What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mad King: The Life and Times of Ludwig II of Bavaria
On August 25, 1995, the German Republic celebrated the 150th anniversary of the birth of the most scorned and most beloved monarch of modern Ludwig II.
As a child, though physically beautiful, Ludwig was withdrawn and silent. Entering his teenage years, he determined that his desires were directed toward young men rather than the numerous girls presented as potential wives. Following a broken engagement to Princess Sophie of Austria, Ludwig never again considered marriage.
After ascending the throne at the age of eighteen, Ludwig became devoted to his major music and architecture. Captivated by the music of Richard Wagner, the young king formed a bond with the composer and became his benefactor, enabling Wagner to create and produce his great operas. The royal love for architecture resulted in some of the world's most admired castles as well as the most extravagant. Berg, Hohenschwangau Castle, and Linderhof were jewels, but his crowning achievement, Neuschwanstein, rivaled any other on the continent, a monumental creation second only to the Hermitage.
An intemperate ruler, Ludwig changed the course of European history almost against his will. He launched Bavaria into two wars, and, with Bismarck, created the German Second Reich. As Prussia's power grew, he watched the newly unified country come under the sway of the Hohenzollerns rather than his own Wittelsbachs. He assuaged his disappointment by lavishing more of his treasury on art and on funding a new opera house for Wagner's work. He would frequently watch a Ring performance as the sole member of the audience. His own government and family plotted against him, called him mad, and forcibly overthrew him. After a single day at a sanatorium and a prolonged visit with a doctor, he vanished. His body was found in a lonely lake outside Munich. Was it suicide? Or murder?
As a child, though physically beautiful, Ludwig was withdrawn and silent. Entering his teenage years, he determined that his desires were directed toward young men rather than the numerous girls presented as potential wives. Following a broken engagement to Princess Sophie of Austria, Ludwig never again considered marriage.
After ascending the throne at the age of eighteen, Ludwig became devoted to his major music and architecture. Captivated by the music of Richard Wagner, the young king formed a bond with the composer and became his benefactor, enabling Wagner to create and produce his great operas. The royal love for architecture resulted in some of the world's most admired castles as well as the most extravagant. Berg, Hohenschwangau Castle, and Linderhof were jewels, but his crowning achievement, Neuschwanstein, rivaled any other on the continent, a monumental creation second only to the Hermitage.
An intemperate ruler, Ludwig changed the course of European history almost against his will. He launched Bavaria into two wars, and, with Bismarck, created the German Second Reich. As Prussia's power grew, he watched the newly unified country come under the sway of the Hohenzollerns rather than his own Wittelsbachs. He assuaged his disappointment by lavishing more of his treasury on art and on funding a new opera house for Wagner's work. He would frequently watch a Ring performance as the sole member of the audience. His own government and family plotted against him, called him mad, and forcibly overthrew him. After a single day at a sanatorium and a prolonged visit with a doctor, he vanished. His body was found in a lonely lake outside Munich. Was it suicide? Or murder?
335 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1996
4 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
About the author
Greg King
35 books168 followersGreg King (born 1964) is an American author, best known for his biographies of prominent historical figures.
He is the author of eleven internationally published works of royal and social history, specializing in late Imperial Russia and Edwardian-era royalty, including The Fate of the Romanovs, The Court of the Last Tsar, and the UK bestseller The Duchess of Windsor. A frequent onscreen expert and commentator for historical documentaries, his work has appeared in Majesty Magazine, Royalty Magazine, Royalty Digest, and Atlantis Magazine.
Source: wikipedia.com & us.macmillan.com
He is the author of eleven internationally published works of royal and social history, specializing in late Imperial Russia and Edwardian-era royalty, including The Fate of the Romanovs, The Court of the Last Tsar, and the UK bestseller The Duchess of Windsor. A frequent onscreen expert and commentator for historical documentaries, his work has appeared in Majesty Magazine, Royalty Magazine, Royalty Digest, and Atlantis Magazine.
Source: wikipedia.com & us.macmillan.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 20, 2010
I'm thinking of making an HISTORICALLY INACCURATE movie about Ludwig II so I read this for some inspiration. I think there're probably alotof bios of Ludwig so I don't know how this compares to the rest but it struck me as somewhat bland. Despite this, I still became way more interested in the subject than I ever had been before. Not much to say about it otherwise. If you're interested in opera, & interested in Wagner, then you'll probably be interested in Ludwig II.
