History Series / FallOfEagles

# "The Honest Broker": The new UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany faces an uncertain future with Kaiser Wilhelm I dying of old age and Crown Prince Fritz stricken by throat cancer. When both go in quick succession, the throne passes to Kaiser Wilhelm II. Wanting to rule as his own man, Wilhelm II forces Bismarck to resign.

* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: UsefulNotes/VladimirLenin (played by Creator/PatrickStewart).

# "The Last Tsar": Under Tsar Alexander III, UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia seems stable, but revolution is lurking beneath the surface. Resenting his royal destiny, Tsarevich Nicholas is living a playboy lifestyle, but he shapes up after he's finally allowed to marry Princess Alix. When Alexander III dies, Tsarevich Nicholas becomes Tsar Nicholas II.

# "Death Waltz": With the UsefulNotes/RevolutionsOf1848 still a recent memory, Emperor Franz Joseph's young wife, Empress Elisabeth, pursues a fascination with Hungary that may threaten the integrity of the Habsburg empire.

*** [[spoiler:It would only get worse. He'd have to deal with conflicts with Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and the latter's assassination in Sarajevo, thus staging UsefulNotes/WorldWarI]].
** And let's not forget Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna ("Alix"), wife to Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Her desolation at her (only) son's haemophilia is the beginning of her own crisis, along with every mounting tension in Russia and the looming threat of revolution. She is at her breaking point at Rasputin's death.

* JerkAssWoobie: Wilhelm II. Despite growing up to be an [[HairTriggerTemper unstable]] [[{{Narcissist}} megalomaniac]] at the helm of one of the most powerful nations in the world, it's hard not to view him in a [[MonsterSobStory somewhat sympathetic light]] due to the [[AbusiveParents cold and at times even abusive treatment he received from his parents as a child]]. This is hammered home in "The Honest Broker" when he seeks retribution against his mother following his father's death by ransacking her residence only to be reminded he will always be haunted by their disappointment.

* {{Blackmail}}: Germany gets Russia to recognize Austria's annexation of Bosnia by threatening to expose the secret documents that Izvolsky drew up with Aehrenthal.

* AssInAmbassador: Aleksandr Izvolsky, the Russian Foreign Minister in Episode 5. Ambitious, smug, and far too confident for his own good, he brokers a secret deal with Alois von Aehrenthal granting support for Austria's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in exchange for opening the Dardanelles to Russia's fleet, all while sneaking around behind England and France's collective backs. His overconfidence blows up in his face, humiliates Russia, gets him blackmailed by the Germans, and has him raked over the coals by the Tsar ''and'' his Prime Minister - who have to actually spell out to him the fact that his over-ambitious goal of opening the Dardanelles was completely pointless thanks to the loss of their navy in the war with Japan. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even the Kaiser calls him "a damned fool."]]

** Aleksandr Izvolsky is another notable one. He clearly fancies himself a shrewd political operator and the mastermind of a new arrangement between Russia and Austria, and feels so confident in his success that he all but sneers at his own Prime Minister's warning against expensive adventures. Then he ends up getting stabbed in the back by his co-conspirator Aehrenthal, who gets Russian support for the annexation of Bosnia for nothing. Izvolsky spends the remainder of the episode in a blind panic, struggling to keep his own scheme from starting a war, only to be blackmailed by Germany into abandoning the Serbs, humiliating his own government, and bring Europe one step closer towards a World War.

* SmugSnake: Kaiser Wilhelm II serves as the most notable example. While far more strong-willed than his indecisive grandfather and gravely underestimated by Bismarck, it becomes all too apparent as the series progresses that he is hardly the "supreme warlord" and visionary statesman he fancies himself to be. Ultimately, his [[{{Pride}} hubris]] brings about the downfall not only of the Hohenzollern dynasty but the entire German Empire as well.

* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III,_German_Emperor Frederick III of Germany ("Fritz")]] with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_Princess_Royal Princess Victoria of England ("Vicky")]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_II,_German_Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II ("Willy")]] with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta_Victoria_of_Schleswig-Holstein Princess Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein ("Dona")]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_II_of_Russia Nicholas II of Russia ("Nicky")]] with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Feodorovna_(Alix_of_Hesse) Alexandra Feodorovna ("Alix")]]. While they marry for political reasons as customary of royalty at the time, every couple is depicted with the spouses being entirely happy with each other. Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary with Elisabeth of Bavaria ("Sissi") promised to be one, but things would soon go to hell.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Its clear from the start that no one really expects much to come from Prince "Willie" (aka [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_II,_German_Emperor Wilhelm II]]). Otto von Bismarck, the mastermind behind Germany's transformation into a world power, dismisses him as a preening fool who can be easily molded into another PuppetKing. However, he underestimates the young man's ambition and loses all his power and influence shortly after Willie ascends to the throne. Without Bismarck's prudent guidance, the unstable Kaiser ultimately plunges the world into [[{{UsefulNotes/WorldWarI}} one of the most destructive conflicts in history]].

