Royalty. Born in Nymphenburg Castle, Munich, in 1845, Ludwig II was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, and became king of Bavaria at the early age of 18 after the sudden death of his father Maximilian II. Unprepared to reign and disillusioned after a lost war against Prussia, Ludwig soon lost all interest in politics and became increasingly eccentric. Loving art and music, Ludwig found his vocation in helping to further it. The same year he was made king in 1864, he sent for Richard Wagner, whose music he admired greatly, and agreed to build a theater for him. He built three castles - Linderhof, Neuschwanstein and Herrenchiemsee - at stupendous expense. Linderhof, the only one to be completed, was the king's favorite. Louis XIV of France became Ludwig's inspiration.But his extravagance and spending sprees soon began to stir opposition. Adding to that, his urge for loneliness and late-night carriage rides caused the already worried Bavarian government to suspect Ludwig's insanity. In 1886, Ludwig was certified insane in his bedroom at Neuschwanstein and taken to castle Berg. A few days later, on June 13th, he went out on a walk around Lake Starnberg with his physician Professor von Gudden from which he never returned. A couple of hours later he was found floating face down in knee-deep water, the dead body of the doctor next to him. Up to this day it is uncertain whether Ludwig's death was an accident or assassination. His great legacy lives on and the contribution he made to Bavaria's culture will never be forgotten. He is interred in the crypt of the church of St. Michael in the heart of Munich. An iron cross marks the spot in Lake Starnberg where he was found.
Royalty. Born in Nymphenburg Castle, Munich, in 1845, Ludwig II was a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, and became king of Bavaria at the early age of 18 after the sudden death of his father Maximilian II. Unprepared to reign and disillusioned after a lost war against Prussia, Ludwig soon lost all interest in politics and became increasingly eccentric. Loving art and music, Ludwig found his vocation in helping to further it. The same year he was made king in 1864, he sent for Richard Wagner, whose music he admired greatly, and agreed to build a theater for him. He built three castles - Linderhof, Neuschwanstein and Herrenchiemsee - at stupendous expense. Linderhof, the only one to be completed, was the king's favorite. Louis XIV of France became Ludwig's inspiration.But his extravagance and spending sprees soon began to stir opposition. Adding to that, his urge for loneliness and late-night carriage rides caused the already worried Bavarian government to suspect Ludwig's insanity. In 1886, Ludwig was certified insane in his bedroom at Neuschwanstein and taken to castle Berg. A few days later, on June 13th, he went out on a walk around Lake Starnberg with his physician Professor von Gudden from which he never returned. A couple of hours later he was found floating face down in knee-deep water, the dead body of the doctor next to him. Up to this day it is uncertain whether Ludwig's death was an accident or assassination. His great legacy lives on and the contribution he made to Bavaria's culture will never be forgotten. He is interred in the crypt of the church of St. Michael in the heart of Munich. An iron cross marks the spot in Lake Starnberg where he was found.
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