Louis II, also known as Ludwig II, of Bavaria was a monarch of the Kingdom of Bavaria who reigned from 1864 to 1886. He is commonly referred to as the "Mad King Ludwig" due to his eccentric behavior and extravagant spending on architecture and the arts. Some synonyms for the name Louis II are Ludwig II, Mad King Ludwig, King Ludwig II, King Louis II, and Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm. Despite his reputation as a mad king, Ludwig II's legacy continues to inspire art and culture in Germany and beyond, particularly through his patronage of composer Richard Wagner and his influence on the Bavarian castle, Neuschwanstein.