* JerkAssWoobie: Wilhelm II. Despite growing up to be an [[{{Pride}} arrogant]] and [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centered]] warmonger, it's hard not to view him in a [[MonsterSobStory somewhat sympathetic light]] due to the [[AbusiveParents cold and at times even abusive treatment he is depicted to have received from his parents as a boy]]. This is hammered home in "The Honest Broker" when he seeks retribution against his mother following his father's death by ransacking her residence only to be reminded he will always be haunted by a childhood largely devoid of emotional warmth.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Its clear from the start that no one really expects much to come from Prince "Willie" (aka [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_II,_German_Emperor Wilhelm II]]). Otto von Bismarck, the mastermind behind Germany's transformation into a world power, dismisses him as a preening fool who can be easily molded into another PuppetKing for the bureaucracy he's created. However, he underestimates the young man's ambition and loses all his power and influence as a result. Without Bismarck's prudent guidance, the unstable Kaiser ultimately plunges the world into [[{{UsefulNotes/WorldWarI}} one of the most destructive conflicts in history]].

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Its clear from the start that no one really expects much to come from Wilhelm II. Otto von Bismarck, the mastermind behind Germany's transformation into a world power, dismisses him as a preening fool who can be easily molded into another PuppetKing for the bureaucracy he's created. However, he underestimates the young man's ambition and loses all his power and influence as a result. Without Bismarck's prudent guidance, the unstable Kaiser ultimately plunges the world into [[{{UsefulNotes/WorldWarI}} one of the most destructive conflicts in history]].

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Its clear from the start that no one really expects much to come from Wilhelm II. Otto von Bismarck, the mastermind behind Germany's transformation into a world power, dismisses him as a preening fool who can be easily molded into another PuppetKing for the bureaucracy he's created. However, he underestimates the young man's ambition and loses all his power and influence as a result. Without Bismarck's prudent guidance, the unstable Kaiser ultimately plunges the world into [[{{World War I}} one of the most destructive conflicts in history]].

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Its clear from the start that no one really expects much to come from Wilhelm II. Otto von Bismarck attempts to mold him into another PuppetKing for the Imperial bureaucracy he's created. However, he underestimates the young man's ambition and loses all his power and influence as a result. Without Bismarck's Machiavellian yet prudent guidance, the impetuous Kaiser ultimately plays a central role in plunging the entire Western world into World War I.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: In the series, it is never made clear whether Rasputin is simply a deluded but well-intentioned hedonist who genuinely believes he is carrying out God's will or is simply a [[TheSociopath sociopathic]] charlatan who cravenly exploits the royal family for his own amusement. See [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvCr0hEWUzE here.]]

* DumbasHasAPoint: During his grand council of 1917, Kaiser Wilhelm is told of how his Commanders and politicians plan to win. Using unrestricted naval warfare in the North Atlantic and to install a Bolshevik Government in Russia. Wilhelm points out that unrestricted navel warfare will bring the Americans on the Allied side, and that the Bolsheviks will not be able to be controlled. He meekly goes along with the plans anyway though.

* OfficerAndAGentleman: Crown Prince Fritz serves exceptionally in the Franco-Prussian War, receiving the Iron Cross from his father Wilhelm I during the campaign. Nevertheless, he refuses to shell Paris (filled with unarmed civilians) despite Bismarck's urging. He is portrayed until his death as a well-mannered, agreeable NiceGuy, despite coming from [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy traditional militaristic Prussian culture]].[[note]]He did exactly the same in real life - he was praised even by the enemy.[[/note]]

* OfficerAndAGentleman: Crown Prince Fritz serves exceptionally in the Franco-Prussian War, receiving the Iron Cross from his father Wilhelm I during the campaign. Nevertheless, he refuses to shell Paris (filled with unarmed civilians) despite Bismarck's urging. He is portrayed until his death as a well-mannered, agreeable NiceGuy, despite coming from traditional militaristic Prussian culture.[[note]]He did exactly the same in real life - he was praised even by the enemy.[[/note]]

** Russia has a great example in Father Georgiy Gapon, who stirs up the St. Peterburg's strikes [[https://youtu.be/dw4KiKu-Wgk?t=36m58s with a fiery]] RousingSpeech.

* OfficerAndAGentleman: Crown Prince Fritz serves exceptionally in the Franco-Prussian War, receiving the Iron Cross from his father Wilhelm I during the campaign. Nevertheless, he refuses to shell Paris (filled with unarmed civilians) despite Bismarck's urging. He is portrayed until his death as a well-mannered, agreeable NiceGuy, despite coming from traditional militaristic Prussian culture.

* OfficerAndAGentleman: Crown Prince Fritz refuses to shell Paris (filled with unarmed civilians) despite Bismarck's urging. He is portrayed until his death as a well-mannered, agreeable NiceGuy, despite coming from the traditional Prussian culture of militarism.