July 21, 2013
“Fu oggetto di maldicenze,fu chiamato pazzo,fu vittima di complotti e tradimenti…e tutto questo perche’ si era rifiutato di sottomettersi alle convenienze,di vivere la propria vita secondo quanto gli altri si aspettavano.”
Timido e sensibile, amante della natura, della poesia e della musica, protettore di Wagner, e - elemento non secondario nella sua biografia - omosessuale, Ludwig provo’ sempre una una forte avversione per l’ottocento, non solo per il mondo dei genitori, ma anche per le ostili realta’della vita moderna in tutta Europa..ne detestava tutti gli aspetti…provava una grande antipatia per i funzionari di corte e i membri del governo bavarese e aveva, invece, simpatia per i contadini che incontrava nelle campagne…
L’educazione ricevuta aveva contribuito a farne un giovane istruito e riflessivo..e per mezzo dell’arte di Wagner riusciva a fuggire da una realta’ opprimente ed immergersi in un modo di pura fantasia popolato dai suoi eroi preferiti..
Con il tempo l’amore per la solitudine e l’avversione per i suoi doveri di re lo portarono a isolarsi sempre piu..
Grande appassionato di arte e architettura , investi’ tempo e denaro nella progettazione e realizzazione di magnifici castelli, attraveso i quali dare forma ai propri sogni.
In questa ottima biografia l’autore riesce a descrivere la personalita’ complessa di Ludwig , mostrando le passioni e i tormenti di questa figura così misteriosa…L'autore ne riconosce i difetti, ma al tempo stesso ne ammira i pregi..
Ampio spazio viene dedicato al contesto storico-politico e ai forti legami di Ludwig con la cugina Elisabetta d’Austria e il compositore Wagner...
“Le speranze che aveva inizialmente suscitato e la sua straordinaria bellezza ne avevano fatto per il popolo bavarese un eroe romantico; la sua esistenza da recluso, i favolosi castelli, le corse notturne in slitte dorate e la morte misteriosa lo trasformarono in un mito moderno.”
Timido e sensibile, amante della natura, della poesia e della musica, protettore di Wagner, e - elemento non secondario nella sua biografia - omosessuale, Ludwig provo’ sempre una una forte avversione per l’ottocento, non solo per il mondo dei genitori, ma anche per le ostili realta’della vita moderna in tutta Europa..ne detestava tutti gli aspetti…provava una grande antipatia per i funzionari di corte e i membri del governo bavarese e aveva, invece, simpatia per i contadini che incontrava nelle campagne…
L’educazione ricevuta aveva contribuito a farne un giovane istruito e riflessivo..e per mezzo dell’arte di Wagner riusciva a fuggire da una realta’ opprimente ed immergersi in un modo di pura fantasia popolato dai suoi eroi preferiti..
Con il tempo l’amore per la solitudine e l’avversione per i suoi doveri di re lo portarono a isolarsi sempre piu..
Grande appassionato di arte e architettura , investi’ tempo e denaro nella progettazione e realizzazione di magnifici castelli, attraveso i quali dare forma ai propri sogni.
In questa ottima biografia l’autore riesce a descrivere la personalita’ complessa di Ludwig , mostrando le passioni e i tormenti di questa figura così misteriosa…L'autore ne riconosce i difetti, ma al tempo stesso ne ammira i pregi..
Ampio spazio viene dedicato al contesto storico-politico e ai forti legami di Ludwig con la cugina Elisabetta d’Austria e il compositore Wagner...
“Le speranze che aveva inizialmente suscitato e la sua straordinaria bellezza ne avevano fatto per il popolo bavarese un eroe romantico; la sua esistenza da recluso, i favolosi castelli, le corse notturne in slitte dorate e la morte misteriosa lo trasformarono in un mito moderno.”
March 17, 2020
A well written book on a fascinating man, who has left us some of the most beautiful castles in Europe. A sad story, though an interesting one. Now I want to go back to Germany again...
June 21, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
I found this far more readable than McIntosh’s biography.
I found this far more readable than McIntosh’s biography.
June 9, 2019
This is a sad book to read, because the subject, Ludwig II of Bavaria, indeed had serious mental health problems. In addition, his upbringing was appalling, reinforcing every action that made him feel like a omnipotent god-designated ruler.
These were poor characteristics to have in the latter part of the 1800s in the turbulent Germany principalities. Ludwig came to the throne at 18, never had any impulse control, spent huge sums of money on support for Wagner. As he aged, he became less willing to perform any of the elements of his role, hid in his increasingly elaborate new palaces, and tried to rule by fiat in a country that actually had a democratic form of government.
