BAVARIA'S MAD KING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 306, 23 December 1912, Page 5

BAVARIA'S MAD KING.

TO BE DEPOSED. J LUDWIG TO BE CROWNED. (Received 8.20 a.m.) BERLIN, December 21. Prince Ludwig has been sworn in as Regent of Bavaria. A bill will be introduced into the Bavarian Parliament in January, deposing the mad King Otto, and crowning the Regent in his stead. Prince Ludwig. the eldest son of the late Prince Regent Luitpold. who is to be crowned as kmg. is now 67 veers of a<*e and ,s married , 186S) to the ArchducheV Maria Theresa, of the Esii branch of the Austrian family. He has a large family, the eldest of whom is Prince Rupprech't. who represented Bavaria at the funeral ot King Edward VII.. and at the Coronation of King George. Through his mother, Prince Rupprec-ht is considered b\ the ultra-legitimists, who form the "\\ lute Rose" - Society, to be the true successor of King Charles 1., and therefore should be occupying the British throne. But the Act of Settlement bars his title. He is a professional soldier, a general in the Bavarian Army, and commands the First Bavarian Army Corps. Prince Ludwig is also a professional soldier, is a. Mold marshal of the Bavarian army, and a colonel-general (ranking with field marshal) on" the Imperial army. Though the Kaiser always addressed the late Prince Regent affectionately, and spoke of him in the same manner, it is doubtful if he regards Prince Ludwig similarly. At the Coronation of Czar Nichola-s 11.. Prince Henry- of Prussia spoke not only for Pru.ssia, but also for Germany, his language giving the impression that Prussia was Germany. Prince Ludwig. who represented Bavaria, intervened, and stated that Prince Henry was speaking on behalf of Prussia, and ho. a? the Bavarian representative, would .-peak for Bavaria. The incident caused a £Ood deal of surprise and feeling at the time. King Otto lis now in his sixty-fifth year. For 39 years he has been under restraint as a lunatic. When his brother, the late King Louis, died under tragical circumstances, he had been already for thirteen years hopelessly insane, and the regency of his uncle. P; ince Luitpold, consequently imposed itself from the beginning. Prince Otto was in bis youth bright and intelligent, and be served wit.h some distinction on the headquarters staff and in the entourage of the Emperor William T. during the Franco-German war. In 1572, however, his eccentricities aroused the anxieties of his family, and in consequence of a medical report on his condition he w-as interned in the Castle of Funstenried in the following year. Here he h-os remained ever since. He its surrounded by a considerable suite, including a marshal of the Court. Baron Yon Redwitz, an almoner, and two physicians. Privy Councillor yon Croskey and Privy Councillor Yon Xiemsoen. He has grown to be a very buriy man. and has developed an enormous physical strength. This has hitherto rendered it difficult to control 'him, and also to ascertain the real state, of his health. He lives well but irregularly. His lucid intervals are few and brief. Occasionally he has paroxysms of violence, but his madness usually takes the form of delusions of a harmless but somewhat embarrassing character. He walks with his attendants in the vast park attached to his chateau, and sometimes he is allowed to drive -in the less frequented part of the neighbouring forest. FursLe.nried is i strongly guarded. The park is suri rounded by two high walls, and infantry posts are stationed at intervals both outside and inside the walls, as well as at the several gates. The '"consignee"' is extremely severe, and outside members of the Royal family, whose visits are now \pty rare, no one is permitted to visit the stricken king.