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| 1815 | Birth |  |
| 1st Oct Birth of Otto F〉st von Bismarck |
| 1847 | Election | |
| Magdeburg Bismarck is elected to the Vereinigter Landtag |
| 1847 | Marriage | |
| Bismarck marries Johanna von Puttkamer |
| 1847 | Speech | |
| Berlin Makes maiden speech outraging the Assembly by his reactionary views |
| 1847 | United Diet Bismarck Sch馬hausen | |
| Magdeburg Called on by the Magdeburg estate to represent it at the United Diet |
| 1849 | Election | |
| Bismarck is elected to the Landtag |
| Erfurt Elected Member of the Erfurt Parliament, a Prussian representitive |
| 1849 | Erfurt Parliament | |
| Erfurt Appointed one of Prussia's representatives at the Erfurt Parliament, an assembly of German states that meets to discuss plans for union, but only in order to oppose that body's proposals more effectively |
| Erfurt The Erfurt Parliament fails to bring about unification because of the opposition of Prussia & Austria |
| 1849 | Unification | |
| Erfurt Appointed one of Prussia's representatives at the Erfurt Parliament, an assembly of German states that meets to discuss plans for union, but only in order to oppose that body's proposals more effectively |
| Bismarck opposes the unification of Germany arguing Prussia would lose its independence in the process |
| Erfurt The Erfurt Parliament discusses German unification but Bismarck is opposed |
| Erfurt The Erfurt Parliament fails to bring about unification because of the opposition of Prussia & Austria |
| 1851 | Delegate | |
| Frankfurt Frederick William appoints Bismarck as Prussia's envoy to the Diet of the German Confederation in Frankfurt |
| 1852 | Diet of the German Confederation | |
| Frankfurt Becomes convinced that Prussia would have to ally itself with other German states in order to countervail Austria's growing influence, accepts of the notion of a united German nation |
| Frankfurt Frederick William appoints Bismarck as Prussia's envoy to the Diet of the German Confederation in Frankfurt |
| 1852 | Unification | |
| Frankfurt Becomes convinced that Prussia would have to ally itself with other German states in order to countervail Austria's growing influence, accepts of the notion of a united German nation |
| 1855 | Conference of Vienna | |
| Vienna Remains neutral hoping to win Russian friendship at a later date |
| 1859 | Ambassador | |
| St Petersburg William takes over the government of Prussia as Regent, he replaces Bismarck as Envoy in Frankfurt and makes Bismarck Prussia's Ambassador to the Russian Empire |
| 1859 | Reichstag | |
| 10th May Berlin The Liberals have a majority in the Landtag & William dissolves it |
| 1862 | Abdication | |
| 21st Sep Berlin Persuades William not to abdicate & ends the Constitutional Crisis |
| 21st Sep Berlin Promises to manage Parliament & put through reforms in defiance of Parliament |
| 1862 | Ambassador | |
| Paris Appointed Ambassador to France |
| 1862 | Budget | |
| 21st Sep Berlin Saves the King from the Liberals in the House of Deputies over army expansion |
| 30th Sep Berlin Asks the Landtag to increase the Army Budget |
| 30th Sep Berlin Says great issues of the day will be decided by "iron & blood" |
| 1862 | Diplomacy | |
| Berlin Meets Disraeli & plays the role of a future Premier |
| Berlin Meets Napolean who sounds Bismarck out on a possible alliance betwen Germany & France |
| Berlin Outlines his general policy for the next 10 years for army reform & German unification |
| 1862 | Government | |
| 21st Sep Promises to form a government & put through reforms in defiance of Parliament |
| 1862 | Minister President | |
| 21st Sep Appointed Minister President of Prussia |
| 1862 | Reform | |
| 19th Sep Berlin The Landtag refuses to carry out reforms of the Army |
| 1863 | Alliance | |
| 28th Nov Schleswig Holst Allies with Austria after declaration of Danish union over Schleswig-Holstein |
