Bismarck-Schönhausen

KARLOTTO, PRINCE VON, (biz-mark-shoon-how'zěn,) one of the greatest statesmen of this century, B. in Brandenburg, 1813. After studying law at the universities of Göttingen and Berlin,B. filled important diplomatic positions, and was nominated prime minister of Pru ia in 1862. His reactionary policy gave great offence to, and provoked many collisions with, the Liberal party; and, ere long, he di olved the Representative Chamber, and declared that the ministry would act independent of popular suffrage. B. instigated the war against Denmark, in 1864, which resulted in the acquisition of the Schleswig-Holstein duchies by Pru ia. The rivalry which had long existed between Austria and Pru ia as the leading German powers, was terminated by the latter kingdom seceding from the Bund in 1866, and forming an alliance with Italy against Austria. War was declared in June, and the result of a six weeks' campaign was the exclusion of Austria from German councils and interests. B. next set about annexing the smaller states of Hanover, He e, ., and succeeded in negotiating a secret treaty, in Aug., 1866, with the S. German powers, by virtue of which their armies were placed under control of the king of Pru ia. In 1867,B. was made chancellor of the German Confederation, and, in 1870, brought about a coalition of the German powers against France, in consequence of a declaration of war having been declared by Napoleon III. against Pru ia, on account of her interference in the succe ion to the Spanish crown. The German armies cro ed the Rhine in Aug., and, after defeating the French in several obstinately fought battles, compelled the capitulation of the French emperor with his army at Sedan, and ultimately besieged Paris, which city capitulated in the early part of 1871. For his services in the succe ful carrying out of this war, which resulted in the elevation of his master, William I., to the imperial crown of Germany, B. was created a prince of the empire in May, 1871.. [s. 95]