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.

[@jamesmiller4184]

How very nice to now know that! 'Will note and remember it for future use. Thank you for informing us @mimamo. Many of we here in the U.S. do-so as well and, his dear brother Otto too. . : .

[@joeysplats3209]

My Bavarian does, for sure.

[@davidaustin6962]

When I lived in Germany all the Germans described him to me as the crazy king who bankrupted the country. Not a lot of love there. But they are quite proud of neuschwanstein but only as a marvel of German artistry, culture, and workmanship... Not as a tribute to kind Ludwig at all.

[@mostlyanchors168]

But without the derogatory title, who would click? They all do it these days.

[@jameswalker4225]

It’s not like Bavaria has a great reputation going for it… fat, beer-guzzling, oafs who gave Germany their “great leader” and all.

[@transvestosaurus878]

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

[@ddoyle11]

This made me laugh out loud. How true!

[@sarahhearn-vonfoerster7401]

Well noted! a very successful one too.

[@archiecoolsdown5854]

Gay lives matter! Gay lives matter! Gay lives matter!

[@pecsbadman]

Love is love!

[@pecsbadman]

Yes, today he'd have his own show on HGTV.

[@mjennings061]

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

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Is it true that only 15 rooms out of 150 were finished?

[@iododendron3416]

@@thejudgmentalcat yes, it's unfinished. Was actually underwhelmed when I visted.

[@nashvilleslim]

Come to America and visit biltmore, I'm sure you'll love it. It's an American version of a chateaux or castle. It's massive and opulent. Places like these would cost billions nowadays.

[@riggs20]

It's on my bucket list!

[@starckmad1779]

Better to visit Hurst Castle in California. Now THATS a castle!

[@bullettube9863]

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.

[@googiegress]

And if you go weeks eating only one thing and never bathe like a filthy rascal, they call you Steve Jobs.

[@TheHollandHS]

@@googiegress lawl XD

[@hansberger4939]

Probably its better to cry in your luxurious, artful castle, than on the road.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

❓🤔 What if you guzzle Schlitz or Pabst Blue Ribbon all day, crush the empty cans on your forehead, then incessantly record your own burps, hoping to break the Guinness record for longest one? Where do ^those things put you on the "eccentric vs crazy scale"?? Uhm, I'm just asking for a friend...... 😁

[@HighlanderNorth1]

@@googiegress ☢☣Yeah, and if you knowingly shove elderly covid patients back into nursing homes to spread the disease among the most susceptible members of your population, killing 15,000 of them, and you even attempt to cover it up, you're instead forced out of office for allegedly offensively hugging a few underlings, and called a "creep". 👉 If you do the exact same thing one state over(in Pa), killing thousands more, and you even remove your own mother from one of the nursing homes just in time to prevent her from dying from the results of your own intentional policy, your given a huge promotion and raise! Now your called "Assistant Federal Health Secretary", and praised for your gender identity...... 😈👍

[@chrisjackson1215]

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

[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

It also tells of lack of parenting and love from his parents. And that's really sad...

[@hansberger4939]

It is. The other name he had for his mother was "the prussian princess". And "prussian" is not a compliment in Bavaria. Still not.

[@confusedsquirrel]

@@hansberger4939 yeah, but nowadays prussian is used as an insult for basically any German who lives north of Bavaria

[@performa9523]

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!

[@katieandkevinsears7724]

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

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

Ah O... Im a little worried the path I've chosen as I age....

[@MrLoobu]

Just words society tries to attach to intelligent individuals.

[@fordfan3179]

Ive been to both castles. His childhood home and the castle he built for himself. He was already wealthy and the heir to a perfectly fabulous castle. Ludwig started building this place just to piss his parents off and to give himself some privacy. His "lifestyle" was considered a madness in it's day. The more he resisted the worse he was portrayed by his advisors and ministers. On top of that, his resistance cost him his family fortune and that if his kingdom. In the end, he was a paper king. He hated who he was and who he was born to be only added to his misery. I believe he was murdered. There was an individual who witnessed it first hand and was sworn to secrecy. He was promised a stipend for his family for the rest of his life for his silence. While there's no record of this gentleman ever being in the employ or service to either castle, there is a record of regular stipend payments to his family.

[@ImplodedAtom]

"Poor people are crazy, Jack. I'm eccentric." - Howard Payne, 1994

[@wendychavez5348]

The character Rose on 2-1/2 Men illustrates this concept at least as well as King Ludwig.