| 1863 | Constitution | |
| 28th Nov Schleswig Holst Allies with Austria after the Danish King declares unification with Schleswig-Holst |
| 28th Nov The House of Deputies passes a resolution declaring that it could no longer come to terms with Bismarck, the King dissolves the Diet, accusing it of trying to obtain unconstitutional control over the ministry |
| 1863 | Convention Alvensleben | |
| Alvensleben Renewal of friendship with Russia |
| 1863 | Election | |
| A liberal coalition led by the Progressive Party, Fortschrittspartei, wins 2/3 of the votes to the House of Deputies |
| Bismarck retains power because he had the support of Wilhelm who fears a liberal ministry |
| Oct Bismarck's supporters do poorly in the elections in which a liberal coalition (whose primary member was the Progress Party) win over two-thirds of the seats in the House |
| Oct The House makes repeated calls to the King to dismiss Bismarck, but the King supports him as he feared that if he dismissed him, a liberal ministry would follow |
| 1863 | Press Decree | |
| Bismarck issues an edict restricting the freedom of the press |
| 1st June Berlin Bans all publications intended to bring the crown, state or Church into disrepute |
| 1863 | Rule of Schleswig Holstein | |
| 28th Nov Schleswig Holst Allies with Austria after declaration of Danish unity over Schleswig-Holstei |
| 1864 | Invasion of Holstein | |
| Holstein Prussia & Austria invade Holstein & Lauenburg |
| 1865 | Alliance | |
| Schleswig Schleswig Holstein swears allegiance to Prussia & joins the Prussian armed forces |
| 1865 | Conditions February | |
| Berlin Schleswig Holstein swears allegiance to Prussia & joins the Prussian armed forces |
| Berlin Under the "February Conditions " Schleswig & Holstein enter the Zollverein |
| 1865 | Diplomacy | |
| 4th Oct Schleswig Makes a vague promise to France of some Belgian French speaking land |
| 4th Oct Schleswig Persuades France to be neutral in the conflict with Austria over Schleswig & Holstein |
| 4th Oct Biarritz Visits Napoleon III in Biarritz |
| 1865 | Peerage | |
| Created Graf von Bismarck-Sch馬hausen |
| 1865 | Rule of Holstein | |
| 20th Aug Holstein Bismarck induces Austria to agree to the Gastein Convention, under this agreement Prussia receives Schleswig, while Austria receives Holstein |
| 1865 | Rule of Schleswig | |
| 20th Aug Schleswig Bismarck induces Austria to agree to the Gastein Convention, under this agreement Prussia receives Schleswig, while Austria receives Holstein |
| 1865 | Treaty of Gastein | |
| 20th Aug Gastein Bismarck induces Austria to agree to the Gastein Convention, under this agreement Prussia receives Schleswig, while Austria receives Holstein |
| 20th Aug Gastein Uses the treaty to isolate Austria from the German states |
| 1865 | Unification | |
| Under the "February Conditions " Prussian troops garrison a Confederate fortress |
| Berlin Under the "February Conditions " Schleswig & Holstein enter the Zollverein |
| 1865 | Zollverein | |
| Berlin Under the "February Conditions " Schleswig & Holstein enter the Zollverein |
| 1866 | Battle of Langensalza | |
| 29th June Langensalza Prussia defeat the Hanoverian army |
| 1866 | Budget | |
| Berlin Admits that the budget is unconstitutional in a bid to pacify the Liberals |
| Berlin Raises a budget for the 1st time since 1862 |
| The new, largely conservative House is on much better terms with Bismarck than previous bodies; at the Minister-President's request, it retroactively approved the budgets of the past four years, which had been implemented without parliamentary conse |
| 1866 | Capture of Frankurt | |
| Frankfurt Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| 1866 | Capture of Hanover | |
| Hanover Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| 1866 | Capture of Hesse Kassel | |
| Hesse Kassel Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| 1866 | Capture of Holstein | |
