Herbert von Bismarck

Herbert von Bismarck was the eldest son of Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of the German Empire. He followed his father's footsteps in politics and diplomacy, serving as the Foreign Secretary of Germany from 1886 to 1890. He was also a member of the Prussian House of Lords and the Reichstag. Herbert was born in Berlin on 28 December 1849. He had a sister, Marie, and a brother, Wilhelm. He studied law and history at the universities of Bonn, Berlin, and Leipzig. He fought in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, where he was wounded at the Battle of Mars-La-Tour. He joined the diplomatic service in 1874 at his father's request. He married Countess Marguerite Hoyos in 1878 and had five children with her. He was loyal to his father and supported his policies. He became Under-Secretary and acting head of the Foreign Office in 1885, and the following year he was appointed State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. He also became a Minister of State of Prussia in 1888. He accompanied his father on several diplomatic missions, such as the Congress of Berlin in 1878, where he helped secure Germany's interests in the Balkans. He also played a role in the colonial expansion of Germany in Africa and Asia. He was involved in the negotiations of the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1882 and its renewal in 1887. He was close to Emperor Wilhelm I and his successor Frederick III, but he had a strained relationship with Wilhelm II, who ascended to the throne in 1888. Wilhelm II wanted a more aggressive foreign policy and clashed with Otto von Bismarck over several issues, such as social reforms, relations with Russia, and naval expansion. Herbert tried to mediate between them, but he failed to prevent his father's dismissal in 1890. He resigned from his office a few days after his father's departure. He remained a member of the Prussian House of Lords until his death and a member of the Reichstag until 1898. He also inherited his father's title of Prince of Bismarck in 1898. He died of heart failure on 18 September 1904 at Friedrichsruh, where he was buried next to his father.