The unification of the German Reich in 1871 came with many benefits. For the first time in their history as a people, Germany was united into a single empire under a single ruler. While the Holy Roman Empire had been ruled almost exclusively by German kings throughout its history, it was composed of various cultures, languages, and ethnicities, some of which held significant power over who came to the throne.
That could not be said for the German Reich. Of course, there were some drawbacks to the unification of the German States, such as the loss of sovereignty for many men who had once proudly called themselves monarchs.
Among these various kingdoms, principalities, grand duchies, etc., was the Kingdom of Bavaria, which had been ruled by the illustrious von Wittelsbach family since the High Medieval Period. The history of Bavaria was overshadowed only by that of Prussia and Austria among the German states.
