Henry I, German Emperor: Difference between revisions
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'''Henry I''' (Albert William Henry; 14 August 1862 - 20 April 1929), or '''Heinrich I''' was {{wp|German Emperor}} and {{wp|King of Prussia}} from 1888 to 1929. Born as the second eldest son of {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor}}, Henry initially grew up as | '''Henry I''' (Albert William Henry; 14 August 1862 - 20 April 1929), or '''Heinrich I''' was {{wp|German Emperor}} and {{wp|King of Prussia}} from 1888 to 1929. Born as the second eldest son of {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor}}, Henry initially grew up and lived his childhood as a fairly average {{wp|Prussian}} prince when in 1867, following the premature death of his older brother, {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Prince Wilhelm}}, who was next in line to the throne after their father, {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|Crown Prince Frederick}}, at an early age due to injuries sustained from his riding lessons, a five-year-old Henry, as his father's oldest living descendant, was soon thrust into the spotlight as the future ruler of what later became the {{wp|German Empire}}. | ||
Prior to his ascension to the throne, Henry grew up to become a | Prior to his ascension to the throne, Henry grew up to become a largely successful and accomplished career naval officer in the {{wp|Imperial German Navy}}, eventually reaching the rank of {{wp|Großadmiral}} prior to his ascension to the throne. Eventually, in 1888, after roughly 99 days on the throne, the brief reign of his father, {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|Frederick III}} came to an end, resulting in the subsequent accession of Henry to the throne. For the first few years of his reign, Henry considerably struggled with the powerful influence of the powerful {{wp|Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor}} {{wp|Otto von Bismarck}}. However, {{wp|Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck}}'s retirement in 1895 due to old age eventually allowed Henry to chart his own course for the nation in a more unrestricted manner, as he mostly went on to appoint moderate or liberal-leaning candidates in {{wp|Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck}}'s former spot as chancellor, most of whom supported Henry's policy of maintaining the status quo established by {{wp|Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck}}. Moreover, in realising the unfulfilled legacy of his {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|late father}}, Henry also put in place a series of major reforms that greatly overhauled the {{wp|German}} political system, resulting in, among others, the reduction in the {{wp|Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor}}'s powers and the concurrent enlargement of the {{wp|Imperial Diet}}, and notably, the introduction of universal suffrage in 1893, making {{wp|German Empire|Germany}} one of the earliest nations in the world to do so alongside {{wp|New Zealand}} in that same year, and the first {{wp|European}} nation to do so as well. | ||
In 1914, despite {{wp|German Empire|Germany}}'s alliance with her ally, {{wp|Austria-Hungary}} in the form of the {{wp|Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance}}, Henry, after initially considering aligning the nation with the rival {{wp|Triple Entente}} faction, instead declared his country's exclusion from the conflict, resulting in {{wp|Austria-Hungary}} standing against the {{wp|Triple Entente}} after it declared war against {{wp|Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia}} for the assassination of its heir-apparent, {{wp|Archduke Franz Ferdinand}}. Then, following two years of war, the outnumbered and militarily inferior {{wp|Austria-Hungary}} ultimately surrendered to the victorious {{wp|Triple Entente}}, thereby leading to its subsequent dismemberment into several new and independent states, leaving the {{wp|German Empire}} as the sole power in the {{wp|Central Europe}}. | In 1914, despite {{wp|German Empire|Germany}}'s alliance with her ally, {{wp|Austria-Hungary}} in the form of the {{wp|Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance}}, Henry, after initially considering aligning the nation with the rival {{wp|Triple Entente}} faction, instead declared his country's exclusion from the conflict, resulting in {{wp|Austria-Hungary}} standing virtually alone against the {{wp|Triple Entente}} after it declared war against {{wp|Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia}} for the assassination of its heir-apparent, {{wp|Archduke Franz Ferdinand}}. Then, following two years of war, the outnumbered and militarily inferior {{wp|Austria-Hungary}} ultimately surrendered to the victorious {{wp|Triple Entente}}, thereby leading to its subsequent dismemberment into several new and independent states, leaving the {{wp|German Empire}} as the sole power in the {{wp|Central Europe}}. | ||
