Category Archives: Bavarian Royals

Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Amalie was the wife of King Johann of Saxony. She was born Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria in the Electorate of Bavaria, later the Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, on November 13, 1801, the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his second wife Princess Karoline of Baden.

Amalie had six siblings including her twin sister Elisabeth Ludovika

From her father’s first marriage to  Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt, Amalie had five half-siblings:

Prince Johann of Saxony, c1832. source: Wikipedia

On November 21, 1822, in Dresden, Amalie married Prince Johann of Saxony, the son of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and Princess Caroline of Parma. At the time, Johann was fourth in the line of succession for the Saxony throne, with little expectation that he would ever become King. From all accounts, the marriage was a happy one, and the couple had nine children:

Amalie’s husband became the heir presumptive to the Saxony throne in 1836, when King Anton died and was succeeded by Johann’s elder brother King Friedrich August II. Amalie and her husband were close with the King and his wife (who was Amalie’s younger sister), and the two women worked together to support numerous charities and institutions. In 1851, Amalie became Chairwoman of the Women’s Association of Dresden, founded by her sister some years earlier.

Upon King Friedrich August II’s death in August 1854, the throne passed to Johann, and Amalie succeeded her own sister as Queen of Saxony. Her husband would reign until his death on October 29, 1873, succeeded by the couple’s eldest son, King Albert.

Queen Amalie Auguste – source: Wikipedia

Queen Amalie Auguste survived her husband by four years, dying in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany, on November 8, 1877. She is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony).

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Maria Anna of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Maria Anna of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony; Credit –  Wikipedia

Queen Maria Anna of Saxony was the second wife of King Friedrich August II of Saxony. She was born Princess Maria Anna Leopoldine Elisabeth Wilhelmine of Bavaria, in the Electorate of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, on January 27, 1805, to the future King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Caroline of Baden. She was the identical twin of Sophie Friederike, the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria.

Maria had six full-siblings:

Maria Anna had five older half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to  Princess Auguste of Hesse-Darmstadt:

Maria Anna’s husband Friedrich August of Saxony. source: Wikipedia

On April 24, 1833, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, Maria Anna married Crown Prince Friedrich August of Saxony. He was the son of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and Princess Caroline of Parma. They had no children.

Three years later, on June 6, 1836, she became Queen of Saxony upon her husband’s accession to the throne. Shortly after becoming Queen, she founded a women’s association to combat the famines that were plaguing parts of Saxony. This association continued to exist until the early 1930s.

photo: Von Haeferl – Eigenes Werk, CC-BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43093011

On August 9, 1854, King Friedrich August II was killed in an accident while traveling in Tyrol, Austria. Queen Maria Anna had a chapel built on the site that was dedicated a year later.

The Dowager Queen Maria Anna died on September 13, 1877, in Wachwitz, Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony. She is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony), in Dresen.

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King Ludwig III of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, ending 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Ludwig III of Bavaria – source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig III was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from November 1913 until November 1918. He was born Prince Ludwig Luitpold Josef Maria Aloys Alfried on January 7, 1845, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, the eldest son of Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, the third son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, and Archduchess Augusta of Austria. He had three younger siblings:

Just hours after birth, Ludwig was baptized in the throne room of the Munich Residenz, where he was named after his grandfather, the reigning King Ludwig I. At the time, he was fifth in the line of succession, with little expectation of ever becoming King of Bavaria. Three years later, his grandfather abdicated, and his uncle took the throne as King Maximilian II.

Ludwig, c1860. source: Wikipedia

Ludwig was raised at the Munich Residenz and the Wittelsbacher Palais, both in Munich before moving to Palais Leuchtenberg, also in Munich, in 1855. Palais Leuchtenberg was the former home of Eugène de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, and his wife Princess Augusta of Bavaria, who was also the aunt of Ludwig’s father Luitpold. Prince Luitpold purchased the palace in 1852, after his aunt Augusta’s death. Ludwig was educated privately at home by a series of tutors, before entering the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 1864, studying law, economics, history, and philosophy. He also began a military career in 1861, commissioned as a Lieutenant in the infantry.

