Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria

Born in Würzburg on 12 March 1821.

Died in Munich on 12 December 1912.

Due to the fact that insanity prevented King Otto, the younger brother of Ludwig II., from holding public office, Prince Regent Luitpold, brother to Max II. Joseph, assumed the reins of power at the ripe old age of 65. He had already increasingly taken on representative tasks during the reign of Ludwig II. and so it was only natural for him to assume office as the Prince Regent at his death. Luitpold, who in contrast to his predecessors, had a long military career behind him, knew how to win his subjects over through humility, industriousness and proximity to the people. Although the people mourned the quixotic and wasteful King Ludwig II., the 25 years of Luitpold's reign became a golden age for Bavaria. Thanks to his love of painting, a fruitful time commenced particularly for the visual arts in Munich – both for masters of the Old School as well as the contemporary art nouveau school. The eponymous magazine, "Die Jugend", was first issued in Munich in 1896. In 1903, the Prince Regent introduced university courses for women. Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg was leased in 1888 to the Bäuml merchant family during his regency. The reign of Luitpold is remembered today by the Prinzregentstrasse and the Prinzregententheater.

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