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Otto, King of Bavaria

Munich, 27 Apr 1848 – Fürstenried Palace, 11 Oct 1916

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born27 Apr 1848, Munichnot verified1 source
  • TitleKing of Bavaria, 1886–1913not verified1 source
  • Died11 Oct 1916, Fürstenried Palacenot verified1 source
  • MotherMarie of Prussianot verified1 source
  • FatherMaximilian II of Bavarianot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 27 Apr 1848

    Born in Munich

  2. 1886–1913

    King of Bavaria

  3. 11 Oct 1916

    Dies in Fürstenried Palace, aged 68

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Munich.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1840s · Otto, is born in Munich

In the news1846–1847

Hunger crisis of 1846-1847

A severe potato blight caused a major hunger crisis across Europe, leading to unrest in Prussian markets and bakeries.

What people wore

Festive attire and heated ruffles

For feast days, women wore black cashmere or silk dresses with a white ruffle at the collar that was permanently set into waves using a heated iron.

Daily life

Homes heated by smoky, open hearths

Peasant homes often lacked chimneys, relying on open hearths that provided both light and heat while filling the living space with smoke. Small bundles of green pine brush, known as Kulelkes, were commonly used as fuel for these fires.

In the news1842

Freedom of movement laws in 1842

Prussia introduced new laws enabling greater freedom of movement and settlement for individuals not dependent on public relief.

Music

The noisy brummtopf folk instrument

The brummtopf was a peculiar noise-making instrument used by groups of young people during winter festivities; it was made of a small wooden barrel covered with calfskin and played by rubbing horsehair strands inserted into the skin with wet hands.

In Europe1845–1852

The Great Famine in Ireland

Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.

Getting around

Faster express coaches were costly

The introduction of the "Diligence" or express post coach in 1821 allowed for faster travel at speeds of around 10 km/h, making trips of 100 km possible in a single day. However, travel remained expensive, with a short trip from Berlin to Magdeburg costing four talers, nearly a schoolteacher's monthly salary.