The Madness of King Ludwig II

Ludwig II of Bavaria was, by any standard, eccentric. He built fairy-tale castles in the nineteenth century, had imaginary conversations with Marie Antoinette, and liked poetry more than politicians. But whether he was actually mad was a mystery, as were the circumstances of his death. And his legacy has long outlived him. The History Guy recalls the mystery and tragedy of Mad King Ludwig.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

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All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.

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Script by JCG

#ludwig #thehistoryguy #Bavaria

[mimamo]

I want to point out that he is only called "Mad King Ludwig" in English. In German he is always referred to as "Märchenkönig Ludwig", which translates to "Fairy Tale King Ludwig", which is much less derogatory and even carries a sense of reverence. Bavarians to this day adore him.

[i_like_planes_sometimes]

I lived in Bavaria for a while and have been to Neuschwanstein several times. Each visit keeps getting better. It is truly a beautiful place

[performa]

Imagine seeing a play so good it causes you to go into a near epileptic fit. That must have been one hell of a show!

[transvestosaurus]

He just wanted to chill with his musical theatre director boyfriend and do interior design. He'd have his own TV show today.

[bullettube]

If you are poor and insane they call you crazy, if you are insane and rich they call you an eccentric. If in your insanity you create beauty they call you a genius.

[xxhobizxx]

I have visited the castle. Was taken up in a horse drawn carriage. It was during the winter and there was snow on the ground. It was a beautiful sight. The castle is amazing!

[chrisjackson]

"My predecessors consort" might be the classiest burn i have ever heard.

[bamafaninar]

I visited his castle's many times when I was stationed in Germany from 2001 - 2005. Bavaria is such a beautiful part of the world, steeped in history. Thank you sir for the stroll down memory lane.

[BHuang]

The King was not mad; he was just an eccentric living in a world of dreams. They might have treated him more gently, and thus perhaps spared him so terrible an end.
—Empress Elisabeth of Austria

[martymcmannis]

No one could be more classy than the history guy. He stands alone with his brilliant narration. Every single video teaches us more than high school ever did. Thanks for this history guy.

[katieandkevinsears]

The difference between madness and eccentricity is how much money you have.

[raydunakin]

I'm really impressed by how well-written the narration is in these videos.

[johnzook]

I visited Neuschwanstein in the 80's as part of a castle tour in Bavaria. I was stationed there so it was a must see. When our group got to the castle we were greeted by a very rowdy group of men traveling with their wives. It was a large group of guys who served in Patton's 3rd Army. They were invading Germany again but this time retracing their route with wives in tow, and not being shot at. During the tour of Neuschwanstein they started telling stories from WWII and what it was like serving under Patton. This turned out to be much more interesting and fun than the tour of the castle! The stories and reenactments were absolutely classic tales of a bunch of very young men trying to survive under the leadership of a brilliant but nutty Army General. Even the wives who had probably heard these stories dozens of times seemed to be completely enjoying the experience. So much fun that none of us paid much attention to the castle. Who knew when we signed up for the tour that day we would have such a fantastic time. I went back the following year to actually enjoy the castle, but I wouldn't trade that first tour for anything. I hope some of those guys were still around yesterday to celebrate Veterans Day.

[stile]

When I visited the area a few years ago I spent a very enjoyable and instructive time in the Museum of the Bavarian Kings. The information there changed my whole view of Ludwig and the times he lived in.

[jakedee]

Mr History Guy, you should do a mini series on "Mad" Kings, Queens, Emperors and Empresses.
There was Qin Shi Huang Di, first Emperor of China who once punished a mountain for causing bad weather (he cut down all it's trees and painted it red). Henry VI of England didn't get out of bed for a year. George II talked to plants and didn't bathe. In Rome, Nero made his horse a senator and Emperor Heliogabulus married a sacred meteorite.
Ludwig II probably wouldn't make it into the top 10.

[oceanexploration]

Neuschwanstein Castle is absolutely mind-blowing. If you ever are in Bavaria, this is a must-see! Do NOT pass up the tour. Every detail inside and out is incredible and the views are straight out of a fantasy.

[aces]

Some of these monarchs are called insane in the annals of history, but what you have to wonder is, if maybe some of them are just born into situations where the worst aspects of their personality are indulged, and then steered into roles they're not suited for. If his father were a merchant or a bookkeeper, and he could just be into fairy tales, would we think he's insane or just a little odd? Like maybe he just wasn't an ideal king.

[untruelie]

Additional fact: Ludwig's brother Otto became King of Bavaria after him, but was insane too (REALLY insane), so his uncle Luitpold became Prince Regent. Otto wasn't even able to understand his own throne proclamation as it was read to him - he insisted that his uncle was the rightful king. He lived very isolated in Fürstenried castle for the rest of his live, dying in 1916. Modern psychologists think that he suffered from paranoid-hallucinating, schizophrenic psychosis. Quite a tragic family - his (and Ludwig's) cousin Empress Elisabeth of Austria lost her son Rudolf when he commited suicide in 1889; ten years later, she was assassinated in Geneva.

[j.h.]

Ludwig The Second's grandfather contributed another worldwide touristic magnet to Bavaria. Upon his marriage's festivities there was a horserace and a fair that became to be the Oktoberfest.

[gmonnig]

I’ve had the chance to visit all of his palaces and castles. The amount of history in and around all those walls is unbelievable. The impact Ludwig has had on Bavaria still shows everywhere in the region.