Königreich Bayern schnitzel -- A Bavarian AAR

Königreich Bayern Update #1


Ludwig I the Builder

Ludwig ascended to the Bavarian throne in 1825. A king who has great plans for Bavaria. While he may have had liberal leanings prior to the revolutions of 1830 by 1836 Ludwig is quite conservative and also against the pan-German movement. As a lover of ancient Greece and the Italian renaissance he has began the construction of a number of projects in Munich. In addition a significant amount of the Bavarian state's funds have gone into other cultural achievements. Ludwig dreams of forming Bavaria into the cultural capital of Europe.


Bavaria is an absolute monarchy in 1836 with no social and very little political reforms. The upper house contains only the aristocracy and noblemen.



The archaic prison laws in Bavarian exemplify the anti-liberal policies of Ludwig I and the Bavarian government.

1936 the beginning of the age of liberalism in Bavaria and the European continent​

Will Ludwig be able to fend off the increasing German nationalism within his borders and surrounding them?

Königreich Bayern Update #2

The First War of Brothers
The First War of Brothers breaks begins on August 2, 1840 when Prussia invades Austria. Luckily for the Bavarian people Ludwig I canceled his alliance with Austria and Bavaria will remain neutral during this conflict. Not all Bavarians were happy with Bavaria sitting out the war; the jingoists and pan-German nationalists were very critical of Ludwig's decision to sit out the war.





As you can see Bavaria is lagging behind in many areas, only ranked 16th in the world. Sitting out the war will allow Ludwig I to invest in the military, industry and his arts program which should all help increase the status of Bavaria.




The Walhalla was completed ahead of schedule in Regensburg on April 21, 1841. The Walhalla is a hall of fame that honors laudable and distinguished Germans, famous personalities in German history — politicians, sovereigns, scientists and artists of the German tongue. The building surely would not have been completed early if Ludwig I had decided to fight in the First War of Brothers. This achievement greatly increases the prestige of the Bavarian nation.





The First War of Brothers finished on June 20, 1841 after almost a year of conflict. The Prussians were victorious and acquired Moravia from the Austrians.


Ludwig's investments in the arts and other cultural areas have greatly increased the prestige and status of Bavaria in the world!


Pan-German nationalism continues to thrive in Bavaria and across the German speaking world.




Finally in December of 1844, the liberal revolutions in Bavaria have started to cool down.




In July 1845, despite the years of liberal revolutions and nationalism in Europe Bavaria has remained relatively peaceful and prosperous. Ludwig's investment in the military and culture has paid off and Bavaria is developing into a great power.




Now as a great power, what is next for Bavaria?​

Königreich Bayern Update #3

The Austrian Liberation of Moravia War

The Austrian Liberation of Moravia War breaks out on April 26, 1846 when Austria invades Prussia. Bavaria once again remains neutral for this war due to King Ludwig's policy of neutrality towards the Austrians and Prussians. A few other German nations remain neutral during this conflict also but most of the German speaking lands are once again engulfed in war. Baden was previously in an alliance with the Austrians but that alliance ended when they refused to enter the second Austro-Prussian conflict. nation.


The War of Bavarian Aggression against Baden
After years of peace in Bavaria, King Ludwig succumbs to the jingoist elements of the ruling conservative party and declares war on neutral Baden on June 4, 1846. It was a concession he had to make to keep the conservatives on his side against the rising liberal presence in his nation.




The Bavarian II. Korps of 36,000 men crossed the border into Mannheim. Bavarian forces caught Baden completely by surprise and thus left Baden no time to develop proper defenses or mobilize its army fully.




The battle of Mannheim was fierce as the army of Baden killed 12,000 Bavarians; however, the Bavarian forces were too much and forced the Swabians to retreat south.


Battle of Mannheim




Scandal! A most untimely event as King Ludwig is engulfed in scandal. Immediately the conservative forces in Bavaria call for King Ludwig's resignation. For now he has delayed doing so but it seems inevitable as now he has made enemies with the conservatives along with the liberals.




The Battle of Karbruhe, another decisive win for the Bavarians as Baden troops are on the run.




The final victory for the Kingdom of Bavaria over Baden occurred in Konstanz.


Baden fights until the bitter end.




