German unification was the process of territorial unification that led to the emergence of Germany as a nation-state during the second half of the 19th century. This process was led by the Kingdom of Prussia, which, at that time, was led by King William I and Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck.
This territorial unification resulted from the modernization of the Prussian economy and industrialization - which was the richest in the German Confederation -, as well as the modernization of the Prussian army. Ultimately, this process was only possible with the confrontation of neighboring nations, which allowed the Prussians to conquer and annex the territories that would form today's Germany.
