King Ludwig II and His Palaces

King Ludwig II of Bavaria was born August 24, 1845 at the Nymphenburg Palace in what is now Munich, Germany. Ludwig spent most of his childhood in gorgeous royal palaces. Living in beautiful homes with the Bavarian Alps as a backdrop gave young Ludwig a vociferous appetite for theatrics and romantic architecture. From the moment Ludwig was born he was raised to be a monarch. He and his brother Otto were raised and schooled very strictly, but Ludwig was by nature a very romantic and fantastic creature.

In 1864,when Ludwig was 18 years old, Ludwig's father King Maximilian II died unexpectedly. Following his father's death Ludwig became King Ludwig II, otherwise known as The Swan King or Mad King Ludwig. King Ludwig II was ill-suited for his position as he was a recluse by nature. He desperately avoided public functions, but had an avid admiration for composer Richard Wagner. The composer wrote this of the king after their first meeting "Alas, he is so handsome and wise, soulful and lovely, that I fear his life must melt away in this vulgar world like a fleeting dream of the gods."  Read more of this article.  Image Source.