[@BHuang92]

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

[@untruelie2640]

Well.. she wasn't a person who could be easily dealt with either. It's most likely that she had anorexia and was obsessed with her body and appearance, doing gymnastics for several hours very day. She didn't want to follow the court eticette in Vienna and eventually left her husband (Emperor Franz Josef) and moved to Corfu, where she build the famous "Achilleion" (a palace looking like ancient greek buildings), later bought by Emperor Wilhelm II. Occasionally, she asked the crew of her private yacht to tie her to the main mast during storms like Odysseus. She also suffered from depression in her later years, after her son, Crown Prince Rudolf, had commited suicide. Perhaps she wasn't insane, but she certainly was quite "eccentric", like her cousin Ludwig II.

[@lakrids-pibe]

I'm begining to think that monarchy isn't the greatest systen. Anyway, make some babies with your cousin. That'll be great.

[@untruelie2640]

@@lakrids-pibe Yeah, I mean, what could go possibly wrong? It's not like this would result in a massive and disfunctional jaw that is passed down several generations until one couldn't chew food anymore...

[@frankyflowers]

he was a flammer.

[@Doobie3010]

They always brush over the fact that their family histories is full of habitual and serial inbreeding.The madness in royal families is well documented.Usually threw them into asylums.

[@bamafaninar9292]

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.

[@Galiuros]

I visited Neuschwanstein once in the late '70's while stationed in Augsburg. I don't remember the guide talking much about his eccentricities. The size of the castle's kitchen was amazing.

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

Ha! How did you get in there? We tried during the late 1980's but the wait was something like 15 plus hours! Also I hear the Castles are in pretty bad shape today, most of the decor is falling apart and wearing away.

[@grizzlygrizzle]

@@Galiuros -- If I remember correctly, the wood carvings in his bedroom took 30 carvers 7 years to complete. I was there in '72. Later we went to woodcarving school in Oberammergau. I walked up to a student, and in my best-pronounced German, asked if he spoke English. We had a couple of exchanges in German, and then he told me he was from New Jersey.

[@Galiuros]

@@grizzlygrizzle That's funny. I learned pretty quick that most Europeans know English but the don't usually let on unless they run a shop or something where it behooves them to converse. I wish I would have traveled more during the 39 months I was in Bavaria. I did get to three October Fests.

[@grizzlygrizzle]

@@Galiuros -- What is it about their beer? Is it unpasteurized or something? It goes down as easily as water, without the bloating. I learned a lot about how ease of chugging doesn't mean mild beer at the Hofbrauhaus.

[@jakedee4117]

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.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

I heard that meteorite was very attractive with a great personality, so you can't really blame him.

[@jakedee4117]

@@Jon.A.Scholt Yes,a Magnetic personality, highly attractive, he he !

[@gregjobe5672]

What about Jack the Ripper? Was he truly a Prince, as some have duggested?

[@Doobie3010]

Many of those events have no witnesses or context from the time,often the stories are repeated or spun differently by their enemies or rivals afterwards. That’s why we love history-the mystery.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

@@jakedee4117 I applaud you good sir.

[@75aces97]

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.

[@Aviationlord7742]

That’s a very good way to put it. Many monarchs throughout history have never wanted the positions they’ve been put in unfortunately

[@valeriepotton1250]

If he was insane, what does that make Trump??

[@lakrids-pibe]

@@valeriepotton1250 Incompetent, cruel, short tempered, vain, vulgar, and with a strong dislike for learning.

[@HemlockRidge]

@@valeriepotton1250 President of the US.

[@phredphlintstone6455]

At least he didn't forget his incriminating laptop at the repair shop

[@martymcmannis8662]

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.

[@user-nu1dn2zd2w]

I agree. He is very knowledgeable and his delivery on spot

[@baylorsailor]

Except for the occasional political insert that he places in many videos. It's easy to tell exactly what he supports. I'm sick of historians being so political. It's hard to interpret history when a person is one sided in thought.

[@yikes7963]

They Got Away With Murder is an excellent channel! His voice is very unique and such a narrator!

[@jessicadoctordresimmons7042]

it taught me to make them pay for the software first

[@xxh2obizxx]

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!

[@untruelie2640]

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.

[@Groffili]

Good to see Otto mentioned. He was an important part in the final day of monarchistic Bavaria, simply by existing... and he mostly gets ignored. A tragic figure.

