Table of Contents

Preface to the English edition
Preface to the German edition
1. The accession
2. The first state visits
3. The Kaiser and his mother
4. An ominous family quarrel
5. The young Kaiser: a sketch drawn from nature
6. First steps in foreign affairs
7. The pillars of imperial power
8. The domination of the Bismarcks
9. The Bismarck crisis begins
10. The Kaiser, the Chancellor and the Kartell
11. Constitutional conflicts
12. Bismarck's fall from power
13. The haphazard transition: from the Bismarcks to the New Course
14. In Bismarck's footsteps: the conduct of foreign policy under the New Course
15. The dualism of power
16. The fall of the Court Generals
17. The School Bill crisis and the fragmentation of power
18. Dynastic diplomacy
19. The rude awakening
20. The predictable disaster: Wilhelm II and the 'public soul' of Germany
21. Caprivi's dismissal
22. Head of the family
23. The Kaiser and the 'Newest Course'
24. An enemy of the people
25. Wilhelm and world politics
26. Great Britain and the spectre of encirclement
27. Endgame: the breakthrough to decisive personal power
28. Personal Monarchy: Wilhelm II at the summit of power
29. The Kaiser, art and architecture
30. The challenge: from continental policy to Weltpolitik
31. The Kaiser and England
32. Wilhelm and the birth of the German battle fleet
33. 'Young Germany, your Kaiser!' or what was wrong with Wilhelm II?
List of archival sources
Select bibliography
Index.

Look Inside

• Table of Contents (94 KB)
• Index (394 KB)
• Front Matter (843 KB)
• Copyright Information Page (149 KB)
• Marketing Excerpt (1334 KB)