Ludwig became to 25. August 1845 in Munich as an oldest son of Crown Prince Maximilian and crowning princess Friederike of Prussia on castle Nymphenburg born. He was baptized on the name Otto Friedrich William Ludwig, its name with which it was called should however Ludwig be. Its childhood spent Ludwig with its three years younger brother Otto I. on castle hohenschwangau, in the environment of its nut/mother. After his grandfather king Ludwig I. by Bavaria 1848 had resigned, became its father Maximilian king and Ludwig the Crown Prince.

In the year 1861 Ludwig in the royal yard and national theatre experienced for the first time the performance of the operas “Lohengrin” and “Tannhäuser” from smelling pool of broadcasting corporations Wagner and purged to the music. It engaged itself for the promotion of the culture, in particular the composer smelling pool of broadcasting corporations of Wagners. It had gotten and with honors had over-accumulated up and had wastefully presented the composers to its yard.
In the year 1864 Ludwig's father Maximilian and Ludwig deceased at the age from 18 years to the king of Bavaria was proclaimed.

At the 22.Januar 1867 he got engaged from a spontaneous resolution with the duchess Sophie Charlotte of Bavaria, a sister of the empress Elisabeth of Austria. Ludwig shifted the wedding date out again and again and Sophie meanwhile with a photographer had fallen in love and met secretly with him. To 10.October of the same yearly given on urge of Ludwig the dissolution of the engagement publicly admits. During its reign its emphasis was predominantly on the cultural area, so it had a clear influence on music history by its promotion of smelling pool of broadcasting corporations Wagner and the establishment of the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth.
King Ludwig II. has for the Bavarian identity as so-called “Kini” some meaning. Numerous songs climb around its life and its death.

One of the favourite occupations king of Ludwig was riding and in such a way left it his body riding horses of the painter Friedrich William Pfeiffer, before would background its most popular places of residence paint. 26 of these pictures is to be visited in the Marstall museum of the lock Nymphenburg.

Ludwig II. became on operation of the government by professor Bernhard von Gudden and further physicians alone due to testimonies and without a personal investigation of the patient, for soul-disturbed and incurably explains and to 9.June 1886 by the government incapacitates. Its uncle Luitpold took over to 10.June as a prince regent the government responsibility. King Ludwig was taken in neuschwanstein in safekeeping and spent after castle berg.

To 13 rained.June 1886, Ludwig with Dr. undertook. of Gudden a walk in the lock park which was because of the Starnberger lake, from that both back did not come. Against midnight one found the over skirt of Ludwig and the hats of the two near the bank and soon thereafter also the liveless bodies of the two missed, floating in the lake. It remains to today a mystery, as it came to the death of the two, since it was considered also as a splendid float. After the official version the physician wanted to prevent the regent from an attempted suicide and came thereby even around the life. This version was already soon doubted.
Around the death by Ludwig II. climb to today numerous rumors. One established on the bank of the Starnberger of lake, in honours of Ludwig a chapel (Votivkapelle) and at the discovery site an intending cross.

During the pathological investigation of the dead king in the Munich residence was also the body physician of Ludwig, Dr. Schleiss present, of an illness of the king was not convinced. After the section mummifying was made immediately.
Ludwig became to 19.June 1886 after a corpse course by Munich buried in the Gruft the Michaels church in Munich. Its urn with heart becomes to 16.August 1886 in the Altöttinger grace chapel spent.

The young Ludwig and Visions of a white lock on the Pöllatfelsen had many dreams and if he were high to Ross on royal bridle paths to nearly to the Tegelberg on the way, then the dreams did not leave peace to it:

My castle is to become unique in the whole world, famous in the far sea...
To Souvenirs from King Ludwig II.

It let its dream reality become. Castle neuschwanstein became a landmark of Europe. White dream, in the Ludwig II. never resided, but is still alive today. It arranged also the building of the castles Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof. Ludwig is often called today fairy tale king.

The castles neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee, become at the 1.August 1886 for visitor traffic approved. One wanted to prove thereby to the public, as mad the king was, but the opposite occurred.
The visitors were inspired and are it today still.

Ludwig II. was, if one wants so, a pioneer of the social security. Because already with the building of its lock new swan stone there was a patient benevolent society, that the workers to follow knew. In the medical case the worker received a Mark per day and with the death of the insured one took over the association the costs of the dead guard and the intending fair. There is this association today still !