Ludwig I King of Bavaria

(1786 –1868) Succeeding his father, Maximilian I, he was king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states. His wedding in 1810 was the occasion of the first-ever Oktoberfest. Ludwig’s rule was strongly affected by his enthusiasm for the arts and women and by his overreaching royal assertiveness. Not willing to rule as a constitutional monarch and hindered by an affair with his mistress Lola Montez, Ludwig abdicated in 1848 in favour of his eldest son. Also, after his abdication, Ludwig remained an important and lavish sponsor for the arts. This caused several conflicts with his son and successor Maximilian II. Finally, Ludwig financed his projects from his own resources.