Conservative statesman and count who was a professor of philosophy and then right-wing leader of the Center Party in the Reichstag. In 1912 he became Bavarian Prime Minister. Was asked by Kaiser Wilhelm II to succeed Bethmann-Hollweg as Imperial Chancellor but declined because of old age. In November 1917, however, he ended up succeeding Michaelis as chancellor and Prussian Prime Minister. He was little more than a caretaker for the Supreme Military Command (Hindenburg & Ludendorff) which actually controlled the country. As he believed in the ultimate German victory, he never challenged Ludendorff. Hertling was married to Anna von Biegeleben with whom he had one son and five daughters. He died on 4 January 1919 in Ruhpolding.