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Prussia and Austria began to expand and incorporate more German territory under their country’s. The third and final act of German unification was the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, which was designed by Bismarck to draw the western German states into alliance with the North German Confederation. The German Empire defeated the French leading to the German Empire being proclaimed in January 1871 in the Palace at Versailles, France. The next attempt at German unification, was undertaken by Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia. This attempt was proven successful. Bismarck was a proponent of “smaller” Germany, not to mention a master at the game of realpolitik. Three episodes proved fundamental to the administrative and political unification of Germany. First, the death without male heirs of Frederick VII of Denmark led to the Second War of Schelswig in 1864. Second, the unification of Italy provided Prussia an ally against Austria in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.