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}} William I,〔Fulbrook, Mary (2004). ''A Concise History of Germany'', 2nd edition, 2004, Cambridge University Press, p. 128. ISBN 978-0-521-54071-1.〕 or in German Wilhelm I〔Ybarra, Thomas R. Wilhelm II. (1921). ''The Kaiser's Memoirs: Wilhelm II, Emperor Of Germany, 1888–1918.'' Harper And Brothers Publisher. ISBN 0-548-32330-5〕 (full name: ''William Frederick Louis'', (ドイツ語:Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig), 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888), of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia (2 January 1861 – 9 March 1888) and the first German Emperor (18 January 1871 – 9 March 1888), as well as the first Head of State of a united Germany. Under the leadership of William and his Minister President Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the establishment of the German Empire. Despite his long support of Otto von Bismarck as Minister President, however, William held strong reservations about some of Bismarck's more reactionary policies, including his anti-Catholicism and tough handling of subordinates. Contrary to the aggressive, domineering Bismarck, William was described as polite, gentlemanly, and while a staunch conservative, more open to certain classical liberal ideas than his grandson Wilhelm II. ==Early life and military career== The future king and emperor was born William Frederick Louis of Prussia (''Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Preußen'') in the Kronprinzenpalais in Berlin on 22 March 1797. As the second son of King Frederick William III and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, William was not expected to ascend to the throne. He was educated from 1801 to 1809 by , who was also in charge of the education of William's brother, the Crown Prince Frederick William. At age ten, his father appointed him an officer in the Prussian army.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Biografie Wilhelm I (German) )〕 William served in the army from 1814 onward. Like his father he fought against Napoleon I of France during the part of the Napoleonic Wars known in Germany as the ''Befreiungskriege'' (otherwise known as the War of the Sixth Coalition), and was reportedly a very brave soldier. He was made a Captain (''Hauptmann'') and won the Iron Cross for his actions at Bar-sur-Aube. The war and the fight against France left a lifelong impression on him, in particular causing a long-standing antipathy against the French.〔 In 1815, William was promoted to Major and commanded a battalion of the ''1. Garderegiment''. He fought under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher at the Battles of Ligny and Waterloo.〔 He also became an excellent diplomat by engaging in diplomatic missions after 1815. In 1816, William became the commander of the ''Stettiner Gardelandwehrbataillon'' and in 1818 was promoted to ''Generalmajor''. The next year, William was appointed inspector of the VII. and VIII. Army Corps. This made him a spokesman of the Prussian Army within the House of Hohenzollern. He argued in favour of a strong, well-trained and well-equipped army. In 1820, William became commander of the ''1. Gardedivision'' and in 1825 was promoted to commanding general of the III. Army Corps.〔 In 1829, William married Princess Augusta von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach after Princess Elisa Radziwill, his cousin whom he had been attracted to, was deemed an inappropriate match by his father. William had been forced to abandon the relationship with Elisa in 1826. Augusta was the daughter of Grand Duke Karl Friedrich von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach. Their marriage was outwardly stable, but not a very happy one. In 1840 his older brother became King of Prussia. Since he had no children, William was first in line to succeed him to the throne and thus was given the title ''Prinz von Preußen''.〔 Against his convictions but out of loyalty towards his brother, in 1847 William signed the bill setting up a Prussian parliament (''Vereinigter Landtag'') and took a seat in the upper chamber, the ''Herrenhaus''.〔 During the Revolutions of 1848, William successfully crushed a revolt in Berlin that was aimed at his elder brother, King Frederick William IV. The use of cannon made him unpopular at the time and earned him the nickname ''Kartätschenprinz'' (Prince of Grapeshot). Indeed, he had to flee to England for a while, disguised as a merchant. He returned and helped to put down an uprising in Baden, where he commanded the Prussian army. In October 1849, he became governor-general of Rhineland and Westfalia, with a seat at the ''Kurfürstliches Schloss'' in Koblenz.〔〔 During their time at Koblenz, William and his wife entertained liberal scholars like the historian Maximilian Wolfgang Duncker or August von Bethmann-Hollweg and . William's opposition to liberal ideas gradually softened.〔 In 1854, the prince was raised to the rank of a field-marshal and made governor of the federal fortress of Mainz.〔1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/William I (Germany)〕 In 1857 Frederick William IV suffered a stroke and became mentally disabled for the rest of his life. In January 1858, William became Prince Regent for his brother, initially only temporarily but after October on a permanent basis. Against the advice of his brother, William swore an oath of office on the Prussian constitution and promised to preserve it "solid and inviolable". William appointed a liberal, Karl Anton von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as Minister President and thus initiated what became known as the "New Era" in Prussia, although there were conflicts between William and the liberal majority in the Landtag on matters of reforming the armed forces.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「William I, German Emperor」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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