Bismarck was arguably the most important figure in nineteenth-century European history after 1815. In this biography, Edgar Feuchtwanger reassesses Bismarck's significance as a historical figure. He traces his development from a typical Junker, a reactionary and conservative, into the so-called white revolutionary who recast European affairs more drastically than anyone since Napoleon. This second edition includes a new introduction, taking into account the most recent scholarship on Bismarck, which reflects on Bismarck's legacy in modern Germany, which is once again the European economic powerhouse for which Bismarck laid the foundations.

Edgar Feuchtwanger studied history at Cambridge, taught British and German history at the University of Southampton and has been visiting professor at the University of Frankfurt. He received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz), 2003, for promoting Anglo-German relations. His major publications include From Weimar to Hitler (1995), Disraeli (2000) and Imperial Germany 1850-1918 (Routledge, 2001).

Chronology Preface Introduction 1. Early Days 2. Entry into politics 3. Diplomat with a difference 4. Minister in waiting 5. Prime minister 6. First triumph 7. Fratricidal war 8. High noon 9. Imperial chancellor 10. Turn to the right 11. Power prolonged 12. Fall and resentful retirement Conclusion Notes Further Reading Index