Frederick III, German Emperor

Frederick III
Frederick as Crown Prince, Template:C. 1878
German Emperor King of Prussia
Reign	9 March – 15 June 1888
Predecessor	Wilhelm I
Successor	Wilhelm II
Chancellor	Otto von Bismarck
Born	Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (1831-10-18)18 October 1831 New Palace, Potsdam, Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia
Died	15 June 1888(1888-06-15) (aged 56) New Palace, Potsdam, Potsdam, Prussia, German Empire
Spouse	Victoria, Princess Royal (m 25 January 1858)
Issue	Wilhelm II, German Emperor Charlotte, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen Prince Henry Prince Sigismund Viktoria, Princess Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe Prince Waldemar Sophia, Queen of the Hellenes Margaret, Landgravine of Hesse
Full name
Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl
House	Hohenzollern
Father	William I, German Emperor
Mother	Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Signature
Religion

Frederick III or Friedrich III (Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl; 18 October 1831 – 15 June 1888) was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days between March and June 1888, during the Year of the Three Emperors. Known informally as "Fritz", he was the only son of Emperor Wilhelm I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service. Following the unification of Germany in 1871 his father, then King of Prussia, became German Emperor. Upon Wilhelm's death at the age of ninety on 9 March 1888, the thrones passed to Frederick, who had been German Crown Prince for seventeen years and Crown Prince of Prussia for twenty-seven years. Frederick was suffering from cancer of the larynx when he died, aged fifty-six, following unsuccessful medical treatments for his condition.

Titles and styles

• 18 October 1831 – 2 January 1861 His Royal Highness Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia.
• 2 January 1861 – 18 January 1871 His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Prussia.
• 18 January 1871 – 9 March 1888 His Imperial and Royal Highness The German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia.
• 9 March 1888 – 15 June 1888 His Majesty The German Emperor, King of Prussia.