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Prince Luitpold was the fourth child of King Ludwid I and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Older brothers Ludwig and Otto reigned as king, although Prince Luitpold acted as regent (1886-1913) during the reign of Otto I. This was of some concern to Chancellor Bismark as Bavaria was part of the German Empire. Perhaps out of consideration of his brother, Prince Luitpold was never crowned and served as regent. Many commentators assume that Prince Luitpold instigated the conspiracy to declare Otto insane. The view is that Prince Luitpold usurpered the Bavarian Crown. Others argue that nothing could be further from the truth. The Prince in fact waited and considered matters for nearly 3 months before accepting the advise of Prime Minister Lutz and the Cabinet. The Prince married Archduchess Augusta of Tuscany (Habsburg-Lotharingen) in 1844. They had four children. The eldest was Ludwig (1845). After over 20 years as Regent, Pinc Luitpold was finally succeeded by his son, Ludwig III in 1913. There may have also been another son, Prince Alfonse. Bavaria while Ludwig II wasstill king was swept up in the War against France and the unification of German under the Crown of Prussia. Bavaria entered the North German Confederation by treaty on November 23, 1870, becoming a part of the German Empire.
Prince Luitpold's father King Ludwig I (1786-1868). I had always thought that Ludwig II, Mad King Ludwig, was the most colorful monarch, on the Bavarian crown, but his grandfather Ludwig I achieved considerable notariety himself during his reign. King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Max Joseph's son, brought artists such as Klenze, Gärtner and Cornelius to Munich. He moved the University from Landshut to the city in 1826 and appointed renowned scientists, philosophers and historians to important positions. He built extensively and was responsible for the Feldherrnhalle, the Alte Pinakothek and the Ludwigsbrücke. Ludwig I was forced to agree to a democratic consitution as part of the revolutions sweeping Europe. Rather than rule in a democratic Bavaria, Ludwig I abdicated. There were also complications arising from his relationship with dancer Lola Montez. Interestingly, the world also owes Oktoberfest to the Bavarian family--the Wittelsbach dynasty. Oktoberfest began as a public celebration of the wedding in 1810 of the Crown Prince, who later became King Ludwig I, to Princess Theresia. The event was such success that it has been continued every year since.
The Prince's mother was Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1810- ).
Prince Luitpold was one of eight childrn.
Older brother Maximillian became king when their father died in 1868. Sons Ludwig and Otto suceeded their father as king. Both suffered from serious mental problems
Princess Mathilde was born in 1813.
Prince Friedrich Ludwig was born in 1815. He accepted the throne offered him by the European powers and was crowned King of the Hellenes in 1832. Otto was only 17 years of age so a Bavarian regency was destablished to rule the war-devestated county. The Bavarians ruled imperiously, imposing high taxes and attempted to set up a centarlized bureacracy. Some of the German influence in Greece, such as in Greek art and academia, probably originate with the Bavarian monarchy.
A bloodleess revolt occurred in 1843. Otto was compeled to dismiss his Bavarian advisers and accept a democratic constitution. His unpopularity inceased when in 1854 supported France and England when war broke out in the Crimea. An army revolt and subsequent national assembly deposed Otto in 1862. The Great Powers acquised.
Princess? Theodolinde was born in 1816, but died as an infant in 1817.
Prince Luitpold was born in 1821 and was the fifth child. Given his dynastic position, the young Prince as a boy and young man had no expectation of succedding to the throne. He married Arch Duchess Gisela of Austrria. They had four children, two boys and two girls.
Princess Adelgunde was born in Würzburg during 1823. Her full name was Princess Adelgunde Auguste Charlotte Caroline Elisabeth Amalie Marie Sophie Luise von Bayern. We have no information about her childhood. She married Archduke Francis of Austria-Este (1819–75) in Munich (1842). The Archduke was the oldest son of Francis IV, Duke of Modena and Maria Beatrice of Savoy. Francis rose to the dukedom when his father died (1846) becoming Francis V. The royal couple had one child, Anna Beatrice Theresia Maria who did not survive infancy (1848-49). Italian Unification resulted in the fall of Francis. He and Adelgunde were exiled to Vienna. He died there (1875). Adelgunde lived several decades more, moving back to Munich, living with her Bavarian family. She died at the age of 90 in Munich (1914). She was interred in Vienna where her hiusband rested.
Princess Hildegarde was born in 1825.
Prince Adalbert was born in 1828. We know very little about Prince Adalbert at this time. He was the youngest son of King Ludwig I. We do have an image of one of his grandsons.
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The Prince married Archduchess Augusta of Tuscany (Habsburg-Lotharingen) in 1844.
Prince Luitpold and They had four children. The eldest was Ludwig who became king Ludig III.
King Ludwig ws born in 1845. He had no idea as a young man that he would be king. He had quite a arge family, 13 children. His children were dressed elegantly, but not nearly s fahionably as his grand children. He became king in 1913, fairly late in life. His children were already adults and had children of their own. Ludwig was deposed in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. He was to be the last reigning monarch of Bavaria.
Leopold was born in 1846. We notice Leopold at about 12 years of age dressed just like his cousin the future Ludwig III. The boys wer short darl jackets with light-colored long trousers. They have what look to be small bowties. Lepold was about the same age as the future Ludwig II. We wonder if Ludwig's inclusion in the portrait here suggests that Leopol and Ludwig were friends.
