of events that led to war. However, he also tried to prevent the escalation of the conflict by mediating between Austria-Hungary and Russia. He later claimed that he had been manipulated by his generals and diplomats into declaring war. During the war, he left most of the military decisions to his generals, especially Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, who effectively ruled Germany as a military dictatorship. He visited the front lines frequently and awarded medals to soldiers, but had little influence on the course of the war. As Germany faced defeat in 1918, Wilhelm faced increasing unrest at home from the workers and soldiers who demanded an end to the war and a democratic reform of the government. He was forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918, after his generals told him that he had lost the support of the army and that he could no longer guarantee his safety. He fled to the Netherlands, where he lived in exile until his death in 1941. He spent his time writing his memoirs, hunting, painting, and corresponding with other monarchs and politicians. He never accepted the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that ended the war and blamed the Jews and socialists for Germany's defeat. He also expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, although he later condemned their persecution of Jews and their invasion of his former realm. He died of a pulmonary embolism at his home in Doorn at the age of 82. He was buried in a mausoleum on the grounds of his estate.