Year of Three Emperors

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The Year of Three Emperors (Dreikaiserjahr in German) refers to the year 1888.

On March 9, 1888, Wilhelm I, the first German Emperor, died. He was succeeded by his son, Friedrich III (Frederick III). However, Friedrich was already terminally ill with cancer, and died after only 99 days of rule, on June 15. Friedrich's son, Wilhelm II, then succeeded to the throne.

German schoolchildren learn the year in question with the mnemonic “drei Achten, drei Kaiser” ("three eights, three emperors").