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Ludwig Wilhelm (21 June 1831 – 6 November 1920) was a Duke in Bavaria and official head of the ducal branch of the House of Wittelsbach.[1][2]
Ludwig Wilhelm | |
---|---|
Born | Munich, Bavaria | 21 June 1831
Died | 6 November 1920 89) Munich, Weimar Republic | (aged
Burial | Ostfriedhof, Munich |
Spouse | |
Issue | Countess Marie Larisch von Moennich Karl Emanuel, Baron von Wallersee |
House | Wittelsbach |
Father | Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria |
Mother | Princess Ludovika of Bavaria |
Ludwig Wilhelm (often called Louis) was the eldest child of Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria, and was the brother of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.[3]
He pursued a career in the Royal Bavarian Army, becoming a major in the 1st Royal Bavarian Chevau-légers "Emperor Nicholas of Russia" and rising to the rank of General of the Cavalry by 1859.[1]
He renounced his rights as firstborn when he entered into a morganatic marriage to the actress Henriette Mendel, who was created Baroness von Wallersee on their marriage.[1][4] Louis became father in 1858 of a daughter Marie Louise Mendel, who, as Marie Louise von Larisch-Wallersee ("jene Gräfin Larisch"), was later involved in the Mayerling Incident. In 1859 his son Karl Emanuel was born but died shortly after.
Henriette died on November 12, 1891.[2][5]
Louis married a second time to ballet prima donna Antonie Barth, on November 19, 1892[5][6] in Munich.[7] The duke was forty years older than his bride,[2][5] and was not accepted into the duke's family as graciously as his first wife.[1] She was created Baroness von Bartolf.[8] In 1906, the duke had declared his intention to marry Fraulein Tordek, a prima donna of the Munich royal opera house.[3][9] Bartolf left the duke in 1907 after years of physical and emotional abuse.[8] They divorced in July 1913 after Frau Bartolf gave birth to a daughter, Hélène[10] that the duke claimed was not his child.[2][11]
In November 1920, Ludwig died[1] of a cardiac arrest-induced stroke and is buried in Munich's Ostfriedhof.
He received the following orders and decorations:[12]