“Mad” King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his Magnificent Castles
Madness or genius? A lasting legacy of architecture and innovation
King Ludwig II was known as the The Fairy-Tale King whose dreams made Bavaria a world-renowned cultural destination. So how did he end up being called “mad”?
King Ludwig’s famous castle, Neuschwanstein, is known as the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. It’s not hard to see why — Neuschwanstein itself was dreamed up in the mind of Ludwig, who was a romantic soul inclined to fairytales.
As a boy, young Ludwig watched his father, Maximilian, build a new home out of the medieval ruins of Schwanstein (swan stone) castle. He called it Hohenschwangau (the Upper Swan District), after the village. Maximilian decorated the castle with murals of medieval German sagas, one of which was of Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swans. All of it captured the imagination of little Ludwig, who was enamored with the myths of medieval knights and chivalry.
After a 16-year reign, Maximilian, who often struggled with ill-health, unexpectedly died when Ludwig was only 18. The young new monarch’s reign would be characterized as a highly idealized, artistic endeavor rather than one of statesmanship or scholarly pursuits. Regardless, Ludwig would leave a lasting legacy in Bavaria.
And so it begins
King Ludwig’s artistic bent fueled his plans to build medieval castles. One such project was Neuschwanstein, in honor of the old castle Schwanstein, which began in 1868. Ludwig pored over concept drawings and noted every piece presented, changing any details as he saw fit.
The proposed area for Neuschwanstein was nestled on the side of a mountain overlooking the village just opposite of Hohenschwangau.
All seemed promising in the beginning. Ludwig intended to build Neuschwanstein with his own private funds in order to avoid putting a financial burden on the people or the Bavarian treasury. Marble and sandstone from the region were used to build the castle, and the project gave everyone in the surrounding area steady work for the next two decades.
Ludwig’s dream of a medieval castle came to fruition, little by little. Not only did he have big dreams of medieval scenes, he was also keen to have modern conveniences: flushing toilets, running water, and electricity. These were not cheap, but Ludwig was praised for his innovation and creativity.
Ludwig gradually became more immersed in his epic projects – he began work on two other castles at the same time as Neuschwanstein. Ludwig’s naturally reclusive, paranoid nature grew worse as he oversaw the work. The king drew ever closer to his rumored “madness” as his life was overshadowed by desperation.
Being a young monarch meant that Ludwig faced pressure to marry and produce an heir, a difficult task since he was homosexual. He strained to keep his homosexuality hidden in the deeply Catholic Bavaria. To keep up appearances and do his duty, Ludwig unenthusiastically proposed to his cousin, Duchess Sophie Charlotte. He naively hoped the marriage would be successful since they shared a love of Richard Wagner’s operas. Ludwig eventually called off the engagement, his first and only; he would never marry nor have children.
Instead, he focused his energy on his buildings. He became a patron of Richard Wagner, whose operas focused on medieval German mythology and chivalry — Ludwig’s favorite things. Wagner himself was the center of the king’s affection, but to Ludwig’s dismay Wagner was not gay; the composer was in love with Cosima Liszt, daughter of the famed pianist Franz Liszt.
Linderhof Palace was another of Ludwig’s projects that he built for use as a country retreat. It was smaller than Neuschwanstein but just as grand. The interior featured marble columns in the entryway, gilt furniture, mirrors, and doorways. Dozens of sparkling chandeliers hung from the ceilings.
The jewel in the crown of Linderhof was the Venus Grotto. It was here that the work of the king’s beloved Wagner was brought to life. Ludwig drew up plans for an artificial cave to be created to depict the first act of Wagner’s opera “Tannhäuser”. Fake stalactite columns were built and consisted of tiled stoves to produce heat in winter. To keep the grotto from seeming too inert, Ludwig installed a wave machine. He topped it off by lighting the scene using 24 arc lamps, each powered by its own generator. Costs kept mounting, but artistry was at a maximum.
Herrenchiemsee Palace was Ludwig’s ultimate luxury project - his own version of France’s Versailles. So extravagant was this project that it cost more than Neuschwanstein and Linderhof combined. Herrenchiemsee was indeed luxurious, with hard-carved wood and gilt from ceiling to floor. One State Room was based entirely on Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, known as The Mirror Gallery. It was over 300 feet long and lit by over 1,800 candles! Outside, the Palace was surrounded by fountains and sumptuous French-style gardens.
Georg von Dollmann. C. 1878/1886
Things go haywire
Building Neuschwanstein was slow going. It was a complex operation to build a castle on the side of a cliff. The king made the task more difficult by setting unrealistic deadlines and changing his mind about the styles of rooms. Workmen toiled away into the wee hours as the king imagined - and then reimagined - his detailed plans.
Ludwig began borrowing on lines of credit in his desperation to keep his building projects afloat. He even ended up striking a deal with the infamous Otto von Bismarck, the chancellor to Prussia’s King Wilhelm I, in order to keep money flowing.
Bismarck wanted to convince the rulers of the other German states to unify under his monarch, Wilhelm I of Prussia, and make him the supreme German Emperor. Bismarck began his campaign with Ludwig, who not only held influence as the ruler of the second-largest German state, he was in a sticky financial situation which Bismarck used to his advantage. In a letter dripping with contrived obeisance, Bismarck asked Ludwig to back Kaiser Wilhelm. By doing so, Ludwig would be provided with secret funds.
Ludwig’s own courtiers were at a loss to halt his spending, and if they pointed out that he could go bankrupt, they were dismissed. To put an end to it, a government commission convened to declare Ludwig mentally unfit. Noted psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden was ordered to keep watch over Ludwig, whom he’d diagnosed with paranoia.
The “Mad King Ludwig” rumor began. The king’s stress over keeping his sexuality secret was not helped by the pressure to produce financing for his castles. He was unwilling to give them up.
The people of Bavaria loved him regardless. He was the Fairy-Tale King and Unser Kini (‘Our King’), and they were devastated when Ludwig and von Gudden were found dead. It was claimed that the king and the doctor died by drowning in the nearby lake. Even now, suspicions that they were murdered still linger – Ludwig was killed for burying the crown in debt, and von Gudden killed because he was a witness. The members of the House of Wittlesbach refuse to allow their royal ancestor’s body to be exhumed to prove one way or another.
Ludwig’s death put his brother Otto on the throne, but he had also been declared unstable having had mental health struggles most of his life. In their stead, the brothers’ uncle Luitpold became the regent. Luckily, Luitpold was ‘a true patron of many fine artists of his time, who, while not equally interested in the various movements, was equally tolerant.’ Within six weeks of Ludwig’s death, Luitpold opened his nephew’s castles to tourists so that they could be enjoyed by all.
Was Ludwig II of Bavaria a madman?
Was Ludwig mad? He was certainly a king torn between reality and fantasy, driven by passions both physical and mental. Nevertheless, his castles, once seen as indulgent follies, are now celebrated as architectural glories enjoyed by millions of people the world over, something even the imaginative Ludwig couldn’t have dreamed.
Despite the “mad” moniker, Ludwig was loved by his people and has the eternal gratitude of all who enjoy his creations today.
Further reading:
Britannica: Maximilian II , King of Bavaria
Official website of Neuschwanstein Castle
Panorama Views of Neuschwanstein
Great article, very interesting and engaging read.