In 1866, Ludwig served as a military aide to his father during the war against Prussia and was injured at the Battle of Helmstedt, sustaining a gunshot wound in his leg. The following year, while in Vienna for the funeral of his cousin Archduchess Mathilda of Austria, Ludwig met his future wife Archduchess Maria Theresia of Austria-Este. She was the daughter of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria. After a brief courtship, Ludwig and Maria Theresia married on February 20, 1868, at the Augustinerkirche in Vienna, Austria, adjacent to the Hofburg Palace.

Over the next 23 years, Ludwig and Maria Theresia had thirteen children:

Some of Ludwig’s children circa 1909. source: Wikipedia

In 1886, Ludwig’s father Prince Luitpold became Prince Regent after King Ludwig II was declared mentally incompetent. Just days later, King Ludwig II died mysteriously and was succeeded by his brother King Otto. However, Otto was also mentally ill, and the Regency continued. Upon his father’s death on December 12, 1912, Ludwig succeeded him as Prince Regent for his cousin King Otto. Less than a year later, the Bavarian Parliament passed legislation allowing the Regent to assume the throne himself, provided that the regency was for reasons of incapacity, had lasted more than ten years, and there was no prospect of the Sovereign being able to reign. So on November 5, 1913, with overwhelming support from the parliament, Ludwig deposed his cousin and assumed the Bavarian throne as King Ludwig III.

Enthronement of King Ludwig III, 1913. source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig III’s reign would be brief, as World War I saw the end of the German Empire and many other European monarchies. As the war was ending, the German Revolution of 1918 -1919 broke out in Bavaria. Ludwig fled Munich with his family and took up residence at Anif Palace near Salzburg, Austria, thinking it would be a temporary move. A week later, on November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed, ending 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

The former King Ludwig III returned to Bavaria and lived at Wildenwart Castle, where his wife died three months later. Fearing his life was in danger, Ludwig soon left the country, traveling to Hungary, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. He returned to Wildenwart Castle in April 1920 and remained until the following autumn, when he traveled to his castle Nádasdy in Sárvár, Hungary.

Tomb of King Ludwig III. photo © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of King Ludwig III. photo © Susan Flantzer

The former King Ludwig III died at Nádasdy Castle in Sárvár, Hungary, on October 18, 1921. His body was brought to Wildenwart Castle where his wife was buried, and then both of their remains were brought to the Ludwigskirche in Munich where a state funeral was held. They were then buried in the crypt of the Frauenkirche in Munich. In keeping with tradition, his heart was buried separately, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.

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Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria.source: Wikipedia

The wife of Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, Regent of Bavaria, Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, was born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, now in Italy, on April 1, 1825. She was the second of three daughters of Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Princess Maria Anna of Saxony.

Auguste had two sisters who both died before they were twenty:

  • Archduchess Carolina Auguste (1822 – 1841), died in her teens
  • Archduchess Maria Maximiliana (1827 – 1834), died in childhood

Auguste’s mother died in 1832, and the following year her father married Princess Maria Antonietta of the Two Sicilies.

Auguste had ten half-siblings from her father’s second marriage:

Auguste was a very intelligent child, interested in the arts and science from a young age. Raised in a strict Catholic background, it was expected that she would marry into one of the Catholic ruling families in Europe. This came to be on April 15, 1844, in Florence, when she married Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, a younger son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The King had initially opposed the marriage, as Auguste was already showing signs of pulmonary tuberculosis which would later take her life. However, he soon relented and allowed the couple to marry.

Over the next eight years, they had four children:

Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria.source: Wikipedia

Because of her health, Auguste had difficulty adjusting to the Bavarian climate. A few years after marrying, she and her husband built a home on Lake Constance, which they used as a summer residence. She was a devoted mother to her four children, speaking to them only in Italian, and a strong supporter of her husband and the Bavarian monarchy. In 1848, she publicly criticized her father-in-law, King Ludwig I, for his relationship with his mistress Lola Montez, and its negative effects on the monarchy. King Ludwig I soon abdicated, and Auguste made many public appearances encouraging support for her brother-in-law, the new King Maximilian II.

