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'''Kaiser Wilhelm II''' (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was king of [[Prussia]] and  [[Germany|German]] emperor 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  [[Germany|German]] emperor from June 1888 to November 1918. He fled to the Netherlands at the end of [[World War I]].

Wilhelm's mother was Victoria, the eldest child of Britain's Queen Victoria. She was a dominating figure in his early life. She attempted to indoctrinate him with the values of Britain's nineteenth century Liberal Party. As as result, Wilhelm had conflicted feelings regarding Britain. He respected British values, but used militarism to overcompensate for his mother's unGermanic influence.

Wilhelm's mother was Victoria, the eldest child of Britain's Queen Victoria. She was a dominating figure in his early life. She attempted to indoctrinate him with the values of Britain's nineteenth century Liberal Party. As as result, Wilhelm had conflicted feelings regarding Britain. He respected British values, but used militarism to overcompensate for his mother's unGermanic influence. He was also a manic depressive, which resulted in inconsistent and erratic decision making.  

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." This strategy is to be distinguished from Bismark's ''Realpolitik'', which focused on the "balance of power" concept. 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> Mindful of the role the British played in Napolean's defeat, he built up the German navy hoping that this would intimidate Britain. The British countered with a naval buildup of their own and by forming a "Triple Entente" (1907) 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." This strategy is to be distinguished from Bismark's ''Realpolitik'', which emphasized the "balance of power" concept. 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> Mindful of the role the British played in Napolean's downfall, he built up the German navy hoping that this would intimidate Britain. The British countered with a naval buildup of their own and by forming a "Triple Entente" (1907) with France and Russia. Thus the German buildup had an effect opposite to what was intended.

===Role in launching World War I===

===Role in launching World War I===

===Later years===

===Later years===

Wilhelm II was obsessed with militarism, having had a say in many German military issues of the time. He was also a manic depressive, which influenced his decisions considerably, and lead to inconsistent and erratic policies. His power was undermined by 1916, with generals Ludendorff and Hindenburg taking control of many wartime affairs. He refused to abdicate, but fled to the Netherlands on November 9, 1918. He lived quietly as a country gentleman in Huis Doom until his death in 1941.

Wilhelm II was obsessed with militarism, having had a say in many German military issues of the time. His power was undermined by 1916, with generals Ludendorff and Hindenburg taking control of many wartime affairs. He refused to abdicate, but fled to the Netherlands on November 9, 1918. He lived quietly as a country gentleman in Huis Doom until his death in 1941.

The Kaiser's non-political passions were Greek archaeology and chopping wood. He excavated the Temple of Artemis in Corfu. He chopped down thousands of trees during his stay in Doom.

The Kaiser's non-political passions were Greek archaeology and chopping wood. He excavated the Temple of Artemis in Corfu. He chopped down thousands of trees during his stay in Doom.