Ludwig II ruled Bavaria from 1845 until his mysterious death in 1886. Ludwig was a very eccentric and shy king, who disliked social functions, having been raised as a christian he also had a hard time accepting his homosexuality. He built the most famous castles in Germany (including the Neuschwanstein), his own fairy-tale world, using his own fortune. Ludwig had a passion for the arts, and especially for Richard Wagner. A great lover of Wagner’s music, the King paid all his debts and financed him so he could compose more works, such as the Tristan und Isolde. However, one of the most mysterious aspects of this enigmatic King is his death.
Ludwig died on June 13th 1886, at the Lake Starnberg. Ludwig’s ministers were unhappy about the King’s excessive spending and debt, so they wanted a reason to depose him. They claimed that he was mentally ill and therefore unable to rule. The doctors Dr. Bernhard von Gudden, Dr. Hubert von Grashey Dr. Hagen and Dr. Hubrich, concluded that Ludwig suffered from paranoia (without ever examining him) and could no longer rule. Ludwig was then taken to Berg Castle on the shores of Starnberg, together with Dr. Gudden. On June 13th, Ludwig and the doctor went alone to a walk around the castle, but they never returned. They were found dead in the lake, and the official cause of the King’s death was suicide by drowning.
However, it is very unlikely that Ludwig drowned. They were in shallow waters, he was a very good swimmer and no water was found in his lungs during the autopsy. The absence of evidence for the official cause of death gave rise to many theories on how the King really died. One of the theories suggests that Ludwig was shot trying to escape. Jakob Lidl, the King’s personal fisherman, left some notes saying that while the King tried to escape his imprisonment with the help of some loyalists, but before he could escape, he was shot and killed. Before attempting to escape, Ludwig probably killed the doctor, who was responsible for his imprisonment in the first place. However, even though some claim that the King’s coat had gunshot holes in it, the autopsy didn’t find any wounds.
Some are skeptical about the autopsy, and others suggest that Ludwig died of natural causes. The only thing we know about Ludwig’s death is that it will remain a mystery, as the King wished it to be, as he once said "I wish to remain an eternal enigma to myself and to others."
Ludwig died on June 13th 1886, at the Lake Starnberg. Ludwig’s ministers were unhappy about the King’s excessive spending and debt, so they wanted a reason to depose him. They claimed that he was mentally ill and therefore unable to rule. The doctors Dr. Bernhard von Gudden, Dr. Hubert von Grashey Dr. Hagen and Dr. Hubrich, concluded that Ludwig suffered from paranoia (without ever examining him) and could no longer rule. Ludwig was then taken to Berg Castle on the shores of Starnberg, together with Dr. Gudden. On June 13th, Ludwig and the doctor went alone to a walk around the castle, but they never returned. They were found dead in the lake, and the official cause of the King’s death was suicide by drowning.
However, it is very unlikely that Ludwig drowned. They were in shallow waters, he was a very good swimmer and no water was found in his lungs during the autopsy. The absence of evidence for the official cause of death gave rise to many theories on how the King really died. One of the theories suggests that Ludwig was shot trying to escape. Jakob Lidl, the King’s personal fisherman, left some notes saying that while the King tried to escape his imprisonment with the help of some loyalists, but before he could escape, he was shot and killed. Before attempting to escape, Ludwig probably killed the doctor, who was responsible for his imprisonment in the first place. However, even though some claim that the King’s coat had gunshot holes in it, the autopsy didn’t find any wounds.
Some are skeptical about the autopsy, and others suggest that Ludwig died of natural causes. The only thing we know about Ludwig’s death is that it will remain a mystery, as the King wished it to be, as he once said "I wish to remain an eternal enigma to myself and to others."
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