SMS Seeadler was an unprotected cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine launched on 2 February 1892 and commissioned on 17 August 1892.

Early in her career, SMS Seeadler was assigned to the Ostafrikanische Station German East Africa, where she served from 1893 to 1898.  Following a refit in Germany, she was assigned first to patrol Germany’s Pacific colonies, and then to Kiautschou during and after the Boxer Rebellion. 

In October 1905, she was reassigned to Ostafrikanische Station in response to the Maji-Maji Rebellion, and remained there until January 1914.  At that time, she returned to Germany for decommissioning.  She was converted to a mine hulk, and was destroyed by an explosion of her cargo in Wilhelmshaven harbor on 19 April 1917.