King Ludwig II (1845-1886), absolute ruler of Bavaria, had his little ways.
To take one example, his personal motto translates as, "I am superior to everybody." To take another, he actually liked Wagner. A third? He was a bit what you might call "odd." Or "barking mad."
Despite these foibles, however, the people at the Deutsche Zentrale fur Tourismus -- not to mention every cuckoo-clock carver, decorated beer-mug maker, brewer, hotelier, wood-carver and tour guide from Munich to Salzburg -- have considerable cause to thank him.