[@gaptaxi]

He was quite OK until he took part in a few Battles as like most second sons he became a soldier so it might have been PTSD? Though I admit I have never had the time to do any research on Otto, but it is interesting that it was his Psychiatrist who never treated Otto, he was just locked up and Ludwig decreed he should be treated will and not disciplined by use of force. Otto was sent to Versailles to take Ludwig´s place, so he can´t have been an inbecile? Otto´s Doctor, Dr Gudden was chosen to declare that Ludwig 2nd would be mad and never ever gave Ludwig any sort of inspection, he, his son and one other `Dr´said they read his correspondence and deducted his insanity! Did Ludwig kill Dr Gudden? You bet your ass he did, he probably played Dunkin Doughnuts with him, he was 6´4´´inches and Dr Gudden about 5´4´´, or were they both shot by nervous sentries? Bismark and Ludwig met when Ludwig became King and they got on very well together, although they never met again they corresponded regularly and then Ludwig died and Bismark was very upset, and moreso when finding out his Madness was deducted from his corresponence, ``We wrote to each other for 20 years and I never found a single line or sentence that would suggest insanity!´´Or words to that effect! Ludwig and his Cousins often played together and one day met an old woman who said they would die by three elements, Ludwig drowned in water, Sophie set fire to herself, and consequently burnt the whole hotel to the ground and Sissi was stabbed, by Iron. Fascinating period of history. What is never mentioned is that Ludwig read and signed 200,000 official papers in his 20 years as King, he had to read everything in case his Abdication had been snuck in them somewhere, so he did indeed take an interest in Politics but the Politicians told him he had no say as his Grandfather Ludwig the First had caused Civil War and ruling the Country was a taboo theme. Work it out, 200,000 Documents over 20 years, that is a crass difference to being lazy or even insane!

[@lauriesmith3443]

Good grief.

[@untruelie2640]

@@gaptaxi Ludwig was certainly delusional, there is no other explanation for his obsession with his architectural projects and his attempt to create escapist dream worlds for himself. But some mental conditions appear periodically or are at least not obvious the entire time, and they can also get worse over time.This might also explain why Otto was able to be sent to Versailles, but wasn't presentable in later years when his condition got worse. Also, schizophrenia has strong genetic risk factors, so it might have run in the family, explaining why both brothers had mental health problems.

[@untruelie2640]

@@Groffili Yes, but considering the state of psychiatry at the time, his royal status might have saved him from a worse fate.

[@j.h.2313]

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.

[@gregoryborlan747]

I don’t think king Ludwig was mad per say. I think his upbringing is what turned him into the man he is . Think about it, his parents did not know how to be parents causing him to resort to fairy tales for pleasure and escape. That says a lot.

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

I see "madness" as an inability to cope with something, in this case his upbringing. He didn't have much of a chance really..

[@oneperson7013]

@Goodness Graces It's not such a mad idea at all. Rich people with means have been building fairy tales for years. Walt Disney, Michael Jackson, and many others. Ludwig did it right👍

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

The original NEET

[@timmmahhhh]

Great point and I'll taking a step further. Not only his upbringing but I wonder if inbreeding may added to the madness aspect, now that we know so much more about genetics. Both nurture and nature. I'm no expert here but my wife's parents came from families in the same small village in Italy, and three of the five siblings have impaired hearing.

[@timmmahhhh]

@Goodness Graces I'm an architect let me know if you need help. ;)

[@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.

[@thebaron2277]

Saw it today it was beautiful

[@oceanexploration]

@@thebaron2277 I'm jealous! Congrats!

[@gaptaxi]

I find Linderhof much better, especially the gardens and inside where he actually spent 20 years of his life!

[@josephinenobile1594]

I saw it last year very beautiful but they didn't show us a lot of inside...sadly.

[@johnzook8386]

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.

The film about him is at the local library, and I am literally the only person who has checked it out, over the last fifteen years! I've watched it several times.

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

You seek guidance in your emerging eccentricities...... ;) quite all right. Norm behavior.

[@calypsohandjack9278]

Probably on an FBI watch list for liking to watch anything positive about whites. Shit, you look like a crazy cat lady.

[@leonardticsay8046]

Library? Is that where homeless people go to poop?

[@jakedee4117]

What's the name and date of that movie ? I'd like to check it out.

[@LcdDrmr]

@@jakedee4117 It's called "Ludwig", made in 1973. It's 3 hrs 58 minutes, and has a very good rating of 7.6 on IMDB (www.imdb.com/title/tt0068883/), and the actor looks a lot like Ludwig's pictures. Don't know where it can be found, though. It's not here on YT.

[@stile8686]

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.

[@CHAS1422]

If immortality is how we are remembered in the minds of others, then Ludwig's eccentricities and amazing monuments have earned him a cloud of his own.

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

The fairy tale King chose to be the emperor of Bavarian tourism. .....forever. ...

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

When you put that much money and detailed effort into castles with no expenses spared. The king likely knew that no one would ever dismantle his legacy, least of all... Bavaria. From a true kings perspective, It was a smart move all in all.

[@Dustpuma1]

@@burningchrome70 kill all kings

[@JarthenGreenmeadow]

@@burningchrome70 No, but neither does a monarch.

[@MichaelCampbell01]

I sure wish my teachers in high school were more like THG; only now that I'm a middle aged guy has this subject become more interesting to me, and mostly thanks to this channel and presentation.

