Education.—Before the European War there were over 7,500 elementary schools, on which attendance is compulsory up to 14 years of age. There are three uni versities, two of which (Munich and Wiirzburg) are Roman Catholic, and one (Erlangen) Protestant. In art Bavaria is best known as the home of the Niirn berg school, founded about the middle of the 16th century by Albert Darer. Hans Holbein is also claimed as a Bavarian; and to these have to be added the emi nent sculptors, Kraft and Vischer, both born about the middle of the 15th cen tury. The restoration of the reputation of Bavaria in art was chiefly the work of Ludwig I., under whom the capital became one of the most prominent seats of the fine arts in Europe. The religion of the state was Roman Catholicism. All citizens, whatever their creed, possess the same civil and political rights. The dioceses of Bavaria comprise two Ro man Catholic archbishoprics, Munich and Bamberg; and six bishoprics, Augsburg, Ratisbon, Eichstadt, Passau, Wiirzburg, and Spires.
Government.—Under the monarchial form of government the Bavarian crown was hereditary in the male line. The executive was in the hands of the King. The Legislature consisted of two cham bers, one of Senators: royal princes, high state officers, clergy, etc.; the other of 150 deputies nominated by electors. Bavaria sent six members to the German Federal Council (Bundesrath), and 48 to the Reichstag. In times of peace the King of Bavaria commanded the army, but in war the German Emperor com manded. As a result of the new consti tution, adopted on Aug. 14, 1919, Ba varia became a free state, with universal, equal, direct, secret and proportional suffrage. There is one Chamber, elected for 4 years, one member for every 40,000 inhabitants. The supreme power lies with the people and is exercised by the Cabinet as a whole. The church is sep arated from the state.
History.—The Bavarians take their name from the Boii, a Celtic tribe whose territory was occupied by a confedera tion of Germanic tribes, called after their predecessors, Boiarii. These were made tributary first to the Ostrogoths, and then to the Franks; and on the death of Charlemagne his successors governed the country by lieutenants, with the title of Margrave, afterward converted (in 921) into that of Duke. In 1070 Bavaria passed to the family of the Guelphs, and in 1180 by imperial grant to Otho, Count of Wittelsbach, founder of the dynasty that reigned until 1918. In 1623 the
Duke was made one of the Electors of the Empire. Elector Maximilian II. joined in the war of the Spanish succession on the side of France, and this led, after the battle of Blenheim, 1704, to the loss of his dominions for the next 10 years. His son, Charles Albert, likewise lost his dominions for a time to Austria, but they were all recovered again by Charles' son, Maximilian III. (1745). In the wars following the French Revolution, Bavaria was in a difficult position be tween France and Austria, but latterly joined Napoleon, from whom its Elector, Maximilian IV., received the title of King (1805), a title afterward confirmed by the treaties of 1814 and 1815. King Maximilian I. was succeeded by his son, Ludwig (or Louis) I., under whom vari ous circumstances helped to quicken a de sire for political change. Reform being refused, tumults arose in 1848, and Lud wig resigned in favor of his son, Max imilian II., under whom certain modifica tions of the constitution were carried out. At his death in 1864, he was succeeded by Ludwig II. In the war of 1866, Bavaria sided with Austria, and was compelled to cede a small portion of its territory to Prussia, and to pay a war indemnity of $12,500,000. Soon after, Bavaria en tered into an alliance with Prussia, and in 1867 joined the Zollverein. In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, the Bavarians took a prominent part, and it was at the request of the King of Ba varia, on behalf of all the other princes and the Senates of the free cities of Germany, that the King of Prussia agreed to accept the title of Emperor of Germany. Since January, 1871, Ba varia has been a part of the German Empire. The eccentricity early dis played by Ludwig II. developed to such an extent that in June, 1886, he was placed under control, and a regency es tablished under Prince Luitpold. The change was almost immediately fol lowed by the suicide of the King, and as Prince Otto, the brother and heir of the late King, was insane, his uncle Luitpold became regent. His son Louis succeeded him December, 1912, and was proclaimed King as Ludwig III, in 1913. In November, 1918, a revolutionary up rising forced Ludwig to abdicate and Bavaria became a republic.