The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-08-25
THE MAD KING OF BAVARIA
HAD A MANIA FOR BUILD
ING CASTLES.
Spent Millions In These Vagaries
But He Had Belief In Wagner
Which Time Has Approved.

A sudden revival of the interest
in the extraordinary career of Lud-
wig II, the mad king of Bavaria,
has broken out, says a writer in
Loi djn Sketch. Two sensational
articles about him have appeared in
the sixpeuny magazines within the
last few months, while l have just
received from Munich the first two
parts of book by Fraulein Louise
Won Kobell, entitled KONG Lud-
wig II und die Kunst." Lunwig is
of considerable interest to English
people. To begin with, his cousin,
Prince Ludwig, son of Prince Luit-
pold, who is Regent Of Bavaria in
place of King Otto aud (who sue
ceeded Ludwig and who also be-
came insane), is married to the
Archduchess Maria Theresa, whom
the Legitimists claim to be the de
jure Queen OF England. Then poor
Ludwig himself fell in love, first
with the grandduchess, who is now
Duchess of Edinburg, and second
ly, with the Princess who is Queen
Regent of Holland to- day and sister
of the Duchess of Albany.
Ludwig inherited a love for build
ing from his grandfather, Ludwig l
and an enormous fortune from his
father with which to crafty the
craze. From first to last he spent
Ca, 600, 900 on his castles in the air.
In the gorgeousness of their design
and the splendor of their fittings
they seem to belong more to the
times of Louis XIV than to this
matter of-fact nineteenth century.
His rooms in the palace of Munich
were the first objects of his lavish
expenditure, and everything, from
the corridors, decorated with fres-
Goes of the Nibelungenlied by a
leading Bavarian artist, to the
audience chamber with its throne
of gold, is an example of the high
est art of the sculptor, the painter,
the silversmith and the architect.
Adjoining this suit of rooms is
magnificent winter garden Of which
Fraulein Won Kobell gives detail
ed description. A painting of the
Himalayas forms the background
to a grove of palms, rhododendrons,
azaleas nd orchids; brightly colour
ed birds swing upon the golden
boughs; roses hang from the glass
ROOT, lotos flowers bloom on a min
iature lake, on which floats a boat
of gold. Beyond lies a green
meadow, through which brook
meanders and on the banks of
which grow sweetly scented hya-
cinths. In this paradise the King
sometimes entertained his guests
at dinner, when softly coloured
lights illuminated the scene, and. "a
band hidden among the foliage
Ilayed melodies from Wagner's
operas.
Early in his reign Ludwig wish
ed to build a magnificent opera
house for Munich, with a road and
a bridge over the, Isar connecting
it with the palace. The plans were
drawn and the estimate for carrying
them out amounted to 5000, ooc
guldens. The Treasury officials
vigorously opposed this enormous
expenditure, and the plan fel
through. Thwarted in this scheme
Ludwig determined to hencefor
ward build for his own persona
, qualification alone; in fact, Frauleir
Won Kobell tells us that he express
ed a wish that the numerous castle,
he had built should be blown up a
his death. Foremost among these
= castles is the Linderhof, SO called
hunting lodge. 1t is in the style
of the palace'at Vel sailles, and near
ly as gcrgeo Gus, with its beautift
stone facade, its lovely gardens anc
terraces, and its Temple of Venus
In most spots in Bavaria some mas
terpiece may be found to reminC
, the inhabitants of their mad ant
splendor loving king, and none i
more striking than the colossal rep
resentation in stone Of the crucifix
ion erected on hill at Oberbam
mergau, and presented to the in
habitants by Ludwig in remember
ance of one Of his visits there. Wha
Europe really owes him is his dar
> ing beliefin Wagner at time wheI
the great composer was believed t