other · Germany and Central Europe

North German Confederation

1867 CE – 1871 CE · capital Berlin

Prussian-led federal state formed after the defeat of Austria in 1866, the direct forerunner of the German Empire.

Origins

Prussia's victory in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 dissolved the German Confederation. Prussia annexed Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Nassau and Frankfurt and joined the remaining states north of the Main in a new federation. Its constitution, drafted largely by Otto von Bismarck, came into force on 1 July 1867.

Rule and society

The King of Prussia held the federal presidency and commanded the armies, and Bismarck was federal chancellor. A Federal Council represented the governments, and a Reichstag was elected by universal male suffrage. The confederation unified weights and measures, trade law and criminal law, and the south German states were tied to it by military alliances and the customs union.

Decline and legacy

During the Franco-Prussian War, Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden and Hesse joined in 1870. The confederation was renamed the German Empire, and William I was proclaimed German Emperor at Versailles on 18 January 1871.

Lineage

German Confederation 1815 CE – 1866 CENorth German ConfederationGerman Empire 1871 CE – 1918 CE

Connections (4)

Kingdom of Prussia was part of North German Confederation1867 CE – 1871 CE
Kingdom of Saxony was part of North German Confederation1867 CE – 1871 CE
Duchy of Anhalt was part of North German Confederation1867 CE – 1871 CE
North German Confederation was part of Kingdom of Prussia1867 CE – 1871 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). North German Confederation. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/north-german-confederation
MLA: “North German Confederation.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/north-german-confederation. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “North German Confederation.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/north-german-confederation.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘North German Confederation’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/north-german-confederation (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