Who was the first emperor of unified Germany?

Wilhelm I was the first emperor of unified Germany, known as the German Emperor or Kaiser. He played a crucial role in the unification of the German states during the 19th century. The unification process primarily occurred under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck, who was the Chancellor and a key political architect behind the formation of the German Empire. However, it was Wilhelm I who was proclaimed emperor in 1871 at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles following the Franco-Prussian War. This event marked the establishment of a unified German nation-state, with Wilhelm I serving as its symbolic leader.

Wilhelm I's reign symbolized the consolidation of various German principalities and kingdoms under a single national identity, and his leadership was essential in garnering support for the unification project. While Bismarck orchestrated the political maneuvers that made unification possible, Wilhelm I's status as emperor represented the culmination of these efforts and the emergence of modern Germany.