Background[]
The Wittelsbach family is a noble German family that has existed from at least the fourteenth century. Its family tree shows a lineage that includes Charlemagne. Otto Wittelsbach founded the Wittelsbacher House in Bavaria. The Wittelsbachs ruled Bavaria as monarchs until the late 19th century, when Bavaria came under the power of Germany. The last Wittelsbach monarch was Otto, a king who had been declared insane before he took the throne from his brother, Ludwig II, who had also been declared insane (insanity. unfortunately, ran in the family tree).
Ludwig I1 (1845-1886) is still a beloved figure in Bavaria. A romantic, handsome young king when he took the throne at eighteen, he was renown for building exotic and beautiful castles and for his support of the composer Wagner. His most famous castle, Neuschwanstein, is a popular modern tourist attraction in the region.