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'''Kaiser Wilhelm II''' (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was king of [[Prussia]] and emperor of [[Germany]] from June 1888 to November 1918. He fled to the Netherlands at the end of the war, after his abdication due to political pressure in the midst of Germany's surrender in [[World War I]].

'''Kaiser Wilhelm II''' (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was king of [[Prussia]] and emperor of [[Germany]] from June 1888 to November 1918. He fled to the Netherlands at the end of the war, after his abdication due to political pressure in the midst of Germany's surrender in [[World War I]].

Wilhelm was a prominent figure in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He pursued an aggressive foreign policy known as ''Weltpolitik,'' literally "world policy." It is to be distinguished from the ''Realpolitik'' practiced by Bismark, a form of balance of power politics. Wilhelm hoped to persuade Britain to withdraw from European affairs. If he could accomplish this, he imagined that the German army could then defeat both France and Russia, allowing him to emerge with a "Napoleanic supremacy."<ref name=rohl>Röhl, John C. G., [https://books.google.com/books?id=FN9GAgAAQBAJ&dq= Wilhelm II: Into the Abyss of War and Exile, 1900–1941] (2014), p. xxviii</ref> He built up the German navy hoping that this would intimidate Britain. The British countered with a buildup of their own and by forming a "Triple Entente" with France and Russia. Thus the German buildup had an effect opposite to what was intended.

Wilhelm was a prominent figure in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He pursued an aggressive foreign policy known as ''Weltpolitik,'' literally "world policy." It is to be distinguished from the ''Realpolitik'' practiced by Bismark, a form of balance of power politics. Wilhelm hoped to persuade Britain to withdraw from European affairs. If he could accomplish this, he imagined that the German army could then defeat both France and Russia, allowing him to emerge with a "Napoleanic supremacy."<ref name=rohl>Röhl, John C. G., ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=FN9GAgAAQBAJ&dq= Wilhelm II: Into the Abyss of War and Exile, 1900–1941]'', (2014), p. xxviii</ref> He built up the German navy hoping that this would intimidate Britain. The British countered with a buildup of their own and by forming a "Triple Entente" with France and Russia. Thus the German buildup had an effect opposite to what was intended.

Weltpolitik was a policy that pushed Germany to the brink of war repeatedly. The Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909 was followed by the Agadir crisis of 1911 and by the Balkan crisis of 1912-1913. As a constitutional monarch, Wilhelm did not take the initiative on any of these occasions. Instead, he responded to proposals put to him by his chancellor, military chief, or foreign secretary. However, the Kaiser had the final say on all significant matters, including appointments.<ref name=rohl />

Weltpolitik was a policy that pushed Germany to the brink of war repeatedly. The Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909 was followed by the Agadir crisis of 1911 and by the Balkan crisis of 1912-1913. As a constitutional monarch, Wilhelm did not take the initiative on any of these occasions. Instead, he responded to proposals put to him by his chancellor, military chief, or foreign secretary. However, the Kaiser had the final say on all significant matters, including appointments.<ref name=rohl />