Preparations to Imprison the King--The Peasantry Assemble to his Rescue
Hesselschwerdt, it need hardly be said, could no more show himself
before the King. He informed his master that he had been taken ill,
and therefore had been unable to proceed to Paris. Ludwig, however,
came to know, through his barber, that his functionary was walking
about the streets of the capital in robust health. Though prior to
this his suspicions had been now and again slightly aroused, he could
never have supposed that the sealed letter which he had confided to
him would have been given into other hands.
A so-called Court Commission was meanwhile on its way to Hohenschwangau
to imprison the King, and place him under medical treatment. It
consisted of the Minister of the Royal House, Count Crailsheim;
Counts Holnstein and Törring; Herr von Washington, who was to be
the King's gentleman-in-waiting; and of the director of the public
Asylum for the Insane at Munich, Dr von Gudden. These gentlemen were
furthermore accompanied by an assistant doctor and eight keepers. Of
Ludwig's nearest entourage, only his valet, Weber, and the stablemen
had any idea of what was about to happen.
On the night of the 9th of June a string of royal carriages drew up
before the old castle of Hohenschwangau. Count Holnstein, who sat in
the foremost of them, proceeded at once to the royal stables to inform
the personnel that it was to be dispersed. The coachman, Osterholzer,
was in the act of harnessing the horses to Ludwig's carriage, for
the King, according to his custom, wished to drive out in the course
of the night. The Count ordered that the horses should be taken out
at once, as another carriage was in readiness, with another coachman
to drive it. Osterholzer pleaded his master's orders. "The King has
nothing more to order," answered Holnstein. "It is his Royal Highness,
Prince Luitpold, who now reigns." [33]
The coachman understood that there was a plot against the King. He
took the horses back to the stable. As quickly as his legs could carry
him he thereupon ran by a steep woodland path up to Neuschwanstein,
where he informed the valet on duty, Weber, what had occurred.
Ludwig was walking up and down in the brightly lighted concert hall,
declaiming in a loud voice parts of an opera which had lately been
dedicated to him. Osterholzer rushed breathlessly in, throwing
himself on his knees before him, and in his excitement able only to
stammer forth some incoherent words. The King did not understand
him; he beckoned Weber to him, and asked what was the meaning of
this scene. The valet explained that Count Holnstein and some other
gentlemen had arrived at Hohenschwangau, and that traitorous designs
on his Majesty were entertained. Osterholzer implored him to flee
at once; Weber, too, offered his assistance. Ludwig refused the
offer. "Why should I flee?" he asked. "If any real danger threatened
me, Karl would have written to me"! "Karl" was the court functionary
Hesselschwerdt, in whom, even at this moment, he placed his trust.
After some consideration he, nevertheless, gave orders that his
servants should assemble. "Run as quickly as possible," said he. "Call
all loyal peasants here to protect their King!" The stablemen and
men-servants hurried away, and raised the alarm in the neighbouring
villages. Hardly an hour had passed before Hohenschwangau was swarming
with peasants armed with knives, and carrying axes and scythes across
their shoulders. Füssen, the town nearest to Hohenschwangau, sent her
fire-brigade, and the chief of the police stationed there appeared
with all his men. As nobody had any knowledge of what had occurred
in Munich, there was every ground to suppose that an attack on the
King's person was intended. All were ready to risk their life in
order to rescue him.
Meanwhile in the light of dawn the Court Commission had reached the
gates of Neuschwanstein. It had been agreed that one of its members
should read aloud Prince Luitpold's address to the King, after which
the doctors were to convey him to Linderhof. To their surprise, they
found the doors of the castle guarded by gendarmes, who forbade them
in the King's name to enter. They produced their written authorisation
to do this. The gendarme on guard did not deign to glance at it, but
answered all representations and commands with: "I require nothing in
writing! I know only one command, and that comes from his Majesty!" The
gentlemen now attempted entrance by force; but the gendarme remained
firm to his orders, and threatened to shoot down every person who
should dare to penetrate into the castle. He raised his gun to his
shoulder, as he referred for the last time to the reigning King's
command. Other gendarmes now pressed forward. A blow from a cudgel
struck one of the keepers who was standing near. "Unpleasant as this
conduct was," says the assistant physician, Dr Müller, "it could not
be denied that these men were behaving loyally when, regardless of
the brilliant uniforms of the state officials, they unwaveringly held
firm to: 'Our King has commanded it, and we obey him!'"
The Court Commission were compelled to retire to Hohenschwangau
with their mission unaccomplished. The rumour that the King was
to be dragged away a prisoner had meanwhile spread over the whole
countryside. As the Commission drove down to the old castle they saw
peasants, woodcutters, and firemen, women and children, in frantic
haste speeding up towards Neuschwanstein. The sheriff and chief
official of Füssen, Herr Sonntag, was charged by Ludwig to arrest the
members of the Commission. He appeared at Hohenschwangau to execute the
command. Minister Crailsheim rated him, and told him that he had no
right whatever to act in the manner he was doing. "Your Excellency,"
answered the venerable old man, "I am in a painful dilemma. Not by a
word have I been prepared for that which was to happen, nor have I been
advised as to what my conduct should be with regard to my master. I
have served him so many years, and even at this hour am his official;
I cannot in a few minutes forget the love and loyalty of past years
and determine to act as my King's enemy." He performed the arrests,
and sent the prisoners under a strong escort to Neuschwanstein.
Count Holnstein expressed a desire to drive, but no heed was
paid to his wish; the gentlemen had to walk on foot through the
raving crowd which had assembled. The courtyard also was filled
to overflowing. Hundreds of men and women threatened them in
loud voices. "Look at these men," called a young woman to her
seven-year-old daughter; "when you are big you can say you have seen
traitors." Considerable effort was necessary to prevent the crowd
from turning their threats into reality. The least courage was shown
by Dr Gudden. The crowd having heard that it was he who had declared
the King to be mad rushed upon him, and threatened to throw him in
the neighbouring falls of the Pöllat.
A terrible hatred had shone in Ludwig's eyes when he was told that the
friend of his childhood, Count Holnstein, was among the traitors. He
had commanded that all the members of the Commission should be thrown
into a dungeon. This, however, was not done; they were imprisoned in a
room above the arch of the gateway. The King's anger soon evaporated;
after the lapse of three hours he decided that they should be set
free. The sheriff succeeded in quieting the crowd without, and in
inducing the people to return home. None of the gentlemen, however,
dared to show themselves in the neighbouring village. They started on
their retreat by different roads, and hurried without delay to Munich.