[@paulsid15]

I used to love going to this castle when I was stationed in Germany.

[@stevedietrich8936]

The German Alpine road (Deutsche Alpenstrasse) running across southern Germany is one of the prettiest drives in the world, and includes all of these sites and more. If you ever visit Germany make sure to drive the Alpenstrasse.

[@g.t.7726]

The castle looks to be interesting

[@leifnelson6244]

The drive between Linderhof and Neuschwanstein is spectacular. Ludwig certainly had an eye for beautiful settings for castles.

[@stevedietrich8936]

@@g.t.7726 All of his castles are interesting. Neuschwannstein gets the most publicity because it has the most spectacular setting and looks like the Disney "castle". The woodwork is fantastic.

[@johnjephcote7636]

My parents were on honeymoon a few days before their country, Britain, declared war on Germany. They were in Switzerland but visited Germany (my mother spoke German). Father wanted to visit Neuschwanstein but there was no support from the other members of the tour.

[@g.t.7726]

@@stevedietrich8936 how many castles did he build?

[@daleinarizona1561]

I took the tour of the castle when I was stationed in Germany. The tour guide showed so many beautiful rooms but also demonstrated the secret passage ways to other rooms. We were told the King was a great swimmer and when they found him in 3” of water didn’t make sense that he drowned. Again, slightly different from what you found. Either way, the castle is so beautiful to visit. Walt Disney made his castle designs from his castle. Thank you for your time presenting these educational classes. You make history come alive.

[@michaelflick1177]

Ludwig II never drowned. No water was found in his lungs at his autopsy.

[@raydunakin]

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

[@rockerneck]

Welcome brother

[@JohnSmith-lw2bm]

The guy is a natural teacher and speaker.

[@raskinblog]

I know. He says "alot with less"

[@chasbodaniels1744]

Yep, these are sooo well done. Very enjoyable!

[@curseoftheegglady]

Hear, hear!

[@professornuke7562]

I have been to the Linderhoff, and Neuschwanstein. Der Rezidenz. They have to be seen to be believed. I took my late son to see them, and he loved them. RIP Sage, my boy.

[@jamess5154]

The definition of insanity certainly changes for monarchs. Eccentric for someone without power can be insanity for someone whose word is law since they are then a significant threat to others. And only a determination of insanity allows one to unseat a king without killing him.

[@hardlyb]

My appreciation for Wagner increased a great deal after I saw the Bugs Bunny version of the Ring cycle.

[@gloriamontgomery6900]

“Kill da waaaaaaabbit, kill da wabbit “

[@richardpenner5515]

Oh, Bwoon-hilda; you’re so wuv wee

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

We were assigned to Germany for 3 different tours. You always saw something new at Ludwig's castles regardless of the outcome you times you visited. Our son's favorite was Linderhof and the cave for operas. Ludwig's death only added to his mystique . Of course, the movie THE MONUMENTS MEN showed how much stolen art was hidden.

[@gtmuse329A]

When I was a kid we toured Germany and saw his various castles which were quite amazing. Definitely a bit “eccentric” but he designed a beautiful palace.

[@seachers6124]

You're a great story teller. A lost art in these times im afraid... Thank you

[@dabuya]

Fascinating! I was blessed to visit the castles of Ludwig in 1973, when was just 12. This video has sparked an interest in me to revisit these historic sites. Thank you for sharing history that deserves to be remembered.

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Ludwig's hunting lodge in the Alps has a world-renowned garden. I'd love to visit it. Fun fact: only the upstairs (where he stayed) was decorated in his lavish style, the rest is just hunting lodge style.

[@josephpicogna6348]

My wife also enjoyed this very much and reminds me of the false mountain built above the Wagner lake and that in the family castle in Munich, his carriage, with electric lights , which transformed into a sleigh is visible.

[@fastbike175]

Thanks for another great video.

[@michaelc.3812]

My family is connected to King Ludwig, and I’ve visited one of his castles. I believe he was a genius far ahead of his time. Imagine, running water?!?!!

[@davesnothereman7250]

I've been to Linderhof and Neuschwanstein as well as the foundation of an even crazier castle he supposedly started at the very peak of a local mountain. Beautiful and amazing history!

[@joshmayne2853]

Standing in the courtyard of the castle you can see a cutout of a castle further up the mountain. Was it going to be another castle or just where the stone was cut for it?

[@marbleman52]

Fascinating! With Ludwig having his teeth rotted out I can understand why he used notes to talk with the servants and why he ate alone...he didn't want people to see him toothless; like a old man.

[@hansberger4939]

I totally can understand, that someone doesnt want to talk to people. There are enough reasons.

