Rise of Empires: Spain.

Chapter 50: The German Empire is founded

After the signing of the peace treaty with France, there was no longer any external interference in the unification of Germany.

However, it was not easy to transform the Kingdom of Prussia into the German Empire, because many states, including Bavaria, were worried about their own independence after the unification of Germany.

The new empire was destined not to be as loose as the Holy Roman Empire. If Bavaria lost its independence due to the unification of Germany, it would be difficult for Bavarian King Ludwig II to accept.

After all, although a Bavarian king who had no power and the Bavarian king who now holds real power have the same title rank, there is a huge difference in their influence in the entire German region.

At this time, the situation in Prussia was not peaceful either.

Many nobles, including King William I of Prussia,

Not so enthusiastic about the establishment of a new empire.

Because after the establishment of the empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, which they were once proud of, would become part of the empire. The Hohenzollern family, as a royal family, might also abandon their old tradition of extreme frugality and follow the example of those extravagant European monarchs to indulge in extravagance.

Such concerns are not groundless.

Although both emperors and kings were independent rulers, being the King of Prussia was completely different from being the Emperor of Germany.

Becoming the German Emperor meant that he had completed the task of unifying the German region and became one of only three emperors in Europe.

The newly established German Empire would surely become an even more powerful power, with its comprehensive national strength far exceeding that of its long-time enemy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and reaching the level before that of Britain and France.

With such achievements, it is hard to guarantee that the Hohenzollern family would not become complacent, relax after a long period of tension, and begin to enjoy the luxurious life of the royal family.

But some people opposed it, while others agreed, especially William I's son, Crown Prince of Prussia Frederick William Nicholas Karl. (Father of William II)

The crown prince, who was born in 1831, is now almost 40 years old.

In Europe, where the average life expectancy is only 30 or 40 years old, Crown Prince Frederick is already considered middle-aged.

Although there is no hope of succession in the short term, Crown Prince Frederick would also like to see a higher title obtained through the establishment of an empire.

After all, who would be willing to be a crown prince for the rest of his life? With William I living too long, Crown Prince Frederick could only improve his title by establishing an empire.

How long did William I live? Born in 1797, William I did not die until 1888, living for 91 years.

This was extremely rare in 19th century Europe, and even in the 100st century more than 21 years later it was considered longevity.

As the son of William I, Crown Prince Frederick had a rather tragic fate.

Historically, Crown Prince Frederick did not ascend the throne until 1888. He died after only 99 days due to throat cancer, which led to him being nicknamed the Hundred-Day Emperor.

从1831年等到1888年，一共等了57年的时间。57年的等待就换来99天的皇帝宝座，19世纪最悲惨的王储腓特烈绝对当之无愧。

Of course, Crown Prince Frederick has not been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and is still in good health. Under Crown Prince Frederick's insistence, William I agreed to the establishment of the new empire.

But William I also made a requirement, that is, William I would only do so if other German monarchs proposed that William I become emperor.

If Parliament asked William I to become emperor before other monarchs, William I would reject Parliament's proposal.

The reason is very simple. If the monarchs of other German states proposed to establish an empire, it would prove that the German Empire was recognized by all states and was popular among the people.

But if it was Prussia's own parliament that proposed the establishment of an empire, it would inevitably be a bit self-entertaining and would make William I's legal authority somewhat unstable from the outset.

Among the many German states, the one most qualified to request William I to be crowned emperor was the Kingdom of Bavaria, the largest state in southern Germany.

In order to speed up the establishment of the empire, Bismarck wrote a letter to King Ludwig II of Bavaria, asking Ludwig II to take the initiative to propose that William I be crowned as the German Emperor.

At this time, Bismarck had already agreed that Bavaria would enjoy a certain degree of independence within the German Empire and that the Bavarian king would still have the right to command the Bavarian army in peacetime.

The Bavarian government also had a say in foreign affairs, enjoyed financial privileges, and was not required to abide by Prussian military rules.

They could retain their own laws on marriage and civil rights, and their own postal and telegraph services.

This was already a huge concession to Bavaria. After receiving so many benefits and guarantees, Ludwig II naturally would not oppose the coronation of William I.

In this way, at the public request of Ludwig II, William I formally agreed to establish the German Empire and was crowned as the German Emperor.

The site for the establishment of the empire was chosen as the Palace of Versailles in France. Becoming emperor in France had unique significance for all Prussians.

The empire's predecessor, Prussia, defeated France, the former European hegemon. This also symbolizes Bismarck and William I's beautiful expectations for the new German Empire, which is to replace France and become the new European hegemon.

In May 1870, amid the hateful gaze of the French people, the complex eyes of the French National Defense Government, the fiery gaze of the Junker nobles, and the fanatical cheers of the Prussian army, King William I of Prussia was officially crowned as the German Emperor and was called William I.

The coronation ceremony was not complicated, and only nobles from several Prussian and German states participated.

In order to prevent other powers from interfering in the outcome of the Franco-Prussian War, Bismarck and William I did not even invite the European powers, but only announced the establishment of the German Empire after the coronation ceremony.

In Germany, the Germans of course cheered.

But within France, the feeling is not so good for the once proud French people.

Germany was established by stepping on the heads of the French. As long as the German Empire exists, it will bring endless humiliation to the French.

The establishment of the German Empire obviously deepened the hatred between the Germans and the French. The struggle for hegemony between the two most powerful land powers on the European continent today will affect the situation in the whole of Europe, including Spain south of France.

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(End of this chapter)