Therese was born in 1850. She wears a long dress, but well above her ankles. The dress is detailed with large numbers of buttons. Note the intereting sleeve construction.
Prince Amulf was born in 1852. He was the youngest child. While he presumably wore dresses as younger boy, by about 1858 he appears to be wearing a velvet suit, but with a small collar and bow. We know very little about him, except that he engaged a young Gebhard Himmler to tutor his son, Prince Heinrich (1884-1916). Himmler was right out of the university when he was employed. He reportdly also taught classics at a Munich gymnasium, suggesting he devloped a close relationship with the Prince's family. Gebhard was a social climbr. He was cloying and charming with social betters. He later asa head master could be cruel with boys from families without money or position. [Padfield, pp. 16-17.] He went on to become the headmaster at a gymnasium, a very prestigious post in Germany. This relationhip with the family were to later prove helpful in getting his son, who he also named Heinrich, into a Bavarian officer's training course during World War I. The son of course was NAZI Reichsfürer Heinrich Himmler. [Padfield, p. 21.] Prince Heinrich proved to be a dashing young man whose life was cut short in World War I.
We have no information on how the children were dressed other than the image shown here.
Nephews Ludwig and Otto reigned as king, although Prince Luitpold acted as regent (1886-1913) during the reign of Otto I. This was of some concern to Chancellor Bismark as Bavaria was part of the German Empire. Perhaps out of consideration of his brother, Prince Luitpold was never crowned and served as regent. Many commentators assume that Prince Luitpold instigated the conspiracy to declare Ludwig and Otto insane. The view is that Prince Luitpold usurpered the Bavarian Crown. Others argue that nothing could be further from the truth. The Prince in fact waited and considered matters for nearly 3 months before accepting the advise of Prime Minister Lutz and the Cabinet.
There is considerable uncertainty about King Ludwig's mental state. It is certain that the King loved builing and not only has spent large sums of money tht he did not have and had plans to even more building. The Bavarian Cabinent was concerned about the potential financial consequences. They also knew that the King knew that they were planing to act against him. They were concrned that he might dismiss them.
Dr Gudden, a respecyed physcician on March 23, 1886 signed a Medical Report on King Ludwig's mental state. The Conspirators discussed just how to act against the king. They showed Prince Luitpold the Report. The Prince after reading it agreed that his nephew was indeed mentally deranged. The Prince insisted that he needed time to, more carefully evaluate the Report and the appropriate course of action required to do what would be best for Bavaria. Many commentators assume that Prince Luitpold instigated the conspiracy to declare Ludwig and Otto insane. The view is that Prince Luitpold usurpered the Bavarian Crown. Others argue that nothing could be further from the truth. The Prince in fact waited and considered matters for nearly 3 months before accepting the advise of Prime Minister Lutz and the Cabinet.
Bavaria in 1871 jiuned the German Empire. As a result, actions taken to remove a reigning monarch within the Empire would be a matter of great concern to the Imperial government. Chancellor Bismarck in In April 1886 received a copy of the Report . He was at first concerned about King Ludig's condition, but after condideration began to dismiss the findings, caling it "the rakings from the King's waste-paper basket and cupboards". He was especially concerned that the king had not been actually examined by a physician, but rather was a compilaion of second hand evidence. Bismarck had earlier commented that King Ludwig understood government better than his ministers. He suggested that the issue be discussed oprnly by the Bavaria Parliment, but decided that the Imperial Givernment should not intervene.
Bavarian officials provided information about the state of King Ludwig's mental state and his fitness for governing. Having inflenced public opinion, the Conspirators felt it was time to act. they had covered every eventuality. A Government Commission left the capital (Munich) to Neuschwanstein on the June 9, 1886 to arrest the King. The Commission consisted of Baron von Crailsheim (Foreign Minister and Minister of the Household who headed the commission), Count Törring (a councillor), Dr Rumpler (a councillor), Lieutenant-Colonel Washington, Count von Holnstein, Dr Gudden, Dr Müller (Gudden's assistant), and several mental asylum wardens. Berg Castle, the King's little castle had been converted to a private mental asylum for him. The initial attempt resulted in a farcifical comic opera. The Commission, however, soon found themselves under arrest with the King's servants, local police, a Russian baroness, and neighboring peasants rallied to his defense. The King was finally arrested on June 11 when a more substantial force arrived from Munich. He was confined in the Berg Castle under the care of wardens.
No one to this day knows what actually happened to King Ludwig. All we know is that on June 13 he asked Dr. Gudden to go on a walk ith him. Later in the day, both he and he and Gudden were found dead. Ludwig was floating in the lake and Gudden had a sevre wound on his forehead. It appears the the King bludgeoned Gudden and droned himself, but there are many other posible scenarios.
Prinzregent Luitpold ruled for 26 years in place of Otto I, the brother and heir of Ludwig II, who was considered too mentally disturbed to rule. During this period, Bavaria experienced unprecedented growth and prosperity, bnefitting from the stability. The Prinzregent interfered little in the day to day running of the kingdom, leaving state affairs in the hands of his ministers.
After over 20 years as Regent, Prince Luitpold acting for King Otto was finally succeeded by his son, Ludwig III in 1913. Bavaria while Ludwig II wasstill king was swept up in the War against France and the unification of German under the Crown of Prussia. Bavaria entered the North German Confederation by treaty on November 23, 1870, becoming a part of the German Empire.
Padfield, Peter. Himmler: Reichsführer (Henry Holt and Compny: New York, 1990), 656p.
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