[@jameswilson5764]

Having been an amateur armchair Ludwig II historian for the past 30 years, not sure how I feel about this video. A lot of it is great and spot on, some of it deserves more nuance, while some of it perpetuates unfounded myth and inaccurate history. Even after 30 years of active research, I still find things new about King Ludwig. And sometimes I learn that what I previously believed turned out to be myth or fabrication.

[@wiley8976]

I’m so glad you tell these stories. I’d love to go see that place

[@Cydonia2020]

An excellent piece. I’ve visited this castle back in 1983 as a fresh-out-of-high-school kid. However, it left a big impression on me and the interiors and exteriors of the castle cannot be justified in pictures or words. It is simply beautiful.

[@thesisypheanjournal1271]

I visited Linderhof when I was living in Germany and concluded that if Ludwig hadn't been mad before, living there would have driven him crazy. There was no place inside where the eye could rest. It was the visual equivalent of having the TV, radio, and phonograph all going at once while trying to attend to three different conversations.

[@IJustWantToUseMyName]

It’s so rare to see someone use the word phonograph these days. It made me smile.

[@hansberger4939]

He didnt live in the 100m mirrirhall of herrenchiemsee. Also queen elizabeth doesnt stay all the time in the throne hass. All these kings then and now, had livingrooms, that looked quite normal, where they really spend their time.

[@jonathanjordahl5345]

Thank you for this! One has seen pictures of Neuschwanstein all one’s life, but never has been offered to scratch the surface of the background of the miracle in stone. I am so very satisfied to have spent these fifteen minutes this way!

[@craigcoffman69]

Been there, Mad king would watch the construction of Neuschwanstein from Hohernschwangau castle (family home) with a then state of the art telescope and punish workers who were not working hard enough... fun fact

[@stevejameson77]

As a lover of the sublime beauty ludwig brought to this world; i am so strongly remembering that all history is extremely slanted misunderstandings. hardly a written word of history can be believed at all. no one even knows what truly happened on last night's news. imagine this world without his castles. i hope their magic lives forever.

[@TammyJRizzo]

When I was a kid, when our dad was in the Army, we lived for 3.5 years in Germany, and took countless day- and weekend-trips to experience all the castles that the Germanic kingdoms boast of. I've seen Niewschwanstein, and seen all the opulent furnishings and decorations. I've been inside Linderhof Palace, and walked through the awesome gardens, and visited Ludvig's Wagnerian grotto he had built for himself. I've toured Hohenschwangau castle, where the family was still in residence after all these generations, and seen the family treasures that they kept and lived with and used to that day. I've been to Herrenchiemsee Palace, his last-to-be-built personal residence, and a pefect replica of the Versailles Palace in France. Ludvig lore pervades Bavaria, all of it fascinating! My family who had the opportunity to actually live in Bavaria for a few years (I had left home and married by that time) call it "the Texas of Germany" (my whole family has lived in Texas three separate times, now), and just love telling stories about living there. I've only had the chance to visit the area while we were all kids, but I still have some very crisp memories of Ludvig's castles and palaces. Pictues and videos really cannot do them justice; they need to be experienced in person. There's even a marker on the lake path where the bodies were found.

[@Maxaldojo]

Thank you for the summary of Ludwig II, THG! I had the pleasure of visiting Neuschwanstein Castle during a castle hopping tour with my wife and brother-in-law. We dined at Hofbräuhaus München, the night before and I overindulged, to say the least. During the tour of the castle, I laid down in every room we visited (maybe the only person to have ever done so), to prevent me from throwing up... Needless to say, that is a rather unique way to see the castle!

[@lakotathierauf3882]

My favorite episode yet, I loved to see the castles while being stationed in Germany and this story fascinates me.

[@arthurdoucette1786]

Greetings once again from nova Scotia, thank you for another great video. I had the pleasure of spending 3 weeks in Bavaria, in Sternberg proper. My friend with whom I stayed was very proud of the heritage the" mad king " left to his people. Thank you for your time and attention to this comment, stay strong and best regards, Arthur

[@fordfan3179]

Spent last Thanksgiving there. What a fabulously mad place.

[@fordfan3179]

His Brother Otto is worth reading up on to. He was quite the charicter also. There was clearly some kind of inherited mental illness in that family.

[@johnmcnulty4425]

It's a great hike to make on the mountain across from the castle!

[@gardener5857]

Thank you!

[@BillHosko]

Exhausting presentation. Bravo

[@mattphillips1910]

As usual, your content is excellent. I look forward to every new video you post. Thank you for sharing your time and talent.

[@TOM2RN]

I paid a visit to Neuschawnstein in the early 80’s. A magnificent place. The engineering and quality of construction is magnificent. The interior is something to behold.

