Background
He was the second cousin of Emperor Franz Joseph, of the ruling House of Habsburg-Lorraine, the fourth son of Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany. In his youth, he fell in love with Archduchess Mathilde, who was promised to Prince Umberto of Savoy. But she died accidentally; she was bored while watching a parade and tried to smoke a secret cigarette, her clothes caught fire and she literally burnt to death. Ludwig went to Majorca under his title of Count of Neuendorf, arriving in 1867. Falling in love with the clear air, water and dazzling blue skies of Majorca it was to become his base and home for the remainder of his life.
He explored on his steam-yacht the Nixe. He was known for his extreme love of animals and nature.
He never married. Relationships with women included Catalina Homar. She convinced Ludwig to let her visit Jerusalem and it is believed that it was there that she contracted the leprosy that took her life in 1905. He had many lovers, most of them Mallorcan and he sired many illegitimate children. He treated them as honoured children and gave them land and wealth. Nevertheless, someone spoke about his homosexuality, because of some letters that were sent to him from a supposed lover, who added pornographic sketches.
Ludwig's main work, his 9 volume book on the Balearics took 22 years to complete.
When World War I broke out, his family ordered him to leave Majorca and in 1915 he died in family castle of Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, Bohemia. He was buried in Vienna.
Read more about this topic: Archduke Ludwig Salvator Of Austria
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