Photo © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of Auguste of Austria, Princess of Bavaria. Photo © Susan Flantzer

Sadly, on April 26, 1864, Princess Auguste died, aged 39, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, from the effects of tuberculosis she had suffered for many years. She is buried in the crypt of the Theatinerkirche in Munich.

Years later, her husband would be named Prince Regent of Bavaria, due to the mental incapacity of his two nephews, King Ludwig II and King Otto. Following Luitpold’s death, the couple’s son Ludwig assumed the regency and eventually, formally deposed his cousin King Otto, taking the throne himself as King Ludwig III.

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Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria; source: Wikipedia

Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria

Prince Luitpold of Bavaria served as Prince Regent from 1886 until his death in 1912. He was born Prince Luitpold Karl Joseph Wilhelm Ludwig on March 12, 1821, at the Wurzburg Residence, a palace in Würzburg, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, the third son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He had eight siblings:

At 14 years old, Luitpold joined the Bavarian Army and was soon promoted to Captain of the Artillery. He would later attain the ranks of Major General and Field Marshal. He traveled extensively abroad, and it was on one of these trips that he met his future wife, Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria. She was the daughter of Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Princess Maria Anna of Savoy. Luitpold and Auguste married on April 1, 1844, in Florence, and went on to have four children:

Archduchess Auguste of Austria, c1850. source: Wikipedia

In 1848, his father abdicated and his eldest brother took the throne as Maximilian II. During his brother’s reign, Luitpold did not play any significant role, focusing more on his military career. By this time, his second brother, Otto, had been serving as King of Greece since 1832, and as Otto had no children, Luitpold was considered to be his heir-presumptive. The Greek Constitution required that the heir be a member of the Orthodox church, and for some time, Luitpold considered converting from Catholicism.

In 1864, Maximilian II died and was succeeded by his elder son, King Ludwig II. During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Luitpold commanded the 3rd Royal Bavarian Division, and later became Inspector General of the Bavarian Army. He represented Bavaria in the German General Staff during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.

During Ludwig’s reign, and particularly after the Franco-Prussian War, Luitpold began to take a more prominent role in the monarchy. King Ludwig II was often out of the capital for long periods and became increasingly averse to formal ceremonies and events. The King’s younger brother, the future King Otto, who had served during the war, began to show signs of mental illness and became increasingly unwell. By the mid-1880s, there were many questions about the mental health of King Ludwig II himself. A group of ministers began working to depose Ludwig and asked Luitpold to assume a Regency. Luitpold agreed, on the condition that there was irrefutable proof of his nephew’s incapacity.

On June 10, 1886, Luitpold became Prince Regent after King Ludwig II was declared mentally incompetent. Ludwig II died three days later under mysterious circumstances, and the throne passed to Ludwig’s brother, Otto. However, by this time, Otto had also been declared mentally ill, and Luitpold continued as Prince Regent.

Like many others in his family, Luitpold was a great supporter of the arts and culture in Bavaria. During his tenure – and the liberal government – Munich continued to grow into one of the leading cultural cities in Europe. Shortly after assuming the Regency, he opened several of King Ludwig II’s palaces to the public, and in 1891, he established the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich.

The Prince Regent, 1911. source: Wikipedia

At 91 years old, Luitpold died in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany on December 12, 1912, after having developed bronchitis. He is buried in the crypt of the Theatinerkirche in Munich. He was succeeded as Regent by his eldest son, who became King Ludwig III the following year, after deposing King Otto.

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King Otto of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Otto of Bavaria – source: Wikipedia

King Otto of Bavaria (Otto Wilhelm Luitpold Adalbert Waldemar) was the younger son of King Maximilian II of Bavaria and Princess Marie of Prussia. He was born two months prematurely on April 27, 1848, at the Munich Residenz, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, and was named after his uncle King Otto of Greece.

Otto had one older sibling:

Otto (right) with his parents and brother. source: Wikipedia

Otto and his brother were raised primarily at Hohenschwangau Castle by nannies and servants. They had minimal interaction with their parents, who they came to dislike. Their father was brutally strict, especially with Ludwig, as he was heir to the throne.

