Friedrich was the son of the future king of Prussia Wilhelm I and Augusta von Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Graduated from the Bonn University, he had a fast military career under the supervision of Helmut von Moltke. Friedrich headed the Prussian army in the Danish War (1864), the Seven Weeks' War against Austria (1866), and the Franco-German War (1870-71), and distinguished himself at the battles of Königgrätz and Sedan. In 1887 Friedrich showed signs of throat cancer, but the medical operation never took place. Friedrich succeeded his father, Wilhelm I, on 9 Mar 1888, but his deteriorating health made him incapable of governing and Otto von Bismarck preserved his status of Reich Chancellor and dominance in German politics for two more years. The reign of Friedrich lasted for only 99 days - he died on 15 Jun 1888. Biography source: [1] |
