Kingdom of Bavaria

The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state from 1806 to 1918. It started when Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became King of Bavaria. The Wittelsbach family ruled until 1918.

After Germany became the German Empire in 1871, Bavaria was one of its states. It was the second largest and most powerful after the Kingdom of Prussia.

Today’s Free State of Bavaria has borders set after 1814 with the Treaty of Paris. In this treaty, Bavaria gave Tyrol and Vorarlberg to the Austrian Empire but gained Aschaffenburg and Würzburg.

In 1918, after the German Revolution, Bavaria became a republic. The kingdom ended, and it became the Free State of Bavaria.

History

Foundation and expansion under Maximilian I

The Kingdom of Bavaria started in 1806 when Elector Maximilian IV Joseph became King Maximilian I. Before this, Bavaria was part of the Holy Roman Empire. After some wars and treaties, Bavaria grew larger and more important. By 1871, when Germany united into the German Empire, Bavaria became a key state, second only to Prussia in power and wealth.

Constitution

In 1818, Bavaria created its second constitution, establishing a parliament with two houses. This constitution protected the rights of all religions and let representatives from different groups take part in government.

Ludwig I, Maximilian II and the Revolutions

King Ludwig I, who ruled from 1825, supported the arts and began industrializing Bavaria. Later, political changes caused problems, and Ludwig eventually stepped down in 1848 during revolutions in Europe. His son, Maximilian II, took over and faced challenges in uniting Germany.

Austro-Prussian War

In 1866, Bavaria supported Austria in a war against Prussia. Prussia won, and Bavaria lost some land. This brought Bavaria closer to Prussia’s influence.

Ludwig II and the German Empire

When Prussia defeated France in 1870-71, Bavaria joined the new German Empire. Bavaria kept some special rights, like its own army and diplomatic body. King Ludwig II spent a lot on grand buildings, causing money problems.

Regency and institutional reform

After Ludwig II’s death in 1886, his uncle Luitpold became regent. During his time, Bavaria saw growth in culture and political changes, including letting women attend university and changing how elections were held.

Military autonomy

Even after joining the German Empire, Bavaria kept its own army units and uniforms. Soldiers swore loyalty to the Bavarian king but followed Prussian command during wartime.

World War I and the end of the kingdom

When World War I began in 1914, Bavaria supported Germany. As the war continued, support weakened. In 1918, during revolutions in Germany, King Ludwig III left Bavaria. He later said he could no longer rule, leading to the end of the Bavarian kingdom and the start of a new government.

Geography, administrative regions and population

When Napoleon created the Confederation of the Rhine, Bavaria became a kingdom in 1806, and its land grew a lot. Areas like Tyrol and Salzburg were once part of Bavaria but later went back to Austria. In return, Bavaria got areas such as the Rhenish Palatinate and Franconia in 1815.

The kingdom was reorganized in 1808 and split into 15 areas, called Kreise, each named after a main river. Later, the number of areas was reduced to 8. In 1838, King Ludwig I renamed these areas based on old tribes and lands, creating regions such as Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, and Swabia and Neuburg.

The kingdom covered 75,865 km² by 1900, and its population grew from about 3.7 million in 1818 to over 6.5 million by 1910. The areas were adjusted and renamed several times. By 1838, the eight main government districts included Upper Bavaria, Upper Franconia, Swabia, Upper Palatinate, Middle Franconia, Lower Bavaria, Lower Franconia, and the Palatinate.