Ludwig was not close to either of his parents. The photo was taken privately as a photo for family albums, as was in vogue among many nobles at the time, and was not published at the time.
Some point to these stresses of growing up in a royal family as the causes for much of his odd behavior as an adult.Ī rare photo of Crown Prince Ludwig (left) With his mother Queen Maria (in the center) and his younger brother Otto (on the right) in 1860: Otto would become King after the death of his older brother in 1886, although he would not be able to properly rule as King of Bavaria due to his mental health problems. Ludwig was both extremely indulged and severely controlled by his tutors and subjected to a strict regimen of study and exercise. King Maximilian wanted to instruct both of his sons in the burdens of royal duty from an early age. Like many young heirs in an age when kings governed most of Europe, Ludwig was continually reminded of his royal status. His younger brother, born three years later, was named Otto.
His full name was Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm English: Louis Otto Frederick William. His parents intended to name him Otto, but his grandfather insisted that his grandson be named after him, since their common birthday, 25 August, is the feast day of Saint Louis IX of France, patron saint of Bavaria (with "Ludwig" being the German form of "Louis"). Today, his architectural and artistic legacy includes many of Bavaria's most important tourist attractions.Ĭrown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (left) with his parents and his younger brother, Prince Otto in 1860īorn at Nymphenburg Palace (located in what is today part of central Munich), he was the elder son of Maximilian II of Bavaria and Marie of Prussia, Crown Prince and Princess of Bavaria, who became King and Queen in 1848 after the abdication of the former's father, Ludwig I, during the German Revolution. This extravagance was used against him to declare him insane, an accusation that has since come under scrutiny. Ludwig spent all his own private royal revenues (although not state funds as is commonly thought) on these projects, borrowed extensively, and defied all attempts by his ministers to restrain him. He commissioned the construction of two lavish palaces and Neuschwanstein Castle, and he was a devoted patron of the composer Richard Wagner. Nevertheless, Ludwig increasingly withdrew from day-to-day affairs of state in favour of extravagant artistic and architectural projects. The officers and men of the Bavarian Army continued to swear their oaths to the king of Bavaria and not the German emperor. Bavaria also kept its light-blue infantry uniforms, the Raupenhelm (until 1886), the Light Cavalry and some other peculiarities.
Not only did the army retain, like the kingdoms of Saxony and Württemberg, its own troops, War Ministry and military justice system, but it was also excluded from the Empire-wide regimental re-numbering of the army regiments, and would only come under Imperial control in times of war. In the new Imperial Constitution, Bavaria was able to secure for itself extensive rights, in particular regarding military sovereignty. Bavaria did however retain a large degree of autonomy on some matters within the Empire, which was named the Reich. The two candidates for the new Kaiser were Ludwig and his cousin Wilhelm. However, in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Bavaria sided with Prussia against France, and after the Prussian victory, it became part of the new German Empire, comprising 22 monarchies, led by the Prussian Monarchy, whose king became Deutscher Kaiser (' German Emperor'). Two years later, Bavaria and Austria fought a war against Prussia lasting only a matter of weeks, which they lost. Ludwig ascended to the throne in 1864 at the age of 18. He also held the titles of Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, Duke of Franconia, and Duke in Swabia. He is sometimes called the Swan King or der Märchenkönig ('the Fairy Tale King'). Ludwig II (Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm 25 August 1845 – 13 June 1886) was King of Bavaria from 1864 until his death in 1886.