Otto von Bismarck was the dominant figure in nineteenth century German history and the architect of modern Germany. Under his leadership, Prussia waged three victorious wars and brought about the political unification of Germany in 1871. His policies transformed central Europe, led to a re-alignment of political forces within Germany and shaped a new German identity. But they also left a fateful legacy in the twentieth century, fuelling a virulent German nationalism that culminated in the catastrophe of Hitler and the Third Reich.Bismarck's political career has always excited controversy. Katharine Lerman's accessible new study of the 'Iron Chancellor' examines how Bismarck rose to dominate German politics, the ruthless manner in which he exercised power, the constraints on his power and why he was finally ousted in 1890. It provides fresh insights into Bismarck's ambiguous political legacy and explores such issues as his role in unification and the complex imperial German political system, his attitude to parliamentary democracy and ethnic minorities, his pioneering development of social welfare legislation and his reputation for diplomatic prowess.Bismarck was both deified and detested but the pursuit and exercise of political power is central to understanding him as a man and statesman. This is an essential new guide to one of the key figures in modern German history.Katharine Lerman is Senior Lecturer in Modern European History at London Metropolitan University. She is the author of The Chancellor as Courtier: Bernhard von Bulow and the Governance of Germany 1900-1909 (1990) as well as numerous articles on imperial Germany.