Bavaria part two
As with many royal figures, Ludwig had a string of lovers. Perhaps the most famous was his Irish-born mistress, Eliza Gilbert, known by her stage name Lola Montez. When they met, he was 60 years old and she just 25. He spent millions remodeling a house for her and even tried to make her a Countess, something the Council of Ministers refused to endorse. Rather than remaining discreet, Lola began demanding more and more from Ludwig, including favors for those who had sought her patronage. Allegedly, Edward VII once said to her, in a quarrel, “I’ve spent enough on you to build a battleship!” And she replied, “And you’ve spent enough IN me to float one!”She particularly abhorred Jesuits and the Catholic Church. When she convinced Ludwig to close the Catholic university, a riot ensued. Ludwig’s entire cabinet resigned, and she had to flee to Switzerland. Ludwig was forced to abdicate in 1848, but continued his love for her until he died. She died at age 40 in 1861, and it is said that her mother traveled to New York City, where Lola had been living, to see if she could perhaps acquire some of the jewels that Ludwig had given her. Maximilian, Ludwig’s oldest son, succeeded him.
Maximilian II was studious and well read. He admired Hans-Christian Andersen, who often visited him. His marriage to Marie Friederike Hedwig, daughter of Prince William of Prussia (the fourth and youngest son of Friederich Wilhelm II), produced two sons, Ludwig II (sometimes referred to as “Mad King Ludwig”) and Otto. Unfortunately, the frequent intermarriage on both sides of the family contributed to Otto’s insanity. He was not alone in his infirmity. Alexandra, Maximilian’s sister, was convinced that she had swallowed a glass piano, which was, of course, quite uncomfortable. She also was so obsessed with cleanliness that she would only wear white so that she could see any flecks of dirt.
Ludwig II, on the other hand, was withdrawn and often lived in an imaginary world where he built castles and other grand structures. When his father died in 1864, he was anything but ready to rule. Shortly after assuming power, he met Richard Wagner Ludwig installed him in a home close to him, but Ludwig’s advisors and subjects did not appreciate their close relationship. When Prussia and Austria moved toward war, Ludwig escaped to visit his friend Wagner.
When the time came to marry, Ludwig proposed to his cousin, Sophie, but his thoughts were with Wagner, so much so that Ludwig broke the engagement. Not long after, he began the 20-year construction of Neuschwanstein Castle, much of it inspired by Wagner’s operas, whose characters form the basis of much of the internal decoration. There is speculation that Ludwig was torn between his alleged homosexuality and the Catholic Church, of which he was a member.
In 1870, Bismarck suggested to Ludwig that he recommend King Wilhelm I to serve as Kaiser. This proposal was important from Bismarck’s perspective that the Kaiser should be “recommended” by one of the “princes,” rather than the Parliament. As an incentive, Bismarck also donated a large sum of money for Ludwig’s building projects. Realizing he would not be considered for Kaiser, Ludwig began construction on his second castle, Linderhof; the building of Herrenchiemsee followed that. This continued building frenzy left him bankrupt, as he had used personal funds, not those of Bavaria.