Ludwig ii of bavaria was perhaps one of the most eccentric european rulers of the 19th century. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Ludwig ii was born, eldest son of maximillian ii of bavaria and princess marie of prussia on august 24, 1845. The swan king is the biography of one of the most enigmatic figures of the 19th century, described by verlaine as the only true king of his. Suddenly, when king ludwig was just 18, he was forced onto the throne. Having lived in germany for 5 years and having visited neuschwanstein as well as linderhof palaces, it was with great interest that i purchased this book to learn more about ludwig ii of bavaria. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the swan king. Ludwig ii was born in 1845 into the bavarian ruling family, the house of wittelsbach, well known for its eccentric family members. King ludwig ii of bavaria or the swan king commissioned. Ludwig ii of bavaria ludwig ii was king of bavaria from. The book swan king is long and meandering, often talking more about wagner than ludwig. The tragic builder of neuschwanstein castle,ludwig ii of bavaria, house of. Ludwig ii of bavaria kindle edition by mcintosh, christopher. June, 2016 marks the th anniversary of bavaria s greatest unsolved mystery.
A man of wildly eccentric temperament and touched by a rare, imaginative genius, ludwig ii of bavaria is remembered both for his patronage of richard wagner and for the fabulous palaces which he created as part of a dreamworld to escape the. The bavarian troops return to munichking ludwig and the crown prince of. Ludwig ii of bavaria was the favorite cousin of the famous empress elizabeth sisi, the wife of emperor franz joseph ii. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. King of bavaria from 1864 until his death in he is sometimes called the swan king. Ludwig did what all kings do and set about planning an ambitious series of palaces and castles. Neuschwanstein castle schloss neuschwanstein on a map of. From his earliest years the younger ludwig enjoyed drawing, making model buildings, and dressing in. However, he never actively ruled because of alleged severe mental illness. The venus grotto is an artificial stalactite cave, built at the behest of king ludwig ii. Built by king ludwig ii, this castle new swan stone is located near fussen in bavaria, at the end of a romantic roadway. Ludwig ii of bavaria, the swan king book, 1997 worldcat.
Ludwig ii of bavaria 18451886, king of bavaria, 18641886. Freistaat bayern,is a state of germany, located in the southeast of the country. Germany is also home to the most magical castle on the planet, neuschwanstein castle, the name of which translates as the new swan cliff it was built in the second half of the nineteenth century by ludwig ii of bavaria, or as they called him, the fairytale king ludwig ii holds a special place amongst other german rulers. More than 400,000 people came to linderhof and more than. I had made such a good beginning with the learning of state laws. His uncle, luitpold, and his cousin, ludwig, served as regents. His reign was caught up in a time when his country was losing its political significance in europe. Through his idealistic quest for romance and his fixation with bavarian myths and legends, most tellingly with the grail stories of lohengrin so potently incarnated in wagners operas the swan king became more fabled than the very legends he sought to recreate. His grandfather and godfather ludwig i of bavaria, had louis xvi of france as his godfather. Construction began in 1868 and was never completed. In 1864 ludwig ii acceded to the throne at the age of 18 without any experience of life or politics, but adored by women looking back in 1873, he described it thus. His name became immortal due to the impressive castles he built during his short lifetime.
King ludwig ii of bavaria or the swan king commissioned the neuschwanstein castle and paid for it with his own means. This is only one of many mysteries that surround the former bavarian regent to this day. Turns out that perhaps mad king ludwig ii wasnt as crazy as we thought. Ludwig ii was king of bavaria from 1864 until his death in 1886. Ludwig ii of bavaria by christopher mcintosh and christopher mcintosh 2003, paperback, reprint at the best online prices at ebay. Ludwig the second, king of bavaria project gutenberg. He also held the titles of count palatine of the rhine, duke of bavaria, duke of franconia, and duke in swabia. It features a grand entrance, an underground lake, and a golden swan boat. Europes greatest castle was built by a mad king who. Hello, i like the scenery of bavaria, especially when i go somewhere by car. Behind the breathtaking neuschwanstein castle, sleeping. King ludwig ii ordered on this site by blowing up rocks to lower the plateau by about 8 m and thereby create a place for the construction of the fairy palace.
Some suspect this was altered to further associate ludwig ii with his namesake, his grandfather and reigning king of bavaria, ludwig i. Ludwig ii, the socalled mad king of bavaria, was one of the most eni. The project gutenberg ebook of ludwig the second, by clara tschudi this ebook. When war broke out, bavaria lost its status as an independent nation, though it maintained some of the rights of local government, and ludwig ii remained, nominally, the bavarian king. Ludwig ii of bavaria new, revised by christopher mcintosh isbn. Bavarias mad king ludwig may not have been so mad after. This is the biography of one of the most enigmatic figures of the 19th century, described by verlaine as the only true king of his century. Ludwig ii of bavaria was named for his grandfather, king ludwig i, with whom he shared a birthday, august 25. Our story begins in 1864 when the 18yearold ludwig ii succeeded his father, king maximilian ii, to the throne of bavaria. Linderhof palace, bavaria, germany the everywhereist. Today, the castles of mad king ludwig ii are some of the most beloved castles by many in germany and around the world. He brought his territories into the newly founded german empire 1871 but concerned himself only intermittently with affairs. King of bavaria was a title held by the hereditary wittelsbach rulers of bavaria in the state known as the kingdom of bavaria from 1805 until 1918, when the kingdom was abolished.
Wanting his very own blue grotto a famously colorful and naturally lit cave near capri, italy, the king. The swan king is the biography of one of the most enigmatic figures of the 19th century, described by verlaine as the only true king of his century. His name became immortal due to the impressive castles he built during his. Kindle ebooks can be read on any device with the free kindle app. Neuschwanstein castle stands on the site of two fortresses, the front and rear schwangau, which at the time of the beginning of work lay in ruins. Neuschwanstein castle in bavaria, aside from disneys knockoffs, is the most famous castle in the world. A man of wildly eccentric temperament and touched by a rare, imaginative genius. Stripped of all real power, ludwig dreamed of a place where he could still be king, a world apart for him to rule. Bavaria, formally the free state of bavaria german.
At the time of ludwig ii birth, bavaria, one of thirtynine independent states that formed germany was ruled by his grandfather, king ludwig i. Ludwig ii of bavaria simple english wikipedia, the free. Ironically, the very castles that caused the government so much debt have now become the most profitable source of income for the government. Ludwig ii 25 august 1845 in nymphenburg palace june 1886 in lake starnberg was king of bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death bavaria is now part of germany, but at that time it was a separate country. His father died quickly, and most unexpectedly, of sepsis. He is well known for his support for the composer richard wagner. Ludwig ii of bavaria was named for his grandfather, king ludwig i, with whom he. Ludwig ii of bavaria the eccentric life and castles of. Ludwig deposed him in 19, a day after the legislature passed a law allowing him to do so, and became king in his own right. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A man of wildly eccentric temperament and touched by a rare, imaginative genius, ludwig ii of bavaria is remembered both for his patronage of.
Barbarossa is as dreamy as later ludwig ii of bavaria. Neuschwanstein and the secrets of fairytale king ludwig ii. I forgot to tell you about king ludwig ii of bavaria affectionately known as crazy king ludwig, or mad king ludwig, or ludwig who really needs a financial planner and his glorious palace in linderhof. The swan king is a biography of ludwig ii of bavaria, the king responsible for the building of fabulous castles such as neuschwanstein, which supposedly served as the inspiration for the sleeping beauty castle at disneyland in california. Ludwig s birth certificate, however, reads august 25.
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