Luitpold Karl Joseph William of Bavaria became as a fifth child of the king Ludwig I. by Bavaria and the princess Therese von Saxonia-Hildburghausen in Würzburg born. Luitpolds military career began already with 14 years and its father made it 1835 the captain of the artillery. In the following years it finally brought it to the major general, commander of army, field things master and 1869 to the general inspector to the army.
At the 15.April 1844 he married in Florenz the princess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria, this it on his many journeys abroad to know learned. From this marriage 4 children followed:
* Ludwig III., * Leopold, * Therese, * Arnulf.

After his nephew, king Ludwig II. at the 09.Juni 1886 incapacitated, governed Luitpold was as a third son of Ludwig ith for its spirit-ill nephew otto I. as a prince regent and ranks thereby among the king line of the house of the Wittelsbacher. In the course of his twenty five-year old regency understood it the prince regent by modesty, popularness and capability to overcome the initial uneasiness of his subjects.
His prince regent years became, in the end, the golden age of Bavaria. After him numerous prince's regents or Luitpold streets were named in Bavaria. Also the prince regent cake and a beer kind were dedicated to him. He held the office of the prince's regent up to his death, on the 12th December, 1912 in Munich.