Editing Wilhelm II (section)

===Moroccan Crisis===
{{Main|First Moroccan Crisis}}
[[File:Germany GB France.gif|thumb|upright|A 1904 British cartoon commenting on the [[Entente cordiale]]: [[John Bull]] walking off with [[Marianne]], turning his back on Wilhelm II, whose sabre is shown extending from his coat]]
One of Wilhelm's diplomatic blunders sparked the [[First Moroccan Crisis|Moroccan Crisis]] of 1905. He made a spectacular visit to [[Tangier]], in Morocco on 31 March 1905. He conferred with representatives of Sultan [[Abdelaziz of Morocco]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Morocco|volume=18|page=858}}</ref> The Kaiser proceeded to tour the city on the back of a white horse. The Kaiser declared he had come to support the sovereignty of the Sultan—a statement which amounted to a provocative challenge to French influence in Morocco. The Sultan subsequently rejected a set of French-proposed governmental reforms and invited major world powers to a conference that advised him on necessary reforms.

The Kaiser's presence was seen as an assertion of German interests in Morocco, in opposition to those of France. In his speech, he even made remarks in favour of Moroccan independence, and this led to friction with France, which was expanding its colonial interests in Morocco, and to the [[Algeciras Conference]], which served largely to further isolate Germany in Europe.{{Sfn | Cecil | 1989 | pp = 91–102}}