| The 99 Day King: Friedrich III., Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen, 1831– 1888 |
Prince Friedrich III, the son of Emperor Wilhelm Friedrich of
Prussia, was handsome and friendly. He was a superbly talented
student and he especially excelled at foreign languages, becoming
fluent in English and French and well-versed in Latin. He was also
above average in gymnastics and became very good rider. At the
age of ten, as a Prussian prince, he was commissioned second
lieutenant in the First Infantry Regiment of Guards and invested
with the Order of the Black Eagle. Friedrich studied law, history
and literature at Bonn.
Prussia, was handsome and friendly. He was a superbly talented
student and he especially excelled at foreign languages, becoming
fluent in English and French and well-versed in Latin. He was also
above average in gymnastics and became very good rider. At the
age of ten, as a Prussian prince, he was commissioned second
lieutenant in the First Infantry Regiment of Guards and invested
with the Order of the Black Eagle. Friedrich studied law, history
and literature at Bonn.
On January 25, 1858, in London, he married Victoria, Princess
Royal of Great Britain and Ireland, the eldest daughter of Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. It was a
warm and loving marriage and the couple, who espoused many
modern liberal ideas, had eight children, the eldest being the future
Kaiser Wilhelm. The family travelled to England frequently through
the years and Friedrich admired and liked the English people. His
(mostly German) mother-in-law, Queen Victoria, allowed him to
deputize for her on numerous occasions.
Royal of Great Britain and Ireland, the eldest daughter of Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. It was a
warm and loving marriage and the couple, who espoused many
modern liberal ideas, had eight children, the eldest being the future
Kaiser Wilhelm. The family travelled to England frequently through
the years and Friedrich admired and liked the English people. His
(mostly German) mother-in-law, Queen Victoria, allowed him to
deputize for her on numerous occasions.
Friedrich distinguished himself in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and was awarded the Order Pour
le Mérite as a mark of personal gallantry on the field. He also did a great deal as far as establishing
schools and churches and raising Berlin to a great world cultural center
le Mérite as a mark of personal gallantry on the field. He also did a great deal as far as establishing
schools and churches and raising Berlin to a great world cultural center
Friedrich had become Crown Prince at the age of twenty-nine on January 2, 1861 when his father
became King. As fate would have it, he remained as such until 1888 because of his father's long life.
By the time his father died at aged 90 on March 9, 1888, Friedrich had developed cancer of the
larynx and he ruled for only 99 days. In spite of his illness, the Emperor was determined to fulfill his
obligations as Emperor although he could no longer speak. Friedrich III died on June 15 and was
buried in a mausoleum at Friedenskirche in Potsdam. He was succeeded by his son,Wilhelm II.
became King. As fate would have it, he remained as such until 1888 because of his father's long life.
By the time his father died at aged 90 on March 9, 1888, Friedrich had developed cancer of the
larynx and he ruled for only 99 days. In spite of his illness, the Emperor was determined to fulfill his
obligations as Emperor although he could no longer speak. Friedrich III died on June 15 and was
buried in a mausoleum at Friedenskirche in Potsdam. He was succeeded by his son,Wilhelm II.
| Above left, London 1858 Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. Right, 1875 Berlin, The Crown Prince and the British Queen's daughter Vicki and their family |
The Kaiser Friedrich Marsch