Ludwig II

The King who created a fairy tale world

Who is he?

Ludwig II was a king of Bavaria, known for the construction of some of the most beautiful and magical castles in Europe.

Why is he an overman?

Ludwig II took the full advantage of being a king – he created the fairy tale world of castles, beauty and dreams, and stayed away from the mundane topics of politics. He built some of the most important monuments of European culture, which embody everything noble and sacred present in the European spirit.

Ludwig stayed true to who he was. He remained an eccentric to everyone else but lived in accordance with his inner world where he let his imagination grow and deliver an abundance of magic and emotions.

Curious facts:

Ludwig was known for his eccentric way of life. He would spent the nights awake wandering through his castles, or through the nearby forests disguise in medieval costumes. He built hidden stairways, tunnels, and secret doorsin his castles so that he can move without being seen.

Ludwig had an obsession with swans, inspired by Wagner’s opera Lohengrin, the “Swan Knight.” There were many swan-themed decorations in Neuschwanstein, including a swan-shaped gondola for riding on nearby lakes.

Short biography:

25 August 1845 – 13 June 1886

Ludwig II became king in 1864, at the age of 18. He spent his childhood in the royal castles of Bavaria, where he was deeply influenced by myths and romantic stories. During his reign, he became known for his strong artistic interests.

Ludwig reigned during politically difficult times. After the Franco-Prussian War, Bavaria became part of the newly formed German Empire. Ludwig, however, did not have a passion for politics and left much of the government to his ministers. His time and effort was dedicated instead to the building of elaborate romantic palaces, most notably the Neuschwanstein Castle. He continued to support the arts, especially the composer Richard Wagner, for whom he had great admiration.

Ludwig was briefly engaged to Duchess Sophie Charlotte in Bavaria but he never married. It is thought that he struggled with his sexuality, as he probably had romantic feelings for men, which was unacceptable for the conservative society of that time.

Ludwig’s building project eventually became too costly for the Bavarian government. In 1886, he was declared unfit to rule, and was taken into custody at Berg Palace. Just one day later, he was found dead in nearby Lake Starnberg together with his psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden. The theories about the causes of death vary from suicide, to murder, to natural causes, which has created an even more enigmatic aura around him.