| Holstein Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| 1866 | Capture of Nassau | |
| Nassau Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| 1866 | Capture of Schleswig | |
| Schleswig Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| 1866 | Constitution | |
| Prussia quickly defeated Austria and its allies, in a crushing victory at the Battle of K馬iggrдz followed by the Peace of Prague the German Confederation is dissolved |
| 1866 | Defeat | |
| 29th June Langensalza Prussia defeat the Hanoverian army |
| 3rd July Sadowa Prussia defeats Austria |
| 1866 | Diplomacy | |
| 5th July Bismarck is able to accept mediation on his terms |
| 5th July Napoleon III expects both contestants to wear themselves down in a drawn out campaign |
| 1866 | Election | |
| Conservative victory in the chamber of 142 |
| Has a sufficient majority to raise an army reform budget for the 1st time in 5 yrs |
| In the elections to the House of Deputies the liberals suffer a major defeat, losing their large majority |
| The election is held during the Battle of Konigratz |
| The new, largely conservative House is on much better terms with Bismarck than previous bodies; at the Minister-President's request, it retroactively approved the budgets of the past four years, which had been implemented without parliamentary conse |
| 1866 | German Confederation | |
| Prussia quickly defeated Austria and its allies, in a crushing victory at the Battle of K馬iggrдz followed by the Peace of Prague the German Confederation is dissolved |
| 14th June Prussian delegates declare the German Confederation at an end |
| 1866 | Invasion of Hanover | |
| 15th June Hanover Prussia invades Hanover |
| 1866 | Invasion of Hesse | |
| 15th June Hesse Prussia invades Hesse |
| 1866 | Invasion of Holstein | |
| 14th June Holstein The Federal Diet votes for mobilization against Prussia for it's invasion of Holstein |
| 1866 | Invasion of Saxony | |
| 15th June Saxony Prussia invades Saxony |
| 1866 | North German Confederation | |
| 23rd Aug Prague The Nth German Confederation is created of German lands nth of the Maine |
| 1866 | Peace | |
| 26th July Nikolsburg The Peace of Nikolsburg is a preliminary peace between Austria & Prussia |
| 13th Aug Baden Baden Prussia agrees peace & makes a secret military alliance against France |
| 13th Aug Bavaria Prussia agrees peace & makes a secret military alliance against France |
| 13th Aug Wurttemberg Prussia agrees peace & makes a secret military alliance against France |
| 23rd Aug Prague Austria will be excluded from Germany |
| 23rd Aug Prague The Nth German Confederation is created of German lands nth of the Maine |
| 23rd Aug Prague The Peace of Prague confirms the Peace of Nikolsburg |
| 23rd Aug Silesia Under the Peace of Prague Austrian Silesia will become part of Prussia |
| 23rd Aug Prague Under the Peace of Prague Frankfurt will become part of Prussia |
| 23rd Aug Prague Under the Peace of Prague Hanover will become part of Prussia |
| 23rd Aug Prague Under the Peace of Prague Hesse will become part of Prussia |
| 23rd Aug Prague Under the Peace of Prague South German States become independent |
| 23rd Aug Prague Under the Peace of Prague States nth of the Main form a Confederation under Prussia |
| 1866 | Reform | |
| Berlin Gets Bill of Indemnity passed |
| Berlin No need to guarantee accountability of Ministers to Parliament |
| 1866 | Rule of Frankfurt | |
| 23rd Aug Frankfurt Under the Peace of Prague Frankfurt will become part of Prussia |
| 1866 | Rule of Hanover | |
| 23rd Aug Hanover Bismarck annexes the Kingdom of Hanover, which had been allied with Austria against Prussia, agreement is reached whereby the deposed King Georg V of Hanover was allowed to keep about 50% of the crown assets |
| 23rd Aug Hanover Under the Peace of Prague Hanover will become part of Prussia |
| 1866 | Rule of Hesse | |
| 23rd Aug Hesse Under the Peace of Prague Hesse will become part of Prussia |
