Napoleon's conquests destroyed the Holy Roman Empire and unified many German states in the Confederation of the Rhine.

Nationalism united the Nationalism united the German states to defeat the German states to defeat the

French in 1813-15French in 1813-15

The Congress of Vienna formed the German

Confederation of 39 states where Austria dominated.

German students increased nationalist spirit in spite of the

attempt to stop it in the Karlsbad Decrees

Unification could come under Austria or Prussia:

But which one?

182718281834183818421854

The Zollverein was created by Prussia to increase

trade among the German states

The Zollverein1828-1854

1848: The Frankfurt Diet failed to form a constitutional

monarchy under Prussian King Frederick William IV

King William I of Prussia (reigned

1861-1888)was a strong

monarch willing to oppose

Austria and unify

Germany

King William

appointed Otto von Bismarck

Chancellor; Bismarck led the

unification process

Bismarck’s plan: Eliminate Austria

and unite

Germany under

the Prussian monarch

yHow is this for high?

Bismarck andBismarck and Realpolitik: Realpolitik:

• “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. .”

• “Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.”

• People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.

• “When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn't the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice..”

• “The great questions of the day will not be settled by speeches and majority decisions, but by blood and iron.”

• “When you want to fool the world, tell the truth.”

Bismarck used

nationalism to

strengthen the

monarchy and

weaken his

political opposition

Bismarck got Britain and Russia to agree to not

interfere in any conflict between Prussia and Austria

Bismarck led

Napoleon III to

believe that he

could gain territory

for France by

mediating between Prussia

and Austria

In 1864, Prussia and

Austria fought

Denmark gaining the

states of Schleswig

and Holstein

Bismarck engineered a conflict between

Prussia and Austria over

the governing

of Schleswig and Holstein

Battle of Sadowa (Königgrätz), 1866

Austria was defeated by Austria was defeated by Prussia in the Seven Weeks’ Prussia in the Seven Weeks’

War, 1866War, 1866

Napoleon III failed to secure anything

for France in the Seven

Weeks’ War

PEACE AND NO PIECES!

Bismarck: “Pardon, mon ami, but we really can’t allow you to pick up anything here.”

Napoleon III: “Pray, don’t mention it M’sier. It’s not of the slightest consequence.”

Setting up Napoleon III and FranceSetting up Napoleon III and France

• France was forced out of Mexico; Napoleon III failed to gain anything for France after Prussia’s war with Denmark or the Seven Weeks’ War

• Queen Isabella of Spain abdicated; Bismarck nominated Prince Leopold von Hohenzollern, cousin to William I, to be King of Spain

• France protested; Leopold’s name was withdrew• The French ambassador met William I at Bad

Ems and asked for an apology• The apology was given, but Bismarck edited the

report of the conference to insult France; the Ems Telegram was published on Bastille Day, 1870

• War was declared by France on Prussia bringing the unification of the remaining German states

Bismarck edited the “Ems Telegram” to insult France and precipitate war

German Army crosses the Loire, 1870

The south German states The south German states united with Prussia in the united with Prussia in the

Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian War

Napoleon III was defeated and Napoleon III was defeated and captured at Sedan. It was the end captured at Sedan. It was the end

of the Second Empire.of the Second Empire.

German troops march

into Paris in 1870:

France was

defeated in 5

months

Siegfried (Germany)

defeatsJoan of Arc

(France) in the Franco-

Prussian War, 1870-71

The Coronation of Kaiser Wilhelm IThe Coronation of Kaiser Wilhelm I

The German Empire was declared in the Palace of Versailles in January 1871

Consequences of theFranco-Prussian War

• Germany unified under the Prussian monarchy as the German Empire• France’s Second Empire was defeated• France established the Third Republic• Final unification of Italy was achieved with

the addition of Rome and the Papal States• Uprising and defeat of Paris Commune• Loss of Alsace-Lorraine leaves France

bitter and wanting revenge• Balance of power upset; Germany

dominated Central Europe

Europe, 1860

AustrianEmpire

Europe, 1871

Austro-Hungarian

Empire