<P> The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, which had included more than 500 independent states, was effectively dissolved when Emperor Francis II abdicated (6 August 1806) during the War of the Third Coalition . Despite the legal, administrative, and political disruption associated with the end of the Empire, the people of the German - speaking areas of the old Empire had a common linguistic, cultural, and legal tradition further enhanced by their shared experience in the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars . European liberalism offered an intellectual basis for unification by challenging dynastic and absolutist models of social and political organization; its German manifestation emphasized the importance of tradition, education, and linguistic unity of peoples in a geographic region . Economically, the creation of the Prussian Zollverein (customs union) in 1818, and its subsequent expansion to include other states of the German Confederation, reduced competition between and within states . Emerging modes of transportation facilitated business and recreational travel, leading to contact and sometimes conflict among German speakers from throughout Central Europe . </P> <P> The model of diplomatic spheres of influence resulting from the Congress of Vienna in 1814--15 after the Napoleonic Wars endorsed Austrian dominance in Central Europe . The negotiators at Vienna took no account of Prussia's growing strength within and among the German states and so failed to foresee that Prussia would rise to challenge Austria for leadership of the German peoples . This German dualism presented two solutions to the problem of unification: Kleindeutsche Lösung, the small Germany solution (Germany without Austria), or Großdeutsche Lösung, the greater Germany solution (Germany with Austria). </P> <P> Historians debate whether Otto von Bismarck--Minister President of Prussia--had a master plan to expand the North German Confederation of 1866 to include the remaining independent German states into a single entity or simply to expand the power of the Kingdom of Prussia . They conclude that factors in addition to the strength of Bismarck's Realpolitik led a collection of early modern polities to reorganize political, economic, military, and diplomatic relationships in the 19th century . Reaction to Danish and French nationalism provided foci for expressions of German unity . Military successes--especially those of Prussia--in three regional wars generated enthusiasm and pride that politicians could harness to promote unification . This experience echoed the memory of mutual accomplishment in the Napoleonic Wars, particularly in the War of Liberation of 1813--14 . By establishing a Germany without Austria, the political and administrative unification in 1871 at least temporarily solved the problem of dualism . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Part of a series on the </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> History of Germany </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Early history (show) <Ul> <Li> Germanic peoples </Li> <Li> Migration Period </Li> <Li> Frankish Empire </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Medieval Germany (show) <Ul> <Li> East Francia </Li> <Li> Kingdom of Germany </Li> <Li> Holy Roman Empire </Li> <Li> Eastward settlement </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Early Modern period (show) <Ul> <Li> Sectionalism </Li> <Li> 18th century </Li> <Li> Kingdom of Prussia </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Unification (show) <Ul> <Li> Confederation of the Rhine </Li> <Li> <Ul> <Li> German Confederation </Li> <Li> Zollverein </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> German revolutions of 1848 </Li> <Li> German Empire (1849) </Li> <Li> North German Confederation </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> German Reich (show) <Ul> <Li> German Empire </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> World War I </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Weimar Republic </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Alsace - Lorraine </Li> <Li> Saar </Li> <Li> Danzig </Li> <Li> Memel </Li> <Li> Austria </Li> <Li> Sudetenland </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Nazi Germany </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cold War era (show) <Ul> <Li> <Ul> <Li> Occupation </Li> <Li> Ostgebiete </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> Expulsion of Germans </Li> <Li> <Ul> <Li> West Germany </Li> <Li> East Germany </Li> <Li> Saar </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> German reunification </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Contemporary (show) <Ul> <Li> New federal states </Li> <Li> Reunified Germany </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> By topic (show) <Ul> <Li> Timeline </Li> <Li> Economic history </Li> <Li> Military history </Li> <Li> Territorial evolution </Li> <Li> Berlin </Li> <Li> Women's history </Li> <Li> Names of Germany </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Germany portal </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who was the leader who wanted to unify germany (prussia)