The Swabians accept complete annexation by the Kingdom of Bavaria. 20,000 Bavarians didn't die in vain!




The Bavarian kingdom has added Baden to its realm. It is also notable that Austria won the The Austrian Liberation of Moravia War against Prussia and reacquired Moravia; they also annexed Prussian Silesia.




Bavaria seems to have strengthened its position but will Bavaria be forced to fight either the Austrians or Prussians? Will Ludwig I be forced to abdicate due to the scandal with Lola Montez?​

Königreich Bayern Update #4


1848 Revolutions and the Abdication of Ludwig I
In 1848 revolutions broke out all through German speaking Europe which stressed pan-Germanism, and emphasized popular discontent with the traditional, largely autocratic political structure of the thirty-nine independent states. Bavaria was not spared from these revolutions as the autocratic rule of Ludwig I came under heavy attack from liberals within Bavaria.

Berlin 1848


Munich 1848. Bavarian troops quell an armed uprising outside Ludwig's palace. Many chanted for Ludwig's head on a pike.


King Ludwig I was forced to abdicate on March 20, 1848. In an attempt to pacify the public, contain the spreading of revolutionary ideas and save the monarchy by offering concessions. Next to the political reasons, there was a moral issue: Ludwig I, still a womanizer at heart, had kept up a hot love affair with Lola Montez despite it becoming public 2 years earlier, even elevating her to the aristocracy by making her a countess. The love affair seemed morally unacceptable, in particular for the monarch of such a staunchly Catholic country, and the lady's rumoured political influence on Ludwig was widely regarded as unacceptable.

The aristocratic cabinet, in an attempt to appease the masses and with his own family's support, tried to make the king accept constitutional monarchy; however Ludwig I, who had become increasingly reactionary in his middle and later years, instead handed the crown over to his eldest son Maximilian II, and declared:

Regieren konnte ich nicht mehr, und einen Unterschreiber abgeben wollte ich nicht. Nicht Sklave zu werden, wurde ich Freiherr.

"Govern I could no longer, and to give up an underwriter I did not wish. To not become a slave, I became a lord."

Ludwig became the only monarch in the German speaking lands to lose his title. Despite Ludwig's achievements in the arts and the victorious war over Baden which propelled Bavaria to great power status, the people of Bavaria had had enough of Ludwig I.


Maximilian II the Jingo

Maximilian II was handed the crown of Bavaria by his father and at the beginning of his rein Bavaria was still an absolute monarchy. Immediately the people of Bavaria insisted he attend the Frankfurt Assembly, which sought to proclaim a German Empire based on the principles of parliamentary democracy. Maximilian II attended but he had no actual plans of subordinating himself to a Prussian Kaiser or taking part in any creation of a German nation. Ultimately Maximilian was able to create the illusion that he supported liberalism and pan-Germanism by attending the event and thus the pressure for political reform in Bavaria began to die down in Bavaria, for now..............

Maximilian II attended the 1849 Frankfurt Assembly due to the insistence of his population.



1850 Royal Bavarian Army Military Reforms

Although the Bavarian army had great success over Baden 2 years ago, in 1849 it was in no shape to fight any major wars. The revolutions of 1848 had taken a toll on the Royal Bavarian Army. While Ludwig I was mostly interested in the arts, Maximilian II was a jingoist and in 1850 he started a reform of the army.

New equipment included breech-loaded rifles and iron breech loaded artillery. Furthermore army professionalism, military plans and statistics were emphasized in the newly reformed Royal Bavarian Army.

Army professionalism.


Bavarian cavalry







One of the three Bavarian armies in 1852. This one was the best of the three at the time due to the many guards troops in it. Well armed but as you can see many of the newly trained troops lacked in actual battle experience.



By January 1852, Bavaria has a standing army of 120,000 professional soldiers and was able to mobilize another 100,000 men. The Royal Bavarian Army was well trained and armed with the latest technology. The country was taxed heavily during this period of time to pay for it but Maximilian I the Jingo has his army.



Bavaria's infamy in 1850 was still high due to the annexation of Baden 3 years earlier. The jingoist king and his supporters must wait for their time but by the time the army reforms are done in 1852 the infamy should be greatly decreased.

​