Bavaria and the Prussian Ascendancy

    
Fig. 12: Der Feldzug in Westdeutschland 1866

The spirit that swept all the German powers, states and countries was one of German nationalism. At least partly, this was in response to the French nationalism which had fired the glorious career of Napoleon. The two solutions favoured by German nationalists were for a Großdeutschland (which would include all the German-speaking lands including the Empire of Austria) or for a Kleindeutschland (excluding Austria and dominated by Prussia). It is in the light of this spirit that we must understand the complicated political manoeuvring that ensued. Although Austria agreed to support Prussia in the war against Denmark in order to settle the Schlosweg-Holstein question, this did not change the unseen battle that was occurring politically in the sphere of a united German power. This German power could not be controlled both by Austria and Prussia, so Prussia and Austria were at obvious loggerheads.

Bismarck, whom some consider responsible for the outbreak of war between Austria and Prussia, wanted Austria defeated in order to take advantage and create a united Germany controlled by Prussia. Austria, although less militarily prepared, also had those within her Empire who wanted a war with Prussia to settle the question of any future Germany. The Austro-Prussian War began on 3rd July 1866; von Moltke mobilised the Prussian army across the border into Bohemia where the Austrian army had concentrated in preparation for an invasion of Silesia.

Bavaria was one of the states or kingdoms that sided with Austria in the Austro-Prussian War, but Ludwig II’s armies were defeated and Austria was even more decisively overcome, putting an end to Austrian inclusion in German affairs forever. The peace conditions signed in 1870 resulted in Bavaria agreeing to support the newly formed North German Confederation (ruled by Prussia), becoming part of the Confederation but retaining some of her sovereign independence. Bavaria accordingly joined with Prussia against France in the Franco-Prussian War, which ended in the defeat of France in 1871 and the end of its Second French Empire.

Fig. 13: Kaiser Wilhelm I

Although Bavaria was still a kingdom, she was definitely a second-class kingdom as a result of the formation of the North German Confederation. Pressured by Bismarck, Ludwig II had no choice but to recommend that Wilhelm I of Prussia should be declared Kaiser of the German Empire. Although he received financial concessions for this support, it cannot have been a pleasant situation – and indeed, Ludwig became increasingly withdrawn from the stage of politics and international decisions.