German royalty, the King of Bavaria at the age of 19, known as Mad Ludwig. A genius in architecture, he built the famous dream castles that are among the most frequently visited spots in Europe by tourists to this day.
Ludwig was born in Nymphenburg Palace and was the elder son of Maximilian II of Bavaria and his wife Princess Marie of Prussia. Ludwig and his younger brother Otto were raised in an unusual way. The brothers spent most of their childhood with servants and teachers at Hohenschwangau Castle. Their parents were distant and formal, and were at such a loss about what to say to Otto and Ludwig that they often ignored and even avoided them. Their mother decided what the brothers wore: she ordered that Ludwig should always be dressed in blue while Otto should always wear red. Their father was strict with the brothers, particularly Ludwig, the heir to the throne. Between 1853 and 1863, the brothers spent their summer holidays at the Royal Villa in Berchtesgaden, which had been specially built for their father. He loved Wagner from age 13 and became so involved with the characters of Wagner’s tragic-romantic opera’s, that he put on elaborate productions, and painted Wagnerian scenes as murals in his castle.
After the unexpected death of his father after a three-day illness in 1864, Ludwig was crowned and had to deal with the emerging position of Bavaria. Although he was not prepared for high office, his youth and brooding good looks made him popular in Bavaria and elsewhere. He continued the state policies of his father and retained his ministers. In 1871, after a victorious war against France, his state was absorbed into the new Germany of Bismarck and Ludwig became a figurehead.
Ludwig never married, though he had been engaged with the to Duchess Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria ((23 February 1847 – 4 May 1897)). It is known from his diary (begun in the 1860s), private letters, and other surviving personal documents, that he had strong homosexual desires. He struggled all his life to suppress his sexual desires and remain true to his Roman Catholic faith. While homosexuality had not been punishable in Bavaria since 1813, the Unification of Germany in 1871 under Prussian hegemony changed this.
Otto and Ludwig were often seen together during the early years of Ludwig’s reign but they became estranged over time. Ludwig was shy and introverted and eventually became a recluse while Otto was cheerful, outgoing and extroverted until the Franco-Prussian War (19 July 1870 – 10 May 1871). After having been a decorated officer soldier in war, his “red” brother Otto suffered from melancholia, got psychotic spells and had to be institutionalised.
Ludwig’s actual interest in state affairs was minimal; he claimed he got only headaches from it. The king enjoyed travelling in the Bavarian countryside and chatting with farmers and labourers he met along the way. He also delighted in rewarding those who were hospitable to him during his travels with lavish gifts. But he disliked large public functions and avoided formal social events whenever possible, preferring a life of seclusion that he pursued with various creative projects. Between 1872 and 1885, the King had 209 private performances (Separatvorstellungen) given for himself alone or with a guest, in the two court theaters, comprising 44 operas (28 by Wagner, including eight of Parsifal), 11 ballets, and 154 plays (the principal theme being Bourbon France) at a cost of 97,300 marks. But he last inspected a military parade on 22 August 1875 and gave his last Court banquet on 10 February 1876.
His mother had foreseen difficulties for Ludwig when she recorded her concern for her extremely introverted and creative son who spent much time day-dreaming.
He had no interest in women but had discreet liaisons with his equerry, actors, and perhaps a few military officers. An increasingly solitary figure, he kept a nocturnal schedule, attending musicals and designing castles.
In February 1868, Ludwig’s grandfather Ludwig I died, freeing the considerable sums that were previously spent on the abdicated king’s appanage. This allowed Ludwig II to start the architectural project of building a private refuge in the familiar landscape far from the capital Munich, so that he could live out his idea of the Middle Ages. In a Letter to Richard Wagner, he wrote May 1868: “It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau near the Pöllat Gorge in the authentic style of the old German knights’ castles, and I must confess to you that I am looking forward very much to living there one day […]; you know the revered guest I would like to accommodate there; the location is one of the most beautiful to be found, holy and unapproachable, a worthy temple for the divine friend who has brought salvation and true blessing to the world. It will also remind you of “Tannhäuser” (Singers’ Hall with a view of the castle in the background), “Lohengrin'” (castle courtyard, open corridor, path to the chapel) …”. The fabulously beautiful Neuschwanstein was begun in 1869 and was never finished. About 15 miles east, he built Linderhof.
By 1886, Ludwig’s extravagance had left the treasury severely in debt and his ministers and cabinet conspired to have him deposed. A lengthy report declared him insane and he was taken in custody at Neuschwanstein. On 13 June 1886, during a stroll around Berg Castle escorted by two attendants, his psychiatrist Dr. Bernhard von Gudden (7 June 1824, Kleve), tried to explain his diagnosis and treatment to Ludwig. Later that day, Ludwig and Dr. Von Gudden went for private walk from which neither ever returned. Their bodies were later found floating in the lake. Leaving the question open of whether it was murder, accident or suicide, his watch had stopped at 6:45 PM, Lake Starnberg near Berg Castle.
Ludwig’s diaries were destroyed during WW II.
Link to Wikipedia biography