In 1863, Otto began serving with the Bavarian army, reaching the rank of Lieutenant the following year. By 1866, he had been promoted to Captain and entered active service with the Royal Bavarian Infantry Guards. He fought in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and later served as Colonel in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. By this time, he was also the heir-presumptive to the Bavarian throne, as his brother had become King Ludwig II following their father’s death in March 1864.

In 1871, Otto and his uncle Prince Luitpold represented his brother at the proclamation of  King Wilhelm I of Prussia as the first German Emperor at the Palace of Versailles in France. Despite his attendance, Otto and his brother King Ludwig II did not support the establishment of the German Empire and Prussia’s prominence. These views, often publicly expressed, were well known to the Prussians and the newly established German court.

Otto, c1875. source: Wikipedia

Otto first began showing signs of mental illness, suffering from anxiety and depression, after serving in the Franco-Prussian War. His illness quickly worsened, worrying the court and his brother King Ludwig II who was expecting Otto to marry and provide an heir to the Bavarian throne. Otto was placed under medical supervision and reports of his condition were passed to the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck by spies within the Bavarian court. By 1872, his doctors were reporting that he was mentally ill, and the following year he was moved to isolation in the southern pavilion of Nymphenburg Palace.

Dr. Bernhard von Gudden. source: Wikipedia

Otto’s physician was Dr. Bernhard von Gudden. There is much debate about von Gudden’s actions in treating Otto and his brother King Ludwig II. Dr. von Gudden would later also diagnose Ludwig as mentally ill despite never examining him or treating him. This led to Ludwig being deposed in 1913 and dying mysteriously just days later. Many speculate that the doctor’s actions were politically motivated. Unlike Otto and Ludwig, von Gudden and Otto and Ludwig’s uncle Prince Luitpold supported the establishment of the German Empire and Prussia’s dominance. Some historians suggest that it was German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck pulling the strings, wanting to remove Ludwig and Otto from power, and replacing him with Luitpold who was more easily controlled.

Whatever the reasons, Otto was more or less removed from the public eye. In 1875, he made a very public appearance at a mass in the Frauenkirche in Munich, causing a scene before being removed. Otto was then moved to Schleissheim Palace against his will. He made his last public appearance later that year, in August 1875 at the King’s Parade. His condition continued to deteriorate and in 1883 he was moved for the last time, taking up residence at Fürstenried Palace specially converted to provide for his confinement. Here, Otto was often visited by his brother King Ludwig II who insisted that Otto should be treated well and that no harm should come to him.

Within a few years, King Ludwig II was also declared mentally ill by Dr. von Gudden, and their uncle Luitpold was appointed Prince Regent. Just days later, on June 13, 1886, Ludwig and von Gudden both died under mysterious circumstances, and Otto formally became King. However, because of his incapacity, Otto probably never understood that he had become king, and the regency remained in place under Prince Luitpold.

Fürstenried Palace, By Rufus46 – Own work, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1155929

Otto remained in isolation at Fürstenried Palace for the rest of his life. When Prince Luitpold died in 1912, his son Prince Ludwig became Regent. The following year, Ludwig amended the Bavarian constitution to allow for King Otto to be formally deposed. On November 5, 1913, King Otto was formally deposed and replaced by his cousin who took the throne as King Ludwig III.

King Otto died unexpectedly three years later, on October 11, 1916, aged 68, at Fürstenried Palace, as the result of a bowel obstruction. He was buried in the crypt at the Michaelskirche in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, and his heart was entombed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.

Coffin of King Otto of Bavaria. photo © Susan Flantzer

The coffin of King Otto of Bavaria. photo © Susan Flantzer

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King Ludwig II of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Ludwig II of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

King Ludwig II of Bavaria (Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm) was born on August 15, 1845, at Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria. He was the elder of two sons of King Maximilian II of Bavaria and Princess Marie of Prussia. He was named after his grandfather, the reigning King Ludwig I of Bavaria as the two shared a birthday, which was also the feast day of Saint Louis IX of France, the patron saint of Bavaria.

