class="c9">THE REVOLUTION,
1847-1852.................................34

CHAPTER IV.
THE GERMAN PROBLEM
1849-1852.................................70

CHAPTER V.
FRANKFORT, 1851-1857......................86

CHAPTER VI.
ST. PETERSBURG AND
PARIS, 1858-1862.........................127

CHAPTER VII.
THE CONFLICT, 1862-1863..................162

CHAPTER VIII.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN,
1863-1864................................192

CHAPTER IX.
THE TREATY OF GASTEIN,
1864-1865................... ............226

CHAPTER X.
OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH
AUSTRIA, 1865-1866.......................240

CHAPTER XI.
THE CONQUEST OF GERMANY,
1866................................. ...259

CHAPTER XII.
THE FORMATION OF THE NORTH
GERMAN CONFEDERATION,
1866-1867................................291

CHAPTER XIII.
THE OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH
FRANCE, 1867-1870........................315

CHAPTER XIV.
THE WAR WITH FRANCE AND
THE FOUNDATION OF THE EMPIRE,
1870-1871................................346

CHAPTER XV.
THE NEW EMPIRE, 1871-1878................377

CHAPTER XVI.
THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE AND
ECONOMIC REFORM, 1878-1887 ..............405

CHAPTER XVII.
RETIREMENT AND DEATH, 1887-1898..........440

INDEX....................................465

ILLUSTRATIONS.

BISMARCK Frontispiece
[From a painting by F. Von Lenbach.]

BISMARCK'S COAT OF ARMS.....................2

SCHÖNHAUSEN CHURCH—INTERIOR......6

LUISE WILHELMINE VON BISMARCK..............10
Bismarck's Mother.

KARL WILHELM FERD. VON BISMARCK............12
Bismarck's Father.

BISMARCK IN 1834...........................18

SCHÖNHAUSEN CASTLE....................26

BISMARCK IN 1848...........................66

PRINCESS BISMARCK..........................88

BISMARCK IN 1860..........................130

GENERAL VON ROON..........................140

EMPEROR WILLIAM I.........................162

EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH....................194

BISMARCK..................................214
[From a painting by F. Von Lenbach.]

GENERAL VON MOLTKE........................248

THE CAPITULATION OF SEDAN.................250
[From a painting by Anton Von Werner.]

BISMARCK AND HIS DOGS.....................288

NAPOLEON III. AND BISMARCK

ON THE MORNING AFTER THE BATTLE OF SEDAN..352
[From a painting by Wilhelm Camphausen.]

KING WILLIAM OF PRUSSIA PROCLAIMED

EMPEROR OF GERMANY,

VERSAILLES, JANUARY 18, 1871..............370
[From a painting by Anton Von Werner.]

LOUIS ADOLPHE THIERS......................372

OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF BISMARCK IN BERLIN..388

THE CONGRESS OF BERLIN, 1878..............406
[From a painting by Anton Von Werner.]

FRIEDRICHSRUHE............................430
[From a photograph by Strumper & Co., Hamburg.]

EMPEROR FREDERICK.........................446

SARCOPHAGUS OF EMPEROR WILLIAM I.,
CHARLOTTENBURG............................454

SCHUECKENBERGE............................462
[Where Bismarck's Mausoleum will be erected.]

MAP OF GERMANY SHOWING
CHANGES MADE IN 1860.............................464

BISMARCK.

CHAPTER I.

Otto Eduard Leopold Von Bismarck was born at the manor-house of Schoenhausen, in the Mark of Brandenburg, on April 1, 1815. Just a month before, Napoleon had escaped from Elba; and, as the child lay in his cradle, the peasants of the village, who but half a year ago had returned from the great campaign in France, were once more called to arms. A few months passed by; again the King of Prussia returned at the head of his army; in the village churches the medals won at Waterloo were hung up by those of Grossbehren and Leipzig. One more victory had been added to the Prussian flags, and then a profound peace fell upon Europe; fifty years were to go by before a Prussian army again marched out to meet a foreign foe.

The name and family of Bismarck were among the oldest in the land. Many of the great Prussian statesmen have come from other countries: Stein was from Nassau, and Hardenberg was a subject of the Elector of Hanover; even Blücher and Schwerin were Mecklenburgers, and the