[@surinfarmwest6645]

Another brilliant tale from history. Strange, that when you look at modern Europe, Germany and Italy, for example, were small, individual states not that many years ago.

[@nealsterling8151]

Indeed. I'm from Germany and i can say that here are muchmore regional differences as in Breat Britain or France, or the US for example. It was in the time of Ludwid II when germand began to be united. But there are still there are huge regional differences, even today. Dialects and mindsets can vary depending on if you're from the north or south. For example i have noticed that people from northern Germany come across as rather cold and snippy from a southern perspective. (but people from northern Germany rarely realize that). On the other hand the south is always considered a little bit more rural and not that modern as the north likes to see itself. But aside from bavaria the south has not much self confidence to keep its regional culture safe. Kids are teached to speak "Hochdeutsch" (standard german --> cold and snippy ) instead of their own regional dialect, which ia a f****ng shame if you ask me. Sorry for the ramble. Stay safe!

[@ollep9142]

I think it's a great disservice to Ludwig not to mention the ingenious way he boosted the Bavarian infrastructure by making a law in the early 1870ies provisioning for "Nebenbahnen" (railway fork lines). The imperial railway company built main lines connecting all major towns and cities. Building railway to that standard was expensive and difficult, but by limiting the trains' speed and weight one could allow for much cheaper builds with tighter turns, steeper slopes and a lesser base. The law stated that all villages and towns that wanted railway access could just build and maintain a fork line by this lesser standard and the state would provide traffic on the line. This allowed companies to sell their products outside the local area and workers could commute longer distances. As for Ludwig's "insanity" it seems to me that there were some clear indications of autism. Probably not ideal for a king, but if the persons around him could have understood his way of thinking it would have been much less of a problem.

[@JasonWalkerTN]

The exquisite writing and delivery of this channel just keeps improving exponentially. This is pure gold.

[@chuckpuckett7288]

Ludwig inspired two really cool board games, The Castles of Mad King Ludwig and The Palace of Mad Kind Ludwig.

[@1ask2risk]

I am digging those new intros brother. Nice!

[@JC-pu1ej]

"Please tread softly on my dreams." Ludwig II of Bavaria

[@markgrehlinger7117]

I'm interested in how Winston Churchill who brought Britain through its darkest hours of World war II could have been rejected as the leader before the war was even over it seems incomprehensible to me and yet later in the 60s I believe he was reelected can you explain that?

[@conbertbenneck49]

When we lived in Muenchen from 1967 to 1974, our son who was attending a private school, had the Prince of Bavaria as a friend, and spent several weekends at their home. My wife and I have skied with his father the Prince of Bavaria and his wife the Princess. Most Bavarians loved their King Ludwig, and after the third beer, many will tell you that he was drowned by the Prussians to get rid of him. Of course he almost bankrupted the State of Bavaria since he was building three castles at the same time; Neuschwanstein; Linderhof, and Schloss Herrn Chiemsee, which was to outdo Versailles. Today, these castles are visited by huge numbers of tourists every year, that pay for their maintenance. Saturday evenings, when we sailed on the Chiemsee, we'd always go the the Schloss Herrn Chiemsee for the performances. The great hall of mirrors was lit by 3,000 wax candles. All the drapes were closed so that the room was dark. At the far end a quartet from Salzburg would play Chamber music. It was a magical scene, and the visitors that slowly wandered around in the Hall of mirrors were totally silent as the quartet played Mozart, Bach, and Hayden music.

[@michaelrenper796]

OMG, only a passing note for Lola Montez, one the most scandalous "actresses" of the 19th century. You have picked the topic for your next video!

[@GodsOath_com]

I toured this castle. It has some unexpectedly beautiful art. They don't allow photos inside. But I took photos anyway. It is unfinished. Only the throne room and bedroom and kitchen is finished. They ran out of money and never finished it. The view from the throne room is breathtaking of the lake. This castle is built next door to his parents castle that today is painted yellow and topped with a cement swan. The swan is the mythological symbol of the Germans. The swan is everywhere in Germany and Austria. Ludwig was almost 7' tall, very large. It's very worthwhile to tour the Wittenberg Castle in Munich where Ludwig grew up. It was bombed in WWII to make the Germans cease the war. Be sure you go in a group because the Germans that work at Wittenberg mistreat Americans that go alone. The artwork in this castle is astounding. I felt like I understood that they indeed feel as if they were gods, because of how they lived. Very much a fantasy castle in Munich.

[@claycountybrian5645]

Greetings from Clay County ! Sorry, but I couldn't watch a 34 minute ad. I watched the 4-1/2 min. one and the others. Had to laugh at the Throne Room. " What was thrown?", asked my 8-year old sister, when we visited in 1972. STILL just as beautiful as I remember. Thanks again, Lance ! SHOW ME the history, guy ! 318 thumbs up !!! VOTE

[@warrengaul2518]

When visiting his castle, in a gift shop was a portrait. I asked the owner if they honour him and suggested that they annually should raise a glass to his "Madness'.

