Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-14
Bavaria's Royal Lunatic.
KING LUDWIG DEPosED By HIS UNCLE AHD
MINISTER'S.

| MUNICH, June l0.-The physicians ap-
pointed to examine the mental condition OF
King Ludwig have reported that his malady
| incapacitates him from governing properly.
j In consequence of the physicians report
Prince Luitpold, uncle to the King, has issu-
a proclamation, countersRned by the Minis.
tcrs, in which he assumes the regency and
summons the Bavarian Diet to meet on the
18th inst.
OF King Ludwig H., it has been said that
he has had only one personal and intimate
friend in bis life. That one vas the late mu-
stefan and composer, Richard Wagner, whom
Ludwig idolized The first stage perform
aace that the crazy King ever witnessed was
Wagner's "Lohengrin" He was infatuated
with it, and at once became a most liberal pat
| ron of the composer, and for Is months he
| REQUIRED the creator of the new school to re-
side at Munich, and only allowed him to de-
part when forced TO do so by his Ministers.
| The young Kings patronage was not with
drawn when Wagner was forced to go else
where. for Ludwig's bounty not only made
the musician wealthy but enabled him to pro-
duce his works at Bayreuth in the most lavish
and complete manner. This connection with
the great musician first drew attention to the
eccentricities of the handsome Bavarian
King, now a bankrupt and broken in mind
and body.
Ludwig III. was born at Nymphenbourg,
Aug. 25, l845, and succeeded to the Bavarian
throne on the sudden death of his father,
Macmillan H., March 10, 1864. His boy
hood was passed in virtual seclusion with his
eccl esiastical instructors. They allowed him
no boyish companions and no indulgence in
boyish sports and games. To these he had
recourse after he assembled the throne, and he
has been known to play at marbles for hours
with his courtiers in one Of his palaces just
outside of Munich. Of these palaces he had
seven, one of them in the Ober- Ammergau
being built in imitation of the Palace of Yer
sailles, and furnished in Louis XIV. style, in
the most extravagant manner. Gilt oalco-
MES, marble statues set in gold inches, costly
Gobein tapestries, gems OF all kinds, stoves
orDamented with agates, chandeliers studded
with diamonds. and bed which cost SIS 900
are among the features of this palace. Not
far away is hermitage built exactly like the
one described by Wagner in "Die Walkure,"
and at the foot of the meadow on which it
stands is an artificial lake, the bottom Of
which is lined with tin to prevent the water
from soaking into the porous soil. Some
distance from these two hermitages, for the
great palace was little else than that, he built
Moorish pavilion, which he called Morocco,
and which is Respondent in gold and jewelry.
The most precious ornament it contained
was a large peacock, mainly of emeralds and
turquoises, suspended from the centre of the
single room the pavilion contained. and which
is lighted by magnificent chandeliers, the
light of which is thrown back from innumer-
able mirrors lining the octagOn on all sides.
In the rear of the Louis XIV. palace is Il
cave in the depths of the mountain, known
as the Blue Grotto. This is reached by a
tunnel, and has been converted into verita-
BILE fairyland. lighted and heated artificslly
to suit the tastes of this strange monarch, who
would visit the palace and cavern at most
unexDected times. On the artificial lake, 90
lighted as to resmble lake of liquid gold,
he has been wont to sail in a golden 2ondola
made to resemble swan. To present a Sim
ulation of breeze, an ingenious steam con-
trivance WAS constructed by which the waters
were made to swish about as though real
waves produced by natural causes stirred
their surface. Still another palace of this
royal lunatic, massive and magnificent, had q
roof garden. on which he had produced al
nearly as possible the far-famed tropical gar
den of Semiramis's palace.
King Ludwig was a liberal patron of both
the music and the drama. but "by All-High
est command" all the performances he wit
n. ssed were witnessed by him alone. ant
from his royal box he enjoyed the perform
: ances, though no one on the stage could see
him His favorte play was Schiller's "Maid
of Orleans and for it's production he had
special scenery painted from his own designs,
and special costumes made. So, too, he had
"Narcisse' mounted and costumed at an ex
pense of over 100 0O0f., and had Charlotte
w offers. the famous Viepnese actress, play
the principal role. he being the only witness
The theatre was darkened, and the perform
ance began at midnight At its conclusion
he sent handsome diamond bracelet to the
actresses hotel after she had retired for rest
and Kings Chamberlain compelled her to rise
and acknowledge its receipt before he would
leave the hotel. Any other course, he an
nounced, would have greatly displeased the
monarch.
When Wagner produced his famous trilogy
the final rehearsal, which was virtually the
first performance, was witnessed by the Kins
alone in a theatre artificially darkened, the
only lights being those on the stage. Many
other operas and plays were produced under
similar circumstances, and in return the art
lists were recipients OF royal favors, rich snd
lavish, for Ludwig's generosity was unbound
ed. All Of these and similar eccentricitie,
wiped out the Kings private estate and sc
entailed the income from the civil list tha
for several years he has been at the mercy OF
money lenders, and quite recently they fore.
closed on some of his property, and the Gov
ernment, to save itself from bankruptcy, had
to refuse to give him any more advances, al
its credit, like his,was nearly gone. So now
his wonjerful summer palace, designed to b
the finest in Europe, remains partly finished
and its completion is matter of improbable
ity.
A couple of years ago King Ludwig dis
missed all his body servants, and since ther
his only attendants have been troop of ligh
cavalry. These have accompanied him every
where he went, riding beside him at full
speed, when at midnight, drawn by the fines
blooded horses in Europe, he drove abou
Munich. or from town to town in a sort o
steeplechase on wheels. He stopped fol
nothing, and his travelling was like the rush
ing of whirlwind. often leaving destruction
and even death in its track. In winter hi
drove about in a gilded sleigh. drawn BY
four black Orloff stations, beautiful. high
strung, and tireless. His eccentricties wers
numberless, and of such character that were
he not king he would long ago have beer
called "crank"
Ludwig's only brother, and the next heir L
the throne, Othon, born in l84S, has beer
insane for some time, and therefore canno
succeed to the throne The probable sue
cessor is Prince Luitpold, of the same age u
the present King, and son of Ludwig's uncle
Prince Luitpold, Field Marshal and Command
er of the Bavarian Army, q man now 6;
wears of age and who has assumed the Re