Year of the Three Emperors

Kaiser Wilhelm I was in charge of Germany 18 January 1871 – 9 March 1888.
Kaiser Frederick III was in charge for only 99 days during the Year of Three Emperors (9 March – 15 June 1888).
Kaiser Wilhelm II was in charge 15 June 1888 – 9 November 1918.

The Year of the Three Emperors, or the Year of the Three Kaisers, (German: Dreikaiserjahr) refers to the year 1888 during the German Empire in German history.[1][2][3][4] The year is important because two German Emperors, or Kaisers, died. This meant that there were three emperors in a year..[1] The three emperors who ruled Germany during this year were Wilhelm I, Frederick III and Wilhelm II. The mnemonicdrei Achten, drei Kaiser” (English: "three eights, three emperors") is still used today in Germany to remember which year it was.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Pike
  2. Tipton, p. 175.
  3. Nichols, p. 1.
  4. Berghahn, p. 282.
  5. Hein, p. 271.