Born: 22 March 1797 · Died: 9 March 1888 · Age: 90
First German Emperor and King of Prussia
Did you know?He survived two assassination attempts within a few months, one of which left him seriously wounded by shotgun pellets.
Quick facts
Date of birth22 March 1797
Date of death9 March 1888
Age at death90
NationalityGerman
BirthplaceBerlin, Germany
Occupationmonarch, politician
Editor's Take:
Wilhelm I was a conservative soldier who presided over one of the most dramatic changes in European history. He came to the throne in his sixties and expected a quiet reign. Instead, a dispute over army reform led him to appoint Bismarck, whose wars against Denmark, Austria and France united Germany under Prussian leadership. Wilhelm often disliked his minister's methods but rarely overruled him. He became a respected father figure for the new empire. He survived two assassination attempts in 1878 and lived to the age of ninety.
Key Milestones
1858: Becomes regent of Prussia
1861: Becomes King of Prussia
1862: Appoints Otto von Bismarck as minister-president
1871: Proclaimed German Emperor at Versailles
Wilhelm I (also known in English as William I; German: Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig; 22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888) was King of Prussia from 1861 and German Emperor from 1871 until his death in 1888. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he was the first head of state of a united Germany.
Wilhelm I's birthday is March 22. He was born on March 22, 1797 in Berlin, Germany.
How old was Wilhelm I when he died?
Wilhelm I died on March 9, 1888, aged 90.
Who shares a birthday with Wilhelm I?
Famous people who share Wilhelm I's March 22 birthday include Reese Witherspoon, Robert Andrews Millikan, Anthony van Dyck, Maximilian I and Ulugh Beg.
