Ludwig II Bavarsky King of Bavaria from 1864 to 1886 Date of Birth: 25.08.1845 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Ludwig II of Bavaria
2. A Romantic and Dreamy Youth
3. The Festivals of Richard Wagner
4. A Tragic End

Biography of Ludwig II of Bavaria

Ludwig II of Bavaria was the king of Bavaria from 1864 to 1886. He was born on August 25, 1845, in Munich, the capital of Bavaria. After the death of his father, Maximilian II, Ludwig inherited the throne at the age of eighteen and a half.

A Romantic and Dreamy Youth

Growing up in the rural solitude of Hohenschwangau Castle, Ludwig had a romantic and dreamy nature. He adored music, nature, and poetry, and was not prepared for the responsibilities of ruling a country. When he first appeared before his subjects, the people were astonished by his striking appearance. Standing almost two meters tall, Ludwig was a handsome prince with black curly hair and blue eyes, earning him the nickname "Prince from a Fairytale."

At the age of sixteen, Ludwig experienced an event that would shape his destiny. On February 2, 1861, he attended a performance of Wagner's opera "Lohengrin." The music of Wagner deeply moved him and he saw in it the embodiment of his romantic dreams. From that moment on, Ludwig became a passionate admirer and collector of Wagner's works. When he ascended the throne, he immediately sought to find and bring Wagner to Munich. Their meeting took place on May 4, 1864, and had far-reaching consequences for both men. Wagner wrote to his friend, Dr. Ville, that evening: "Unfortunately, he (the king) is so brilliant, so noble, so emotional and astonishing that I fear his life will disappear, like a stream in the sand, in this cruel world. I am so fortunate, that I am simply crushed; if only he could live..." Ludwig became Wagner's patron, building him a luxurious house and assuming all his financial burdens. Wagner could now fully devote himself to his creative work without worrying about making a living. But Wagner, unfortunately, turned out to be a prophet...

The Festivals of Richard Wagner

King Ludwig II envisioned Munich as the musical capital of Germany, akin to Vienna. He established a music school and decided to build a new opera theater, designed specifically for Wagnerian operas. However, his plans faced opposition from the government, his own relatives, and the people of Munich. The exorbitant cost of the project was not the only concern; it was mainly the association with Wagner that caused the resistance. Wagner was not well-liked in Munich, and his friendship with the emperor was not encouraged. The "Bavarian Courier," a newspaper that represented the aristocracy and clergy, wrote, among other things: "The least evil that this stranger has brought to our country can only be compared - considering his insatiable appetite - to a locust invasion. This paid composer, this revolutionary, who in 1848 led a band of assassins attempting to blow up the royal palace in Dresden, now wants to isolate the king and exploit him for his revolutionary ideas." Ignorant of the details of the great German composer's revolutionary activities, I dare to suppose that the sacred wrath of the "Bavarian Courier" had some factual basis. It is also possible that the Bavarians had long forgiven the "stranger" his revolutionary past.

For a year and a half, Ludwig bravely resisted the outrage of parliament and the masses. Eventually, the king was forced to concede and ask Wagner to leave Munich, which caused him immeasurable anguish. He could never forgive the betrayal of the people of Munich. This marked the beginning of the mutual alienation between the king and the parliament, which deepened over the years and eventually led to his downfall. Ludwig grew to despise Munich so much that he wanted to move the capital to Nuremberg. Nevertheless, his relationship with Wagner continued, and according to rumors, it was not only based on music, although Wagner was married to Cosima, Franz Liszt's daughter from his first marriage. After the composer's death, she became the chief curator of the Wagnerian festivals. However, Ludwig was never able to marry. He diligently avoided marriage and was never caught in adultery. His engagement to his cousin, Princess Sophie, was broken off without explanation after eight months. The royal family realized that they would not have an heir. In 1866, a war with Prussia was imminent, and Ludwig, a man of peace, did everything he could to avoid it. He was even willing to abdicate for the sake of peace. Distrusting his own government, he secretly left Munich and sought advice from Wagner in Switzerland. The nature of the advice can be judged by the fact that two days later, the king returned, renounced his abdication, and announced mobilization.