Ludwig had one younger brother who succeeded him:

Ludwig was raised primarily at Hohenschwangau Castle in Hohenschwangau in southwestern Bavaria by servants and tutors. His education was very strict, and he showed an early interest in art and literature. Neither Ludwig nor his brother were very close with their parents and were much closer to their grandfather King Ludwig I. At an early age, Ludwig developed a close friendship with Prince Paul of Thurn und Taxis who served as his aide de camp, as well as with his first cousin once removed Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria (the future Empress Elisabeth of Austria), with whom he would remain very close for his entire life.

Ludwig and his fiancée, 1867. source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig never married, but in January 1867, he became engaged to his first cousin once removed Duchess Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria. Sophie was the younger sister of Ludwig’s close friend Duchess Elisabeth. After postponing the marriage several times, Ludwig eventually broke the engagement in October of the same year. Most historians believe that Ludwig was actually gay, although he struggled to suppress his desires due to his strong Catholic faith.

Ludwig was just 18 years old when he became King of Bavaria upon his father’s death on March 10, 1864. He continued with his father’s policies and retained his ministers, but his interests were not in ruling the country. His interests lay almost solely in the arts. Soon after becoming King, he established a new Court Theater (now the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz) and began a lifelong project of constructing numerous palaces and castles. He strongly disliked public functions and formal social events, and by 1876 had largely withdrawn from public life. Despite this, and the tension it caused among his ministers, Ludwig remained very popular with the Bavarian people.

His reign saw Bavaria’s defeat in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, having sided with Austria. After the war, Bavaria was forced to enter into a mutual defense treaty with Prussia. Four years later, the country was forced to side with Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War. In late 1870, Bavaria joined the North German Confederation, losing its status as an independent Kingdom, but retaining a much more privileged status than many other constituent states.

In December 1870, King Ludwig was coerced into endorsing the creation of the new German Empire. Despite his endorsement, Ludwig was strongly opposed to the creation of the German Empire and refused to attend the proclamation ceremony held at the Palace of Versailles. In his place, he sent his brother Otto and his uncle Luitpold.

Richard Wagner, 1871. source: Wikipedia

By 1871, Ludwig spent most of his time pursuing his interests in the arts, music, and architecture. At a very young age, he first saw an opera by famed composer Richard Wagner and became enthralled with his work. Shortly after becoming King, he summoned Wagner to court and became his primary patron. Many credit King Ludwig’s support for establishing Wagner’s career and legacy. When Wagner was forced to leave Munich in 1865, the King considered abdicating to follow him into exile, but Wagner insisted that he remain. Ludwig provided Wagner with a home in Switzerland and continued to support him from afar. Eventually, Wagner returned and the relationship between the two continued. Along with Wagner, King Ludwig supported many other artists and saw over 200 private performances of plays ballets, and operas in the court theaters.

Besides his interest in the arts, King Ludwig is probably best known for his love of architecture. Using his personal funds, he built several magnificent palaces and castles, the most famous being Neuschwanstein Castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle, c1900. source: Wikipedia

Neuschwanstein Castle was built near Hohenschwangau Castle where Ludwig spent much of his youth and was dedicated as a tribute to Richard Wagner. The cornerstone was laid in 1869 and construction went on for many years. It was not until 1884 that King Ludwig was able to take up residence in the still unfinished castle.  Other projects included Linderhof Palace, Herrenchiemsee, and the royal apartment at the Munich Residenz.

By 1885, Ludwig was millions of marks in debt due to his spending on his castles and palaces and had all but withdrawn from his duties as King of Bavaria. Several of his government ministers began trying to find grounds to depose him, believing him to be mentally ill. Ludwig’s uncle Luitpold agreed to become Regent, provided the ministers could reliably prove that Ludwig was unfit to rule. In early 1886, a medical report was drawn up, listing a string of bizarre behavior, Ludwig’s unwillingness to deal with state business, and many other supposed examples of his mental instability. In June 1886, the report was completed and signed by several psychiatrists including Dr. Bernhard von Gudden, the chief of the Munich Asylum. None had met Ludwig except von Gudden,  who met him one time, nearly twelve years earlier.

