Behind Closed Doors
With a charismatic attitude and a good head on his shoulders, King Otto of Bavaria had the potential to be one of his kingdom’s greatest rulers. However, he had not been first in line for his father’s crown, and even when he acceded to the throne, he never actually did any ruling.
With severely complex issues plaguing his mind, his duties fell to those who ruled in his place as regents, all while they hid him away in his shocking madness.
1. He Was Early
Despite the length of his reign, the only thing that made King Otto of Bavaria stand out in history was the deteriorating state of his mind and his inability to rule as a result. However, even long before these issues arose, he wasn’t exactly in perfect physical health either. Born in 1848 to Marie of Prussia and King Maximilian II, he had difficulty from the get-go as he arrived prematurely by two months.
To make matters worse, his childhood was nothing but further misery.
2. They Barely Spoke
Sadly, although they were part of the most powerful family in the country, Otto and his brother Ludwig grew up without the one thing they truly needed—a loving home. Most of their days were spent surrounded by their instructors or the castle’s staff, as their parents preferred to pretend the two princes didn’t exist.
Even when they paid attention, it was way too far in the opposite direction.
3. They Were Extremely Particular
In the times when it became necessary for Otto’s parents to acknowledge him and his brother, the scales tipped completely to the other extreme. Both their mother and father would become strict in their own ways, with Marie demanding that the boys only dress in their assigned colors—Otto in red and Ludwig in red. As Ludwig was the eldest and heir to the throne, King Maximilian was especially harsh toward him.
And so Otto became no stranger to loneliness.
4. They Went Away
Even summer was likely an isolating time for young Otto. In Berchtesgaden, a Royal Villa had already been built there specifically for Maximilian, but from 1853 to 1863, he and Marie had their sons stay there over each summer. With such a tumultuous childhood, it’s no surprise that Otto began to act a bit strangely.
5. He Started To Feel Off
Otto of Bavaria may have gained a reputation for his madness later in life, but he was far from the only member of his line who had a brush with mental health issues. Coming from the House of Wittelsbach, his family had a reputation for being somewhat peculiar, and he soon proved he was no different.
As the years passed, he began to act more bizarrely, mostly exemplified by his habit of staring off and becoming unresponsive, seemingly at random. Nonetheless, he continued to serve Bavaria in ways befitting a prince.
6. He Joined The Service
As expected of him, Otto entered the Bavarian army when he was about 15 years old, and he quickly rose through he ranks. This was probably due to his being a prince, as he received a major promotion mere months after joining—and a little over a year later, he reached the rank of full lieutenant.
Ahead of him, Ludwig took his duties just as seriously.
7. His Brother Rose Up
It’s hard to say whether there was any love lost between father and sons when King Maximilian passed in 1864, but either way, it meant a change in Bavarian leadership. The elder prince then took the throne, becoming King Ludwig II, and Otto had his own advancement two years later as he achieved the rank of Captain.
Unfortunately, it’s at this point that everything really went downhill.
8. He Was Scarred For Life
Entering active service in 1866, Otto of Bavaria finally tasted combat during the numerous battles he fought in conflicts against Prussia and France. Serving for about five years, the last two of which he commanded his men as Colonel, Otto saw horrors that would plague his mind for the rest of his days, and he returned an utterly changed man.
However, he still tried to serve Ludwig as best he could.
9. They Were His Emissaries
Otto of Bavaria may have been dealing with some staggering inner demons, but he still did everything his brother asked of him, whether on the battlefield or in the world of politics. For instance, when Wilhelm I became the first emperor of Germany, Ludwig wanted no part of the celebration, so he sent Otto and their uncle, Luitpold, in his place.
Needless to say, the younger royal didn’t have a good time.
10. He Was Deeply Offended
Likely stemming from their relationship with their Prussian mother, both Otto and Ludwig had a deep disdain for that side of the family. Likewise, they couldn’t stand the lofty ambitions of their relatives, adamantly opposing the creation of the German Empire, even if Otto still had to attend the celebrations.
Still, he wasn’t quiet about his displeasure.
11. He Wrote To Him
Otto of Bavaria and his uncle disagreed on their views about the Prussian royals, so while Luitpold likely enjoyed the festivities, Otto had no qualms about broadcasting his feelings. Writing to Ludwig, Otto could only complain about his miserable time at the ceremony, and how “flaunty and ostentatious and heartless” it had felt.
Unfortunately, things between the brothers began to change drastically.
12. They Drifted Apart
Although Otto’s father had mostly aimed his tyranny at Ludwig during their childhood, the two brothers bonded early on through the shared trauma they endured. As such, when it was finally time for Ludwig to take the throne, people noticed his close bond with Otto. However, as the years of his reign continued, something in their relationship shifted, and the brothers slowly became more like strangers to each other.