[@KefkeWren]

A lot of this sounds like he was just gay, and had a huge crush on Wagner.

[@Doobie3010]

Obsession dosent always have sexual root,just intense admiration.But you never truly know whatever these royals did ‘indoors’.He was probably just a big kid.

[@LucienSabre]

@@Doobie3010 Except Ludwig’s own writings give validation to the theory of him being gay (7:22), and the way he dismissed his fiancée and tried to delay and avoid the wedding with her corroborate that theory further.

[@Doobie3010]

@@LucienSabre There where plenty of social pressures in those times that simply no longer exist in the modern era,spurning a fiancée then or now dose not mean he was gay or a million other things! Royals have always done things that would have been frowned upon had they been in the lower social orders.But having said all that,maybe he was gay,but unless we had been in his bedroom at the time,we will never know!

[@LucienSabre]

@@Doobie3010 But we actually do know, as said in the video, from Ludwig’s own writings (which indicate pretty strongly that he preferred men).

[@Doobie3010]

@@LucienSabre Never Having read them,and assuming you actually have-then fair enough.

[@KJsProjects]

My wife and I got to go there last year as part of our 5 year wedding anniversary. It is truly an amazing place and it is ironic that a place is visited by so many people and was built by a man who didn't like visitors.

[@rthomashouse6140]

Hello, Mr. Geiger. Great story and well told, as always. Yes, I DO enjoy these short snippets of history. May I suggest that you show us the history of the bow tie, which deserves to be remembered? Thank you!

[@ratlips4363]

I was stationed in the German Alps for two years in the early 70s. I would alternate between Berchtesgaden and Chiemsee. Chiemsee had one of Ludwig's castles built on an island in the middle of the lake. These "castles" were very crazy and you could tell that they were never built to hold off an enemy.

[@FelixvonMontfort]

Yeah, also the castle at Chiemsee was never finished.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Wagner's operas were the Marvel and Star Wars of the 19. century.

[@leonardticsay8046]

So Ludwig was an over indulged fanboy.

[@lakrids-pibe]

And probably a repressed homosexual.

[@DarksideBallerina]

I agree and your choice of icon indicates you are a person of class.

[@fonesrphunny7242]

His operas all took place in the same universe, but there are always excuses why the other characters can't show up? There were only 3 operas originally and then he came up with increasingly worse prequels/sequels to milk his audience further? Didn't know Wagner was that overrated.

[@SeanVplayer]

Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour. Gioachino Rossini

[@ewaryst7797]

What a fantastic episode! I'd love to hear more about Prussian history. I can't really find too much good material on this period of the history here on the youtube, even though it was so vibrant and full of events so impactful to our modern civilisation.

[@BrickTsar]

Got to go to his Castle in 2017. Definitely feels like he was more crazy than eccentric when you see the inside. But he did have a telephone

[@Decrepit_Productions]

Having a telephone doesn't prove one is sane. I have a phone, after all.

[@franknicholson6108]

I saw his castle when I was stationed in Germany. It's quite a sight to behold. Excellent episode as usual.

[@Mefy_]

I visited the castle in 2018. It is an absolutely stunning thing to see in person.

[@robertwest6350]

Great video, may I suggest doing a video about Mers-El-Kebir.

[@howardjohnson2138]

On one of my visits to Neuschwanstein, the tour guide said that Bavaria had almost been bankrupt by Ludwig, but one of the tourists quickly reminded him that tourists are now making repayment in spades and then some.

[@skydiverclassc2031]

10:25 I can just imagine Ludwig watching The Ride of the Valkyries, and running around the room in a Viking helmet, carrying a spear, and singing along with the orchestra: "Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit...."

[@davidbuie3316]

The History Guy is the best thing on KZbin.

[@constipatedinsincity4424]

Thank you Playboy for the great video once again!

[@jewelrybag4557]

A king that abhors war and is a patron of the arts is enough to earn timeless admiration.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Everything I know about king Ludwig I learned from the *Gabriel Knight Mystery*

[@dmk7700]

I was stationed in Germany from '70 - '72. I remember vividly having a bier at the base of Neuschwanstein castle, and then the long steep walk (ascent) to the castle. Stunning in it's opulence and fantasy inspiring. I could only get as high as the second set of spires on my tour due to ongoing preservation work. The view of the lake behind and forest below stays with me to this day. Deutschland uber alles!

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Seltsam ist es.....Vielen Dank in der Tat.....My friend....!