King Ludwig, c1882. source: Wikipedia

On the morning of June 10, 1886, Dr. von Gudden and several others arrived at Neuschwanstein to present Ludwig with a document of deposition. Ludwig had been made aware of the situation by a servant and ordered the castle to be surrounded by the local police. That same day, Ludwig’s uncle Luitpold was proclaimed Prince Regent. The commission returned again on the morning of June 12, and Ludwig was taken to Berg Castle on Lake Starnberg in Berg, Bavaria.

The following day, June 13, 1886, Ludwig went for a walk on the grounds of Berg Castle, accompanied by Dr. von Gudden and several attendants. Ludwig and the doctor went out again that evening without attendants but never returned. Several hours later, King Ludwig II’s and Dr. von Gudden’s bodies were found in the water of Lake Starnberg.

King Ludwig II’s death remains a mystery. It was ruled a suicide by drowning, but no water was found in his lungs during an autopsy. One belief is that Ludwig was murdered while trying to escape and another is that he died of natural causes, possibly due to the extremely cold temperature of the water.

King Ludwig II lying in state, June 1886. Source: Wikipedia

After laying in state in the royal chapel at the Munich Residenz in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, a grand funeral was held, and his remains were interred in the crypt of the Michaelskirche in Munich. In keeping with tradition, his heart was entombed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting in Altötting, Bavaria.  He was succeeded as King by his brother, Otto. However, Otto had also been declared mentally ill – also by Dr. von Gudden – and so their uncle Luitpold remained Prince Regent.

Tomb of Ludwig II, King of Bavaria; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

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King Maximilian II of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Maximilian II of Bavaria – source: Wikipedia

King Maximilian II of Bavaria was born November 28, 1811, in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, the eldest son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He had eight younger siblings:

Maximilian studied history and constitutional law at the University of Göttingen and the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin (now Humboldt University) from 1829-1831 and reportedly said that had he not been born into his position, he would have liked to be a professor. In 1830, he was named a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. He was also an avid hiker, and while on a hike in 1829, he came across the ruins of Hohenschwangau Castle. Three years later, he purchased the castle and had it rebuilt as a summer residence for his family.

On January 23, 1842, Maximilian became engaged to Princess Marie Friederike of Prussia, the daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Marie Anne of Hesse-Homburg. The two married on October 12, 1842, in Munich, and had two sons:

King Maximilian II with his wife and sons, Ludwig (left) and Otto (right). source: Wikipedia

Maximilian came to the throne suddenly on March 20, 1848, when his father abdicated, and quickly introduced reforms to the constitution to establish a more constitutional monarchy. Unlike his father, who focused on his personal interests and extravagance, Maximilian focused primarily on his duties. However, his tendency to rely heavily on the advice of his ministers, along with his frequent travels, often led to long delays before any decisions were made.

Maximilian wanted to preserve Bavaria’s independence in the German Confederation and refused to accept the constitution put forth by the Frankfurt National Assembly in 1849. At home, he was a strong supporter of science and the arts. He worked to transform Munich into one of the most cultural and educational cities in Europe, and funded studies into the art, costumes, and customs of the Bavarian people, promoting a sense of national identity in the face of growing Pan-Germanism. He also supported many writers and developed a close friendship with the Danish writer Hans Christian Anderson.

Another of Maximilian’s passions was architecture and the building and restoration of several royal residences. In addition to rebuilding Hohenschwangau Castle, he oversaw the rebuilding of Hambach Castle and the redesigning of Berg Castle. He also had several other residences built, including a villa on Rose Island which later became a favorite getaway of his son, King Ludwig II.

King Maximilian II, c1860. source: Wikipedia

King Maximilian II died suddenly on March 10, 1864, after a brief illness. He is buried in a small chapel in the Theatinerkirche in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany while his heart is entombed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.

