In the year 1813, on the birthday anniversary of the departed, King Frederick William the Third instituted the highest order of the soldiers of liberty, “the Iron Cross.” After the battle of Leipzig (October 18, 1813) he hurried from the battlefield to the thanksgiving service in the Berlin cathedral and then to the mausoleum in Charlottenburg to place a wreath on the casket of the perfect one. He founded the Order of Louise, August 3, 1814, as a decoration for the most zealous among the army nurses. Since 1840 he has rested beside her. Her oldest son, King Frederick William the Fourth, said, in the year 1848: “The unity of Germany is dear to my heart; this idea is an inheritance from my mother.” But her second son, William, when the nephew of his mother’s old arch-enemy declared war against Germany on the anniversary of Louise’s death, July 19, 1870, knelt at his mother’s coffin in the tomb at Charlottenburg before he went to meet the enemy, and prayed for a blessing from above. It accompanied him through many battles and victories, until he arrived before the palace at Versailles. He returned to Berlin March 17, 1871, as Emperor of the united German fatherland, crowned with laurels, but giving the honor to God alone, and stood once more at his mother’s grave in Charlottenburg. How wonderfully through the grace of God had all her hopes been realized! Appendix The following is a chronological statement of the principal events in Prussian history connected with this volume: 1770 Birth of Frederick William the Third. 1776 Birth of Louise. 1793 Marriage of Frederick William the Third and Louise. 1805 Napoleon’s victory at Austerlitz. 1806 Frederick William the Third declares war against France. 1806 Defeat of Prussians at Jena and Auerstädt. 1806 Napoleon enters Berlin. 1807 Frederick William the Third signs humiliating treaty at Tilsit. 1809 German War of Liberation. 1810 Death of Louise. 1812 Frederick William the Third joins France against Russia. 1813 Frederick William the Third joins in the war of Liberation. 1815 Frederick William the Third joins the Holy Alliance. 1840 Death of Frederick William the Third. 1871 William the First, Louise’s second son, vanquishes France, enters Paris, and is crowned Emperor of United Germany at Versailles. LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE _Translated from the German by_ GEORGE P. UPTON 24 Volumes Now Ready _Historical and Biographical_