Every Mad German King Explained

Every mad German king, explained: in 1886, four doctors declared King Ludwig II of Bavaria insane without ever examining him — and days later he was found dead in Lake Starnberg, beside the psychiatrist who signed the report. This animated history follows how the German lands dealt with rulers who could not rule, from medieval councils to modern medicine: Wenceslaus, deposed by the prince electors in 1400; Emperor Rudolf II, the hidden emperor of Prague with his alchemists and his lion; Frederick William I, the Soldier King who kidnapped giants for his Potsdam regiment and nearly executed his own son; Charles II of Brunswick, the "Diamond Duke" chased out by a crowd; Emperor Ferdinand of Austria and the dumplings; Frederick William IV and the first constitutional regency; Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein and the lake; and his brother Otto, the king who never knew he was king. Chapters: 0:00 Four doctors and a king they never examined 0:34 Wenceslaus, the idle king 1:52 Rudolf II, the hidden emperor 3:32 The Soldier King and his giants 5:26 The Duke of Brunswick 6:02 Ferdinand of Austria 6:46 Frederick William IV 7:47 Ludwig II and his castles 9:37 The report and the lake 11:37 Otto, the hidden king 13:09 How Germany decided a king was mad Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica and standard histories (Christopher McIntosh, "The Swan King: Ludwig II of Bavaria"; Greg King, "The Mad King"; R. J. W. Evans, "Rudolf II and His World"; Christopher Clark, "Iron Kingdom"; Alan Palmer, "Twilight of the Habsburgs"). Stories such as the roasted cook, the priest seized at Mass, the dumplings and the golden nose are legends or reported anecdotes and are presented as such. The medical report on Ludwig II was dated 8 June 1886; the cause of his death on 13 June 1886 remains disputed. Next in the series: Every Mad Byzantine Emperor Explained. #history #germany #madkings