| 1866 | Rule of Nassau | |
| 23rd Aug Nassau Under the Peace of Prague Nassau will become part of Prussia |
| 1866 | Rule of Silesia | |
| 23rd Aug Silesia Under the Peace of Prague Austrian Silesia will become part of Prussia |
| 1866 | Treaty of Gastein | |
| 20th Aug Gastein Austria reneges on the agreement by demanding that the Diet determine the Schleswig-Holstein issue, Bismarck uses this as an excuse start a war with Austria by charging that the Austrians had violated the Convention of Gastein |
| 1866 | Unification | |
| Nassau Prussia annexes Schleswig, Holstein, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Nassau; and Austria promised not to intervene in German affairs |
| Prussia quickly defeated Austria and its allies, in a crushing victory at the Battle of K馬iggrдz followed by the Peace of Prague the German Confederation is dissolved |
| 1866 | Zollverein | |
| The Zollverein is effectively ended in 1866 with the advent of the Austro-Prussian War |
| 1867 | Conference of London | |
| London Luxemburg becomes neutral & demilitarized, under the protection of the European powers |
| 1867 | North German Confederation | |
| From this point on begins what historians refer to as "The Misery of Austria", in which Austria serves as a mere vassal to the superior Germany, a relationship that was to shape history up to the two World Wars |
| King Wilhelm I serves as its President, and Bismarck as its Chancellor |
| To solidify Prussian hegemony, Prussia and several other North German states joined the North German Confederation |
| 1867 | Zollverein | |
| A new organization with the same name was brought about in 1867 when peace was restored, the new Zollverein is stronger, in that no individual state had a veto |
| 1868 | Constitution | |
| Berlin Creates a Customs Parliament including the sth German States |
| 1868 | Zollverein | |
| Schleswig-Holstein, Kausenburg and Mecklenburg join the Zollverein |
| 1869 | Constitution | |
| Berlin The Customs Union fails, "no man is humiliated who does not feel himself humiliated" |
| 1869 | Diplomacy | |
| 8th May Berlin Benedetti is told by Bismarck that Leopold had refused the Spanish throne |
| 1869 | Succession | |
| 25th Feb Berlin Charles Anthony asks Bismarck to tell William to decide Leopold's Spanish succession |
| 25th Feb Berlin Informed by Charles Anthony that Leopold had been sounded out for the Spanish throne |
| 1869 | Union Customs | |
| Berlin The Customs Union fails, "no man is humiliated who does not feel himself humiliated" |
| 1870 | Alliance | |
| Emms The publication of the Emms telegram rallies southern German states |
| 1870 | Battle of Sedan | |
| 1st Sep Sedan Present in battle as a Major-General, victory leads to the German fall of Paris |
| 1870 | Catholic Department | |
| Abolishes the Catholic Dept of the Prussian Ministry of Public Worship & Education |
| 1870 | Chancellor | |
| Berlin Appointed Imperial Chancellor of the 1st Reich |
| 1870 | Declaration of War | |
| 13th July Bismarck uses Abeken's telegram as provocation of war |
| 19th July Germany is supported by England & Russia who see Napoleon III emulating Napoleon I |
| 19th July War is declared against France |
| 1870 | Diplomacy | |
| Sets up a school's inspectorate in Prussia |
| 19th Mar Publishes alliances with sth German states, German Armies are under Prussian control |
| 11th July Meets Gorchakov & secures an understanding with Russia |
| 1870 | Election | |
| The Centre Party win 57 seats, their new popularity shocks Bismarck into action |
| 1870 | Mobilization | |
| 16th Jan Bavaria Bavaria & Baden mobilize under the terms of the 1866 military treaties |
| 14th July The Landwehr is mobilized |
| 31st July Berlin Sets out as a major-general with William to command the armies in the field |
| 1870 | Peace | |
| 18th Sep Paris Favre requests an honourable peace from Bismarck who demands Alsace, Metz & Strasbourg |