It didn’t help that they had less and less in common.
13. They Were Too Different
As king, Ludwig was much more front and center than his younger brother, but it was clear that he would have preferred it the other way around. The two of them had surprisingly mismatched personalities, with Otto being the far more sociable and cheery one, while Ludwig was mostly timid.
This was, at least, until Otto returned from his years of service.
14. He Became Worse
While Otto of Bavaria had already shown signs of his declining mental health during his time in active duty, it all worsened after he came back from fighting in the Franco-Prussian conflict. The trauma he experienced on the battlefield kept him from sleeping properly, and while he would appear stable for short stretches of time, he would otherwise behave erratically.
To Ludwig, this had bigger repercussions than Otto’s own well-being.
15. He Needed Him
Although they were no longer as close as they once were, the King grew ever more concerned over Otto’s state of mind, but he also had another reason for his anxiety. Ludwig had always hidden his homosexuality, but he never married, and thus depended on Otto to have a son who would serve as the next heir.
Sadly, he could only watch as his brother spiraled further into madness.
16. He Lost His Mind
What began as bouts of Otto’s insomnia or confusion quickly turned into far more serious behavior that made others fear he was dangerous to them—or even himself. It's said that he would often fall into delusions and would spend his days barking or screaming, or even knocking his head against the castle walls.
Of course, Ludwig wasn’t the only one keeping tabs on his brother.
17. They Watched Him
Wanting to help Otto of Bavaria with every resource available, Ludwig had his brother placed under medical supervision, and his doctors officially designated him as “mentally ill” in 1872. However, the Prussian government had also taken an interest in Otto’s decline, and their Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, planted his own people around the prince to keep him informed.
Clearly, even those closest to him weren’t always trustworthy.
18. He Had A Suspicious Doctor
Ludwig tried to get Otto the best treatment possible, and Dr Bernhard von Gudden seemed like the ideal choice to be the prince’s attending physician. However, history hasn’t looked as kindly upon the doctor, and his judgment has become subject to skepticism. Most of this doubt comes from the fact that he later declared Ludwig himself mentally ill—despite never actually examining the king.
His treatment plan was even more questionable.
19. He Barely Helped Him
Gudden was meant to be a well-respected doctor who was brought on to help Otto in any way he could, but what treatment the prince received was seriously lacking, to say the least. In fact, it’s difficult to refer to the steps taken by Gudden as any sort of actual treatment, since all he did was continue to feed Otto medicine intended to sedate him.
In reality, there’s a good chance he had chilling ulterior motives.
20. He Could Have Done More
Looking back at Otto’s story through the lens of the modern day, it may be easy to think that medicine simply hadn’t advanced enough to treat whatever he was suffering from properly. In truth, however, several accounts from this time mentioned that Gudden had other treatment options, but chose to ignore them.
His own political leanings certainly don’t help the case for his neglect.
21. They Had Opposing Views
While there’s always the chance that Gudden was simply in over his head and was unsure how to treat Otto’s illness, this is unlikely. As many historians have pointed out, the doctor did not share the same disapproval of Prussia’s ambitions as Otto and Ludwig, but instead was a staunch advocate of the kingdom’s dominance.
Additionally, there may have been another mind behind it all.
22. He May Have Orchestrated It
Seeing as Prussia’s Chancellor Bismarck was already spying on Otto’s treatment, or lack thereof, it isn’t a stretch to imagine that he had some part in Gudden’s negligence. As both Otto and Ludwig were never shy about criticizing Prussia, this could have been the first step of Bismarck’s plan to eliminate both brothers.
Even this may not have been the extent of his scheme.
23. He Wanted A Puppet
The frequent badmouthing from the two royal brothers was likely the source of great outrage among the leaders of Prussia, but Bismarck allegedly had a more complex motive. Like Gudden, Luitpold also supported Prussia and would have been perfect for Bismarck to install in Ludwig’s place to exert control from behind the scenes.
Whatever the case, it was clear that Otto of Bavaria wasn’t getting any better.
24. He Interrupted The Service
Despite any larger scheme at work, the state of Otto’s mental health had still greatly declined, and anyone who doubted this would soon eat their words on one night in 1875. During the Corpus Christi Mass, those attending suddenly turned in shock to see Otto storm into the church, dressed head to toe in hunting clothes.
Unfortunately, this was the last straw.
25. He Was Taken Away
Bringing the proceedings of the Corpus Christi Mass to a halt, Otto of Bavaria ran up to Archbishop Gregor von Scherr and collapsed to his knees in front of him. Over and over, the prince begged the archbishop to forgive his sins until two ministers escorted him out. Fortunately, Otto didn’t make any more fuss, but this incident convinced his family that more drastic measures were necessary.