Sad story of a chaotic life.
These were poor characteristics to have in the latter part of the 1800s in the turbulent Germany principalities. Ludwig came to the throne at 18, never had any impulse control, spent huge sums of money on support for Wagner. As he aged, he became less willing to perform any of the elements of his role, hid in his increasingly elaborate new palaces, and tried to rule by fiat in a country that actually had a democratic form of government.
Sad story of a chaotic life.
February 6, 2015
I loved this biography of Ludwig II. We had visited his castles in Bavaria, and the tour guide had alluded to some events and relationships that made big impressions on him, and I wanted to know more. I browsed the book, not intending on reading it cover to cover. I got started and couldn't put it down.
October 25, 2022
The book is a key to view inside the life of the enigmatic “mad king” who is still remembered through his famous palaces in Munich.
Ludwig II was an uncontainable soul in pursuit of creative freedom throughout his short life. He grew up removed from his parents, a normal world, and love and affection. Their paucity in his heart led him into a niche where he dwelled in fantasy. Books, Wagner’s opera, Louis IV, V, VI, Bourbon dynasty, Schriller, Shakespeare and other romantic ideals enriched his world of imagination.
Unfortunately, destiny interrupted and devised other plans for him. Following King Maxmillian II’s death, the burden of the Crown fell on him at a very young age. His imaginations stifled under its weight. His world got hurt by the whip of reality. Landtag, government, Franco-Prussian war, the rise of Bismarck, compromise on his sovereign authority, broken engagement with Sophie and his homosexual desires: Ludwig’s life was never without challenges and problems. The only way he dealt with them was by evasion. He snoozed his day life and lived at nights, mostly riding on his horse in the woods.
As much as Ludwig was and still is an enigma to us, his death was more so than the man himself. The government conspired on a coup and dethroned him, confined him under surveillance, and silenced all the evidences that shed light on his death. The more I read about Ludwig, the stronger I was convinced that he was as sensible a King could have been.
Ludwig II was an uncontainable soul in pursuit of creative freedom throughout his short life. He grew up removed from his parents, a normal world, and love and affection. Their paucity in his heart led him into a niche where he dwelled in fantasy. Books, Wagner’s opera, Louis IV, V, VI, Bourbon dynasty, Schriller, Shakespeare and other romantic ideals enriched his world of imagination.
Unfortunately, destiny interrupted and devised other plans for him. Following King Maxmillian II’s death, the burden of the Crown fell on him at a very young age. His imaginations stifled under its weight. His world got hurt by the whip of reality. Landtag, government, Franco-Prussian war, the rise of Bismarck, compromise on his sovereign authority, broken engagement with Sophie and his homosexual desires: Ludwig’s life was never without challenges and problems. The only way he dealt with them was by evasion. He snoozed his day life and lived at nights, mostly riding on his horse in the woods.
As much as Ludwig was and still is an enigma to us, his death was more so than the man himself. The government conspired on a coup and dethroned him, confined him under surveillance, and silenced all the evidences that shed light on his death. The more I read about Ludwig, the stronger I was convinced that he was as sensible a King could have been.
August 6, 2022
Creo que no es una mala introducción a la vida del rey Ludwig II, pero se centró demasiado en la relación de este con el compositor Richard Wagner, y honestamente es una de las cosas que menos me interesan de Ludwig. Hubiera preferido mayor enfoque en el rey y su familia, y su relación con el Príncipe Paul de Thurn und Taxis y Richard Hornig. También odié la descripción que hace King de la Duquesa Sophie, my girl deserves better.
También esta biografía se apoya demasiado en biografías anteriores, al punto en que por momentos las citaba tanto que me pregunté por qué estaba leyendo esta y no las biografías de Werner Ritcher y Desmond Chapman-Huston. Aún así no creo que haya sido un desperdicio, pero me dejó con ganas de más.
También esta biografía se apoya demasiado en biografías anteriores, al punto en que por momentos las citaba tanto que me pregunté por qué estaba leyendo esta y no las biografías de Werner Ritcher y Desmond Chapman-Huston. Aún así no creo que haya sido un desperdicio, pero me dejó con ganas de más.