Later on, in his final years as {{wp|German Emperor}}, Henry | Later on, in his final years as {{wp|German Emperor}}, Henry continued to preside over a continuous and uninterrupted growth of the {{wp|German}} economy. On the other hand, in 1924, after having initially kept {{wp|German Empire|Germany}} out of any major armed conflicts, Henry oversaw his nation's participation and subsequent victory in a brief colonial war against {{wp|Kingdom of Italy|Italy}}, then led by its fascist leader, {{wp|Benito Mussolini}}, which ended in the {{wp|German}} acquisition of almost all of {{wp|Kingdom of Italy|Italy}}'s colonial holdings in {{wp|Africa}} with the notable exception of {{wp|Italian Libya}}. Eventually, just a few months after his death, the {{wp|Great Depression}} crisis came into motion, which would go on to affect most major economies of the world, including {{wp|German Empire|Germany}}'s. Meanwhile, at forty-one years long, Henry is the longest-reigning {{wp|German Emperor}} to date, having surpassed the previous record held by his grandfather, {{wp|William I, German Emperor|William I}}. | ||
Latest revision as of 11:01, 5 February 2023
| Henry I | |
|---|---|
 | |
| German Emperor King of Prussia | |
| Reign | 15 June 1888 - 20 April 1929 |
| Predecessor | Frederick III |
| Successor | Sigismund |
| Chancellors | |
| Born | Prince Henry of Prussia 14 August 1862 Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia |
| Died | 20 April 1929 (aged 66) Berlin Palace, Berlin, German Empire |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine (m. 1888) |
| Issue | |
| House | Hohenzollern |
| Father | Frederick III, German Emperor |
| Mother | Victoria, Princess Royal |
| Religion | Lutheranism |
Henry I (Albert William Henry; 14 August 1862 - 20 April 1929), or Heinrich I was German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 to 1929. Born as the second eldest son of Frederick III, German Emperor, Henry initially grew up and lived his childhood as a fairly average Prussian prince when in 1867, following the premature death of his older brother, Prince Wilhelm, who was next in line to the throne after their father, Crown Prince Frederick, at an early age due to injuries sustained from his riding lessons, a five-year-old Henry, as his father's oldest living descendant, was soon thrust into the spotlight as the future ruler of what later became the German Empire.
Prior to his ascension to the throne, Henry grew up to become a largely successful and accomplished career naval officer in the Imperial German Navy, eventually reaching the rank of Großadmiral prior to his ascension to the throne. Eventually, in 1888, after roughly 99 days on the throne, the brief reign of his father, Frederick III came to an end, resulting in the subsequent accession of Henry to the throne. For the first few years of his reign, Henry considerably struggled with the powerful influence of the powerful Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. However, Bismarck's retirement in 1895 due to old age eventually allowed Henry to chart his own course for the nation in a more unrestricted manner, as he mostly went on to appoint moderate or liberal-leaning candidates in Bismarck's former spot as chancellor, most of whom supported Henry's policy of maintaining the status quo established by Bismarck. Moreover, in realising the unfulfilled legacy of his late father, Henry also put in place a series of major reforms that greatly overhauled the German political system, resulting in, among others, the reduction in the Chancellor's powers and the concurrent enlargement of the Imperial Diet, and notably, the introduction of universal suffrage in 1893, making Germany one of the earliest nations in the world to do so alongside New Zealand in that same year, and the first European nation to do so as well.
In 1914, despite Germany's alliance with her ally, Austria-Hungary in the form of the Triple Alliance, Henry, after initially considering aligning the nation with the rival Triple Entente faction, instead declared his country's exclusion from the conflict, resulting in Austria-Hungary standing virtually alone against the Triple Entente after it declared war against Serbia for the assassination of its heir-apparent, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Then, following two years of war, the outnumbered and militarily inferior Austria-Hungary ultimately surrendered to the victorious Triple Entente, thereby leading to its subsequent dismemberment into several new and independent states, leaving the German Empire as the sole power in the Central Europe.
Later on, in his final years as German Emperor, Henry continued to preside over a continuous and uninterrupted growth of the German economy. On the other hand, in 1924, after having initially kept Germany out of any major armed conflicts, Henry oversaw his nation's participation and subsequent victory in a brief colonial war against Italy, then led by its fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, which ended in the German acquisition of almost all of Italy's colonial holdings in Africa with the notable exception of Italian Libya. Eventually, just a few months after his death, the Great Depression crisis came into motion, which would go on to affect most major economies of the world, including Germany's. Meanwhile, at forty-one years long, Henry is the longest-reigning German Emperor to date, having surpassed the previous record held by his grandfather, William I.