This wasn’t the last time the public saw him, though.
26. They Appeared Together Again
While Ludwig and his staff were dealing with Otto’s medical care behind closed doors, Bavaria’s citizens mostly saw the prince whenever he had more public incidents. Luckily, his final appearance in front of his people was much less dramatic and was spent beside Ludwig at the 1875 King’s Parade.
With that, he said goodbye to his freedom forever.
27. They Locked Him Up
Given Otto’s most recent behavior, his family believed that there was no other option but to keep him under intense care, likely for the rest of his life. After spending the next few years being treated in various locations, his deteriorating condition prompted Ludwig to place him permanently in the Fürstenried Palace in 1883.
Still, his living conditions remained better than most.
28. He Had Nice Accommodations
Although medicine at this time wasn’t as primitive as some may expect, largely—and ironically—due to the progressive efforts of Dr von Gudden, it still had a ways to go. Those the authorities deemed mentally ill would often find themselves institutionalized under harsh conditions—but being a member of royalty, Otto of Bavaria didn’t have to worry about that. Compared to most facilities at the time, Fürstenried Palace was a paradise.
Even at this point, his brother was still looking out for him.
29. He Was Taken Care Of
Regardless of any malicious intent, Otto’s medical staff still had to follow the word of King Ludwig, which meant that—at the very least—he was never the victim of mistreatment. Beyond the fact that Ludwig had the palace modified specifically to house the ailing prince, he explicitly ordered that no one would ever be violent towards Otto.
Regrettably, not everyone was as sympathetic.
30. She Refused To Visit
Even though both Ludwig and Otto were now adults and had both served their country, their mother still had nothing but disdain for them. Granted, they often spoke ill of her entire side of the family, but regardless, while Ludwig made a point to see Otto from time to time, the former Queen avoided visiting her son for the rest of her life.
Today, there may be an answer to the question of his illness.
31. He Received A Diagnosis
Contemporary doctors didn’t have more specific terms to diagnose someone like Otto of Bavaria, so in 1886, all the senior royal medical officer did was change the prince’s condition to “severely mentally ill”. In the modern day, some have argued that he suffered from complications due to syphilis, but other scholars have generally diagnosed him with schizophrenia.
Meanwhile, Ludwig was in the middle of his own dilemma.
32. He Wanted Them Out
Around this time, King Ludwig was dealing with issues much more personal than Otto’s sickness, as he was in massive debt due to his own reckless spending. Trying to reason with him, the ministers in his cabinet urged him to start managing his money more frugally, but he was having none of it. Tired of their constant badgering, Ludwig intended to replace each minister with more agreeable members.
Unbeknownst to him, they were already plotting his downfall.
33. He Made A Promise
Just as Ludwig had grown tired of his cabinet, his ministers had become fed up with his leadership and began planning to dethrone him, but they needed assurances. They planned to accuse him of insanity, but they couldn’t remove him from power without someone else to take his place. Fortunately, Luitpold agreed to take over the throne, but only if the ministers came up with evidence of Ludwig’s allegedly poor mental state.
As it happened, they had a plan for that.
34. They Schemed Behind His Back
For months, those conspiring against Ludwig compiled a report, which stated that his mental faculties were quickly growing worse. This wasn’t too hard a sell considering Otto’s history, and especially since many who contributed and signed off on the report were otherwise seen as trustworthy—such as Gudden—but were Ludwig’s enemies in reality.
At this point, all they needed to do was pull the trigger.
35. He Started His New Position
Even though the conspirators had covered all their bases, their plan wasn’t perfect, and Ludwig nearly escaped their clutches after learning of the report against him. However, they were able to catch up to him and took him into custody in June 1886, claiming he was insane. While Ludwig technically remained king, the authorities locked him away, and Luitpold took over the rule of Bavaria as his regent.
As fate would have it, he wouldn’t have much time to try to set things straight.
36. They Were Found Together
Giving credence to the idea that Ludwig was never actually insane, it seems his ministers weren’t willing to allow him to live out his life in captivity, like Otto of Bavaria. Just three days after his deposition, the king’s servants found his body on the shore of Lake Starnberg. To this day, it’s unknown how exactly he perished, but even more curiously, Gudden was lying lifeless next to him.
Naturally, this meant a change in leadership.
37. He Took The Crown
Although Ludwig’s enemies would have likely preferred Luitpold to take over Bavaria as king completely, the law wouldn’t allow it. As neither Ludwig nor his brother had any direct heirs, the rules dictated that Otto was next in line. Therefore, although he remained confined to his palace, he took the throne on June 13, 1886, as King Otto of Bavaria.
However, he was in the same boat as his late brother.