March 1, 2025
A good look at the life of Bavaria's most famous monarch, King Ludwig II. Greg King brings the Bavarian court to life as he describes in vivid detail the way of life under Ludwig. We are treated to sumptuous descriptions of his architectural achievements as well as of the various ceremonies surrounding the court. We also see how the theatrically inclined Ludwig's personality was shaped by music/theater.
Though the book can get a bit dry when delving into Ludwig's relationship with famed composer Richard Wagner, it is well worth reading for its glimpse into a bygone era.
Though the book can get a bit dry when delving into Ludwig's relationship with famed composer Richard Wagner, it is well worth reading for its glimpse into a bygone era.
August 5, 2020
Fascinating biography - does a very good job of not only covering Ludwig's life but also putting him in the right context to understand his actions and environment. The coverage of his death, while speculative, is quite interesting and rather plausible and does a good job of analyzing the circumstances without veering into sensationalism or over-speculation.
March 29, 2025
Un personaggio favoloso questo Ludwig, di una sensibilità estrema. La follia è quella del mondo, un luogo troppo miserabile per anime così grandi. E Luigi II, soggetto affascinante, è raccontato in questa biografia con precisione e tatto, eleganza e poesia.
Una lettura piacevolissima e ricca di preziose informazioni.
Una lettura piacevolissima e ricca di preziose informazioni.
October 14, 2023
Una bella e appassionante biografia di uno dei monarchi più affascinanti e misteriosi dell'Ottocento. Datata, ma non credo siano stati fatti grandi passi avanti sul "cold case" della morte di Ludwig II.
July 11, 2023
fascinating take on a v interesting life
June 4, 2015
"Mi sento così abbandonato e solo su questa terra, come un relitto di tempi migliori, gettato nel presente che odio e dove mi sentirò sempre uno straniero", scrisse Ludwig una volta. Era un sentimento che descriveva perfettamente il modo in cui egli concepiva la vita, un sentimento con il quale sua cugina, l'imperatrice Elisabetta, poteva facilmente identificarsi. Era lei, più di qualunque altro - più della regina, di Wagner, Taxis o Hornig - che aveva compreso la strana natura del re, i suoi ideali romantici e il suo estraniamento dalle realtà del diciannovesimo secolo che lo avevano spinto a rifugiarsi in un mondo di sogni, da cui era esclusa ogni voce ostile. Soltanto lei avrebbe compreso le famose parole del cugino, che rimangono come il suo epitaffio nella storia: "E' certamente comprensibile che, a volte, io sia preso da una violenta febbre di rabbia e di odio e con disgusto volti le spalle al mondo circostante, che ha così poco da offrirmi. Forse un giorno sarò in pace con questa terra, quando saranno distrutti tutti gli ideali le cui sacre fiamme mi sono così care. Ma non desideratelo mai! Voglio rimanere un eterno enigma, per me stesso e per gli altri".
October 19, 2014
10/18/2014 Public Library
This was a wonderfully written biography of King Ludwig II. After visiting Linderhof and Neuschwanstein myself I had many questions about his life. I'm so glad to have picked this up even if there are so many questions we may never find answers to. "Ludwig had little interest in things scientific and practical, for his was a world of imagination and history." - King
This was a wonderfully written biography of King Ludwig II. After visiting Linderhof and Neuschwanstein myself I had many questions about his life. I'm so glad to have picked this up even if there are so many questions we may never find answers to. "Ludwig had little interest in things scientific and practical, for his was a world of imagination and history." - King
April 18, 2012
Beautiful book about a beautiful, haunted young man. A lot of kings were declared mad, but Ludwig II wasn't mad. He was simply born in the wrong century and misunderstood by those around him. God rest his soul.
March 27, 2023
3S=bello. Saggio storico che mi ha mostrato quanto poco sapessi dell'Europa, in particolare della odierna Germania, tra gli anni 1815 e 1870. Personaggio strano e per molti versi affascinante Luigi II di Baviera cui dobbiamo la tetralogia di Wagner.
Read
September 14, 2015A very readable biography about one of Munich's more colorful kings. Everyone--it seems--visits his unfinished castle. More should learn about his intriguing life. Tour guides barely touch upon it all!
August 22, 2007
Wow, what a crazy guy! I'm so glad I didn't know him. And yet...because of him there's the Cinderella castle.
July 19, 2012
This is a wonderful Ludwig II biography. It has a lot of great content, and it is superbly written.
November 24, 2015
Interesting, but skipping around in time hurts and lots of description without establishing a basis first.
January 30, 2020
Bellissimo libro, letto con grande interesse.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews