| The first Reich Chancellor of the German Empire, the unifier of the country Date of Birth: Country: Germany |
Otto Eduard Leopold von Schonhausen, known as Otto von Bismarck, was born on April 1, , in Schonhausen, Prussia. Of aristocratic lineage, he studied law at the universities of Gottingen and Berlin.
In , Bismarck was elected to the United Landtags of Prussia. During the revolution, he advocated for the suppression of revolts. He became one of the organizers of the Prussian Conservative Party.
From to , Bismarck served as Prussia's representative to the Bundestag in Frankfurt am Main. He then represented Prussia in Russia () and France (). In , he was appointed Prussian Minister-President by King Wilhelm I, sparking a constitutional conflict.
Under Bismarck's leadership, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany through a series of wars:
Prussia and Austria defeated Denmark in the Second Schleswig War.
After the establishment of the North German Confederation in , Bismarck became its Chancellor. Upon the proclamation of the German Empire in , he was appointed Imperial Chancellor, holding virtually unlimited power.
In the early years of the Empire, Bismarck faced opposition from liberals. To consolidate Prussia's dominance, he launched the "Kulturkampf," a campaign against the Catholic Church, which resulted in the limitation of the clergy's influence in education and the imposition of mandatory civil marriage.
In , Bismarck passed the "Exceptional Law" against socialists, banning their organizations. However, he also implemented progressive policies, including social insurance laws ().
Bismarck established a complex system of alliances to ensure Germany's isolation of France and maintain peace in Europe. These included:
The breakup of the "Reinsurance Treaty" with Russia and the rise of tensions with Britain put a strain on Bismarck's foreign policy. He also faced domestic opposition over his anti-socialist policies and colonial expansion.
In March , Bismarck was dismissed by Emperor Wilhelm II due to disagreements over foreign and colonial policy, as well as the labor movement.
Bismarck spent his last years in retirement at his estate, Friedrichsruh. He died on July 30, , at the age of As one of the most influential statesmen of the 19th century, his policies and diplomatic skills shaped the course of German and European history.