A Tragic End

In the subsequent war, which lasted only three weeks, Bavaria was defeated by the Prussian army and suffered significant losses. The country had to pay reparations to Prussia amounting to 154 million marks. Against the backdrop of this national catastrophe, Ludwig began to fulfill the romantic dream of his life - the construction of castles in the Bavarian Alps. He built three during his lifetime, but only one, Linderhof, was completed. In 1869, Ludwig laid the foundation stone for Neuschwanstein Castle on the site of an ancient fortress on the slopes of the Alps. The castle was designed as a medieval fortress with ramparts, towers, and passages, and it looked stunning against the backdrop of the park. Construction took 17 years but remained unfinished. Ironically, it was in this romantic castle that Ludwig II experienced the greatest humiliation of his life.

His favorite castle, Linderhof, was a true little Versailles. Ludwig took Louis XIV as a role model and followed him in every aspect of his life. Even the bedroom in Linderhof, like the "Sun King's" bedroom, was arranged so that the sun never entered through the windows. The provocative rococo extravagance astounded even seasoned tourists. The abundance of gold, mirrors, vases - Ludwig was a great connoisseur and collector of such items - life-sized porcelain peacocks, an ivory chandelier with 108 candles, which was never lit for fear of fire, and a lift from the kitchen to the dining room - all of this demonstrated not only unlimited resources but also the exquisite taste of its owner. The white grand piano, adorned with golden ornaments, was specifically ordered for Wagner, but the composer never played its keys. The excessive and extravagant luxury of Linderhof was intended for one person alone - Richard Wagner - but he never set foot in Linderhof. The king spent his days in complete solitude, except for a few servants. He listened to Wagner's music performed by first-class orchestras and opera companies in a specially carved rock grotto theater or rowed in a boat on an artificial lake nearby. He increasingly distanced himself from state affairs, immersing himself in his own ideal romantic world.

In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War broke out, which Ludwig passionately wanted to avoid, just like the first war. However, he was forced to participate. Bavaria was obliged to fight against France on the side of Prussia according to the terms of the peace treaty. This war ended in France's defeat, and King Wilhelm I of Prussia was declared emperor of the united German Empire. All the German aristocracy attended this ceremony at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, except for the King of Bavaria.

The unrestrained construction and the funds expended on it did not contribute to the popularity of the once adored monarch. Ludwig invested his annual income of 5.5 million marks and deeply indebted the state. By the time of his death, his debt to the state amounted to 21 million marks. The wealth accumulated by Bavaria over 800 years by many generations of Bavarian monarchs had been squandered in just 20 years.

In a successful conspiracy led by Prime Minister Lutz, Ludwig was declared mentally incompetent. His uncle, Prince Luitpold, was appointed as regent. Lutz was interested in isolating the king because, as head of the government, he was aware of the exorbitant expenses but kept them secret from the king, who had little understanding of economics.

Ludwig was exiled to Berg Castle near Lake Starnberg, accompanied by his court physician, Dr. Gudden. It was Gudden who informed him of the decision of the four doctors' council regarding the necessity of isolation and treatment.

"How can you declare me mentally ill if you have never examined me?" Ludwig asked.

To which the court physician replied, "Your Majesty, there is no need for that. We have information that gives us sufficient evidence."

On June 13, 1886, at six o'clock in the evening, Ludwig and Dr. Gudden went for a short walk in the park without bodyguards - at the last moment, the doctor declined their services. A few hours later, their bodies were found in the lake. It was unclear whether it was murder or suicide, as the investigation never established the truth. Both were fully dressed in suits, hats, and carrying umbrellas, which ruled out the intention of swimming. Ludwig was an excellent swimmer, making the accidental drowning scenario highly unlikely. The autopsy also did not shed light on the cause of their deaths. Official sources benefited from maintaining the narrative of madness and suicide, while contradictory evidence was suppressed. After Ludwig's death, his mentally impaired brother, Otto, assumed the throne under the guardianship of his uncle, Luitpold.

After Ludwig's reign, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Technological Institute in Munich, the Bavarian Red Cross, and the funds he created continued to support the development of musical culture, which led to the construction of the Bayreuth Festival House.