His Generosity Knew No Bounds
While kings frequently had mistresses, they rarely had male partners. However, Ludwig continued to pursue romantic relationships with several of them. Two of his most prominent relationships were with Hungarian theater star Josef Kains and courtier Alfons Weber. Because these men gave Ludwig their time and devotion, he provided them expensive gifts and lavish experiences. In fact, he invited Josef to accompany him on a royal vacation in Switzerland. Unfortunately, the King’s new love interests pushed him even more off course, leaving his country vulnerable.
His Generosity Knew No Bounds
Austria Lost Its Independence
As it turned out, the Bavarian ministers were right to be concerned about the King’s actions. During the Austro-Prussian War, Austria was defeated by Prussia after only two years under his rule. It was official: the country had lost its independence, and no amount of one-on-one time with his people could reverse that. Despite this, the King’s situation worsened when the nation joined the German Empire in 1870. Ludwig’s power was waning, but he remained unconcerned about the situation. All he could think about was his love interests and passion projects.
Austria Lost Its Independence