38. He Had Someone Represent Him
Otto of Bavaria may have officially taken the title of king, but his condition hadn’t improved much over the last few years, so he was still considered unfit to rule. This meant he continued to pose no threat to those scheming behind the throne, and as his uncle remained easy to control, Luitpold became Prince Regent to Otto, too.
All the while, it’s doubtful he ever truly caught on to any of this.
39. He Couldn’t Understand It
Still confined, Otto didn’t exactly have a coronation ceremony, but his attendants explained to him that he was king the day after his succession. As they discovered, though, he couldn’t grasp the news and likely never fully understood it, since he believed that Luitpold was the true king of Bavaria.
At the same time, Bavaria still had to recognize his authority.
40. He Was Still Their Monarch
Otto was King of Bavaria in title alone, but to history and the eyes of the public, his rule had to look no different than any other king in the country’s history. This meant that he received all the usual honors and formalities, including having new coins minted with his image, and those in the army being sworn in his name.
For a moment, it appeared as if he might be doing better.
41. He Hadn’t Recovered
By the following decade, the plight of Otto’s treatment took a surprising turn, and it seemed as if he might actually be slowly improving. In fact, his doctors were so certain of his progress in 1894 that they allowed him to attend a special garden party called a fête champêtre. Sadly, they had misjudged how well he was doing, and it resulted in him going on a rampage at the party and destroying 65 bottles of especially valuable champagne.
Finally, everyone had to face the facts.
42. He Wasn’t Getting Any Better
Otto of Bavaria likely still had some members of his court who were rooting for his eventual recovery, but those who favored the rule of Luitpold preferred the king locked away forever. They got their wish, as it soon became clear that even if Otto had brief moments of improvement, he would never be well enough to rule properly.
Suddenly, it fell to someone else to lead in his stead.
43. He Passed The Title On
As the lives of Ludwig and Otto demonstrated, being king is a fickle endeavor, and even Luitpold’s supporters would come to see how quickly power can shift. Although he stayed in power as Prince Regent into the 20th century, Luitpold passed in 1912, succeeded by his son and Otto’s cousin, also named Ludwig.
In terms of popularity, he had nothing to worry about.
44. They Were On His Side
Luitpold may have had supporters behind the throne trying to control him, but his son, Ludwig, immediately gained the support of the press and public. As it was clear that Otto could never truly rule Bavaria, and the people thought Ludwig would be a quality leader, many asserted that he should be king instead of just Prince Regent.
Soon enough, he took the law into his own hands.
45. They Changed The Rules
Ludwig was completely on board with removing Otto as king and taking the throne, but unlike the men who deposed Ludwig II, he wouldn’t work in the shadows. Suddenly, in 1913, the very constitution of Bavaria changed in his favor. It added a clause stating that if a monarch was incapable of ruling, needing a regent for more than ten years—and if that was unlikely to change—then that regent could take the crown for himself.
This paved the way for Ludwig to take full control.
46. He Took The Reins
With the support of the constitution and all the ambition he could muster, Ludwig took the plunge and officially deposed Otto of Bavaria on November 5, 1913, simultaneously ending his term as regent. Trading it in for a much more impressive title, Otto’s cousin then took the throne as King Ludwig III, all with the full backing of parliament.
Before long, this twisted tale of madness and schemes would end.
47. His Story Was Cut Off
With how much other higher-ups had despised Otto, and without his big brother to protect him, it would have been easy for Ludwig III to stop any further care or consideration for the former king. Thankfully, he had some decency and allowed Otto to keep his honours and title for the rest of his days. This wouldn’t be as long as he thought, however, as Otto perished three years later, due to a fatal bowel obstruction.
At last, he was able to reunite with his brother.
48. He Joined His Family
Since Otto of Bavaria was never close with his father, and in all likelihood had just as much contempt for him as he did for his mother, he and his brother were each other’s closest family. Although they had drifted apart, Bavaria’s royal tradition brought them back together in the end, as Otto’s heart was then placed in a silver urn next to his brother’s and father’s.
Surprisingly, he still holds one of the greatest achievements in Bavarian history—technically.
49. He Never Truly Realized
In his nearly 70 years of living, Otto lost his brother to a heinous plot, rose to take his place as king, and had his power stripped away from him, all from behind the walls of his palace. The most tragic part is that, through each of these life-changing events, he likely remained completely unaware of it all. Ironically, though, his 27-year reign was longer than that of any ruler from the House of Wittelsbach.
In the end, his story became lost to the centuries.
50. He Faded Away
Despite ruling over such an unprecedented period for his family, King Otto of Bavaria isn’t a king who stands out all that much. Spending the entirety of his reign locked up under medical supervision, Otto never improved or damaged Bavaria as a country, leaving little behind as a legacy. In comparison, his brother managed to become quite well-known by the time he met his grisly end, cementing Otto as Bavaria’s most easily forgotten king.
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