Bavaria part one
The Kingdom of Bavaria, a German state since the tenth century, became a member state of the German Confederation between 1815 and 1866 and was considered the second most important state in Imperial Germany after Prussia. Because of its size and special status, it was certainly atypical and not as representative of Prussian dominated Germany as were smaller states such as Saxony and Württemburg. Bavaria fought on Austria’s side in 1866, lost, and gave up a small enclave in Thuringia called Kaulsdorf,the Bezirksamt Gersfeld, the Landgerichtsbezirk Orband an indemnity of 30 million guilders. After the 1866 war, Prussia, opposed the suggestion that the southern states should join the North German Confederation in order not to alarm France. However, there was an offensive and defensive alliance between Bavaria and Prussia. Bavaria no longer had “a need of France,” and in the War of 1870-71, the Bavarian army joined Prussia, under the command of the Prussian Crown Prince, against France.
The Bavarian parliamentary chambers ratified the incorporation treaty on 21 January 1871, and Bavaria became a state of the German Empire, though not without considerable opposition.
However, the kingdom reserved certain separate privileges (Sonderrechte) in respect to the administration of the army, the railways, the mail, and the excise duties on beer, the rights of domicile and the insurance of real estate.The King of Bavaria was the supreme head of the Bavarian army. Though Bavaria became an integral part of the new German Empire, it reserved a larger measure of sovereign independence than any of the other constituent states. Thus, retaining a separate diplomatic service, military administration, postal, telegraph and railway systems.
Bavaria had a military treaty with Prussia from 23 November 1870. Prior to that, there was a mutual defense alliance that placed the Bavarian army under the Prussian king during time of war. What made Bavaria significantly different than the other states was that Articles 61-68 of the North German Confederation Constitution did not apply to Bavaria. As these were the military clauses, Bavaria maintained significant independence in military matters. Section IX of the Imperial German Constitution specifically references the treaty.
Ludwig I reigned as King of Bavaria from 1825-1848. The celebration of his marriage to Therèse of Saxe-Hildburghausen was the first Oktoberfest. That union produced three daughters and four sons. Ludwig I was well-educated and enjoyed literature, both classical and modern so much that he visited with Johann Wolfang von Goethe. Bavaria enjoyed many successes during his time as king. He actively supported a Bavarian constitution and was considered a moderate. He supported Greece in its war for independence and even loaned money from his private resources. His second son, Otto, was elected King of Greece in 1832, but was forced to abdicate in 1862.