[@katarinarepinski9979]

The joke my mom always said was: Ludwig bankrupted the Bavarian state in his lifetime, so that they (the castles) could make a profit from tourists. (e.g. comments about people’s visit) Having spent my childhood summers in Bavaria and have visited several of Ludwig’s castles. Herrenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein were my favorites. They are both unfinished at the time of Ludwig’s death, and you can still see that when you visit. I’m not sure if he’s previously covered Sissi. Sissi is just as famous as Ludwig in Bavaria.

[@nealsterling8151]

Excellent Episode! I guess he was just ahead of his time and pretty excentric. This and his childhood, being raised to be king back then, gave him some weird perspective on things (trying to be an autocrat for example). Under different circumstances i'm sure he would have loved todays richness of Fantasy literature and movies. Giving him the chance to see "the Lord of the Rings" movies would have knocked his socks off.

[@jeffcolorado]

There's actually a very entertaining board game called "The Castles of Mad King Ludwig".

[@craigandsnowwadam4511]

I’ve never heard that before!! I will google it! Thanks friend!

[@jamesmiller4184]

Oh! Fascinating! Must GET a copy! Thank you, dear good Jeff! 🌟

[@k8zhd]

An excellent story - worthy of an opera in itself. And THG's evident enthusiasm and delight in telling the story is part of the fun.

[@turdferguson2839]

I'm no expert but it sounds like he suffered from Peter Pan syndrome, he was a man who never grew up. He loved fairytales, afraid of responsibility, uninterested in sex and spoiled himself are all clear signs of Peter pan syndrome. He wasn't crazy or mad, he just had the mind of a child.

[@e.vanl.]

Mostly but I also believe instead of having no interest in sex he was just gay.

[@virginiameyer4862]

This was wonderful to hear! Last week I finished reading the book "Empress Sisi", in which the author wrote of how fond the Empress was of her cousin. Since reading the book I have been looking for content on the Empress and her family, as I have become very facinated by her.

[@USSRBot]

I don't think I would go for a walk with someone I just certified insane.

[@kesmarn]

LOL! Excellent point.

[@USSRBot]

@MJW ROFL best reply

[@113dmg9]

Excellent. As always!

[@ThomasGanterPrien]

Where I live we have another of Ludwig IIs castles - Herrenchiemsee. Here Ludwig wanted to recreate Versailles on an Island, never finished more than 9 rooms, and did not even spend a dozen days in total. But what you fail to mention is that, in his last will and testament, he decreed to have all his castles demolished in order to not have them „soiled“ by peasants. Glad that the bavarian state chose to ignore that will, based on Ludwigs insanity, ...

[@nippolitica]

I was there last year! Friends of mine live in Prien am Chiemsee!

[@ThomasGanterPrien]

@@nippolitica Well, so do I.

[@katarinarepinski9979]

The joke my mom always said was: Ludwig bankrupted the Bavarian state in his lifetime, so that they (the castles) could make a profit from tourists. (I spent my summers in Bavaria visiting my oma).

[@nippolitica]

@@ThomasGanterPrien yes, I gathered that, which Is why I said I was there last year!

[@nippolitica]

@@katarinarepinski9979 LOL. My friends said the same thing. The husband is a Ludwig fan. Has several portraits of Ludwig around the house. After I came back from the palace, he asked me "And how was our Mad King Ludwig? Still as Mad as ever?" It's a beautiful area, in general, and I was lucky to stay there for as many days as I did.

[@timramsey5800]

What a nice story very much enjoyed

[@johncashwell1024]

I'd say, solely based on those crazy hairstyles, King Ludwig II was definitely nuts! Seriously though, he definitely seems to have had a hard time dealing with people and attending his duties, which by itself doesn't prove anything, but taken together with all the other evidence does point to some mental illness. To be fair, he really should have been interviewed in person by the certifying physician. Great video as always THG!

[@davidlogan4329]

Gudden was a stooge. He was used by Lutz and Luitpold to overthrow Ludwig. That's why he never saw Ludwig. His report was total nonsense.

[@akamai897]

Thank you for this enlightening and entertaining albeit tragic story. Whenever I hear the famous quote "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.", I am reminded of the observation by German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, which serves to further emphasize the point: "“We learn from history that we do not learn from history”. Regarding the king's "madness", Aristotle had this to say: "There is no great genius without a touch of madness." It's a good kind of madness that patronizes the arts.

[@firelight193]

I wonder how many kings are know as the mad king.

[@scubaguy007]

The North remembers. 😉

[@joefinberg8387]

"We've had vicious kings, and we've had idiot kings...but I don't know if we've ever been cursed with a vicious idiot for a king!"

[@justaroot4315]

Or the bloody...Bloody Mary, Nicholas the Bloody...its all so similar. Narratives