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Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Queen of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Therese Charlotte Luise Friederike Amalie of Saxe-Hildburghausen was the wife of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. She was born on July 8, 1792, at Jagdschloss Seidingstadt, the summer residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Hildburghausen, in Straufhain, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany. Therese was the fifth of the six daughters and the sixth of the eleven children of  Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

She was the sixth of eleven children, and her siblings included:

Therese was raised primarily at Schloss Hildburghausen in Hildburghausen, now in the German state of Thuringia, where the family’s finances were often strained. Her mother, who was very intelligent and artistic, brought musicians and artists to the court to teach the children, along with various prominent scholars. Therese proved to be a very good student, mastering several languages at a young age, and excelling in the arts.

In 1809, Therese was included on a list of prospective brides for Napoleon I, Emperor of the French who was looking to marry into one of the old royal houses of Europe. However, the future King Ludwig I of Bavaria would become her husband. Ludwig was the son of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt. The couple met in December 1809 when Ludwig visited Hildburghausen and became engaged on February 12, 1810. After prolonged negotiations, primarily due to Therese’s unwillingness to convert to Catholicism, she and her family traveled to Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, for the marriage.

Therese and Ludwig married on October 12, 1810, and celebrations were held for several days following at the Theresienwiese in Munich, a large outdoor space named in her honor. Theresienwiese is the site of Oktoberfest, held each year to commemorate the wedding.

Ludwig and Therese had nine children:

 

Queen Therese, painting by Joseph Stieler, 1825. source: Wikipedia

Seemingly always pregnant, Therese still managed to participate in charitable events and organizations. While living in Salzburg, she organized meals for the poor and was the patron of the Salzburg Women’s Association. In October 1825, Ludwig and Therese became King and Queen of Bavaria following the death of King Maximilian I Joseph. Therese soon began a more public role, devoting much of her time to assisting the poor, widows, orphans, and the sick. She became the patron of several organizations, including the Women’s Association for Infant Care Institutions. In 1827, she established The Order of Therese which still exists to this day.

Queen Therese with her family, c1830. source: Wikipedia

Queen Therese maintained a great interest in state affairs and was very aware of the politics of the day. She often deputized for the King while he was out of the country, and kept him fully informed of what was happening at home. Sadly, however, her marriage was not always a very happy one. King Ludwig had a constant stream of mistresses, few of which were kept very private. Therese often left the country in defiance of her husband’s actions and received much sympathy and support from the Bavarian people. When Ludwig’s relationship with Lola Montez began in 1846, Queen Therese refused to back down. She publicly chastised the King and refused his request to grant Montez the Order of Therese.

Queen Therese, painting by Julie von Egloffstein, c1836. source: Wikipedia

In March 1848, King Ludwig I abdicated because he refused to reign as a constitutional monarch, and lost the support of his family and government ministers. Queen Therese enjoyed a more private life with her growing family. She died on October 26, 1854, in Munich,  Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, and was initially buried in the royal crypt at the Theatinerkirche in Munich. Three years later, her husband had her remains moved to St. Boniface’s Abbey in Munich where he was also buried after his death in 1868. As she was not Catholic, her heart was not interred at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting with the other Bavarian Kings and their consorts. Instead, it is interred at St. Boniface’s Abbey.

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King Ludwig I of Bavaria

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Kingdom of Bavaria: The House of Wittelsbach ruled as Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Bavaria from 1180 until 1918. Today Bavaria is a landlocked federal state of Germany, occupying its southeastern corner.  Maximilian IV Joseph, Prince-Elector of Bavaria allied his electorate with Napoleon and adopted many of the French beliefs of the Enlightenment. It was this loyal service to Napoleon through which Maximilian’s electorate was created the Kingdom of Bavaria with Maximilian at its king. He officially became the Maximilian I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria on January 1, 1806. On November 13, 1918, King Ludwig III would be the first monarch in the German Empire to be deposed at the end of World War I, bringing an end to 738 years of rule by the Wittelsbach dynasty.

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King Ludwig I of Bavaria – source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig I of Bavaria (Ludwig Karl August) was born on August 25, 1786, at the Hôtel des Deux-Ponts in Strasbourg, France. He was the eldest son of the future King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his first wife, Princess Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt, and was named for his godfather King Louis XVI of France.

