This class of five pre-dreadnought battleships was the last to be built before the German Navy began to construct dreadnought equivalents or Großlinienschiffe. It was a slightly improved version of the preceding Braunschweig class, with better armour protection but less manoeuvrability. SMS Deutschland served as fleet flagship until 1913, when her successor Friedrich der Große took over. All ships of this class, named after Prussian provinces except Deutschland (Germany), entered fleet service from 1906 to 1908.