<P> William I , or in German Wilhelm I. ( full name : William Frederick Louis of Hohenzollern , German : Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenzollern , 22 March 1797 -- 9 March 1888 ) , of the House of Hohenzollern was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and the first German Emperor from 18 January 1871 to his death , 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 Bismarck as Minister President , William held strong reservations about some of Bismarck 's more reactionary policies , including his anti-Catholicism and tough handling of subordinates . In contrast to the 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 . </P>
<P> William I , or in German Wilhelm I. ( full name : William Frederick Louis of Hohenzollern , German : Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenzollern , 22 March 1797 -- 9 March 1888 ) , of the House of Hohenzollern was King of Prussia from 2 January 1861 and the first German Emperor from 18 January 1871 to his death , 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 Bismarck as Minister President , William held strong reservations about some of Bismarck 's more reactionary policies , including his anti-Catholicism and tough handling of subordinates . In contrast to the 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 . </P>
who was proclaimed the german emperor in 1871
who was proclaimed the german emperor in 1871
William I
William I