Memorial Cross at the site where the body of Ludwig II was found in the Starnberger LakeOn this day in 1886, King Ludwig II of Bavaria was found dead in Lake Starnberg near Munich under mysterious circumstances. Ludwig II is somewhat of a tragic figure, overtaken by the events of history and largely forgotten today. Here's some more from Wikipedia:
Ludwig II (Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm (August 25, 1845 – June 13, 1886) was king of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death. He is sometimes referred to as the Swan King in English and der Märchenkönig (the Fairy tale King) in German.
Ludwig is sometimes referred to as Mad King Ludwig, though the accuracy of that label has been disputed. Because Ludwig was deposed on grounds of mental illness without any medical examination, and died a day later under mysterious circumstances, questions about the medical "diagnosis" remain controversial.
Ludwig is best known as an eccentric whose legacy is intertwined with the history of art and architecture, as he commissioned the construction of several extravagant fantasy castles (the most famous being Neuschwanstein) and was a devoted patron of the composer Richard Wagner.
Although Ludwig II was criticized for the financial extravagance of building Neuschwanstein, the money brought in from tourism has more than paid for intial construction costs and today it's a major tourist attaction in Bavaria.
Portrait by Gabriel Schachinger, 1887
An 1890s photochrom print of Schloss Neuschwanstein
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