Ludwig had four full siblings:

Ludwig had seven half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Caroline of Baden:

When Ludwig was born, his father was serving with the French army stationed at Strasbourg. By the time he was 13, his father had become Duke of Zweibrücken, and then Elector of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine. On January 1, 1806, Ludwig became Crown Prince when his father became the first King of Bavaria.

Ludwig studied with Johann Michael Sailer at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Landshut (now in Munich), and the University of Göttingen, and became proficient in several languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. He also received a strong religious education from the Catholic priest Joseph Anton Sambuga.

As was expected at the time, Ludwig also pursued a military career. Despite being against his father’s alliance with the French Emperor Napoleon I, he fought with the allied Bavarian troops in the French wars. He served as commander of the 1st Bavarian Division in VII Corps and led his division into the Battle of Abensberg in 1809. At the Treaty of Ried in 1813, Bavaria left the Confederation of the Rhine and joined the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon. Just days later, Bavaria formally declared war against France, a move Ludwig strongly supported.

Ludwig served briefly as governor-general of the Duchy of Salzburg and spent much of the next 10 years in Würzburg and at Villa Malta, his home in Rome. During this time, he was an ardent supporter of the Greek War of Independence, even providing a loan of 1.5 million florins from his personal funds for the effort. Years later, his generosity would be rewarded when his second son Otto was named King of Greece.

Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Ludwig’s wife; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 12, 1810, Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, the daughter of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The wedding was held in a large outdoor space called the Theresienwiese in Munich. Named for his bride, Theresienwiese is the site of Oktoberfest, held every year to commemorate the wedding.

Ludwig and Therese had nine children:

Ludwig became King of Bavaria upon his father’s death on October 13, 1825. His reign saw the reorganization of the administrative regions of Bavaria and the establishment of the city of Ludwigshafen. The King established the Ludwig Canal between the Main and Danube rivers, and in 1835, the first German railway was constructed between the cities of Fürth and Nuremberg.

However, his previous liberal policies became more repressive after the July Revolution of 1830. Several years earlier, he had reinstated policies of strict censorship greatly opposed by the population. In 1837, he saw the Ultramontanes, backed by the Roman Catholic Church, gained control of Parliament and begin making drastic changes to the constitution, including the removal of civil rights granted to Protestants. Ludwig himself was a strong opponent of Protestantism, but his views changed in 1841 following the funeral of his Protestant stepmother Queen Caroline. Catholic factions held large demonstrations and King Ludwig, who had a very close relationship with Queen Caroline, was greatly disturbed by the disturbances.

Lola Montez, circa 1851. source: Wikipedia

In 1846, Ludwig met Lola Montez, an Irish dancer and actress, who had come to Munich, and she quickly became his mistress. She was very unpopular with the Bavarian people, because of her influence over the King, and became even more so when they found out that she was trying to become a naturalized citizen. The Ultramontanes fought strongly against the naturalization, resulting in the King removing them from power. The following year, after becoming naturalized, the King granted her the title Countess of Landsfeld along with a large annuity.

By 1848, Ludwig’s reign was coming to an abrupt end. Facing protests and demonstrations by students and the middle classes, the King had ordered the university closed. Shortly after, the crowds raided the armory on their way to storm the Munich Residenz. Ludwig’s brother Karl appeased the protesters, but the damage was done. The King’s family and advisors turned against him, forcing him to sign the March Proclamation, giving substantial concessions toward a constitutional monarchy. Unwilling to rule this way, King Ludwig I abdicated on March 20, 1848.

King Ludwig I, c1860. source: Wikipedia

King Ludwig spent the rest of his life in Bavaria, devoting his time to supporting and fostering the arts. He published several books of poems during his reign and translated several plays. On February 29, 1868, King Ludwig died in Nice, France, aged 81, having survived his wife and five of his children. He was buried at St. Boniface’s Abbey in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany. Keeping with tradition, his heart was entombed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting in Altötting, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Bavaria Resources at Unofficial Royalty