What is the meaning of Kaiser Wilhelm II?
What is the meaning of Kaiser Wilhelm II?
Wilhelm II (1859-1941), the German kaiser (emperor) and king of Prussia from 1888 to 1918, was one of the most recognizable public figures of World War I (1914-18). He gained a reputation as a swaggering militarist through his speeches and ill-advised newspaper interviews.
Why was Wilhelm II so important?
Kaiser Wilhelm II was the monarchical ruler of Germany, occupying the throne from June 1888 until his abdication at the end of World War I. Many historians consider Wilhelm the individual most responsible for the outbreak of war in 1914.
What is Kaiser Wilhelm II legacy?
Legacy of William II William often bombastically claimed to be the man who made the decisions. It is true that the German constitution of 1871 put two important powers in his hands. First, he was responsible for appointing and dismissing the chancellor, the head of the civil government.
Why were German kings called kaiser?
Like the Bulgarian, Serbian, and Russian word Tsar, Kaiser is directly derived from the Roman emperors’ title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of the Julii Caesares, a branch of the gens (clan) Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar, the forebear of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, belonged.
What did kaiser mean in German?
German word meaning “emperor”. During the First World War, the Kaiser of Germany was Wilhelm II.
Why was Kaiser Wilhelm II blamed for ww1?
Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, Wilhelm encouraged the Austrians to adopt an uncompromising line against Serbia, effectively writing them a ‘blank cheque’ for German support in the event of war. He appeared not to realise the chain reaction this would trigger.
