born March 31, 1819, Rotenburg an der Fulda, Hesse-Nassau
died July 6, 1901, Bad Ragaz, Switz.
Imperial German chancellor and Prussian prime minister (1894–1900).
Active in Bavarian politics from 1846, he served as minister president (1866–70) after Prussia's defeat of Bavaria in the Seven Weeks' War . He favoured a unified Germany, and in 1871 he entered the service of the German Empire. He was appointed German chancellor in 1894. His wide experience and fatherly relationship with Emperor William II failed to prevent his sovereign's demagogic excesses, and his influence largely ended in 1897 when Bernhard, prince von Bülow , became foreign secretary.