Postcard DE-1376913

Ludwig II. (sometimes rendered as Louis II in English) [25 August 1845 – 13 June 1886] was King of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death. He is sometimes called the Swan King and the Fairy tale King (der Märchenkönig).

Ludwig II. is best known as an eccentric whose legacy is intertwined with the history of art and architecture. He commissioned the construction of two extravagant palaces and a castle, the most famous being Neuschwanstein, and was a devoted patron of the composer Richard Wagner. King Ludwig II. is generally well-liked and even revered by many Bavarians today.