Duke Siegfried August in Bavaria

Duke Siegfried in Bavaria, full German name: Siegfried August Maximilian Maria, Herzog in Bayern
was a Duke in Bavaria and member of the House of Wittelsbach. Siegfried August was the first of three sons of Duke Maximilian Emanuel in Bavaria and his wife Princess Amalie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Siegfried August was the brother of Christoph Joseph Clemens Maria, Duke in Bavaria, and Luitpold Emanuel Ludwig Maria, Duke in Bavaria.

Family and early life

Duke Siegfried was the eldest son of Duke Maximilian Emanuel in Bavaria and his wife Amalie, who was a sister of Prince Philip of Coburg and of Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria. Siegfried belonged to the Ducal or non-reigning branch of the ancient dynasty of Wittelsbach.
He was a notable steeplechase rider. When young, the Duke visited America, Japan, China and India, where he shot big game. On his way home paid a visit to Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir apparent to the Austrian throne in Bohemia, who shared an interest in shooting big game.

While staying with Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, Siegfried met his host’s unmarried half-sister, Archduchess Maria Annunciata, daughter of Archduchess Maria Theresa, and they became engaged. The engagement was broken off by the Archduchess two months later, in August 1902, owing to the personality change the Duke had suffered after a riding accident. The Archduchess appealed to the Emperor for permission to enter a canonry for daughters of aristocratic families, yet without any vows, while the Duke became prey to melancholia, which in due course developed into insanity, rendering it necessary for his permanent confinement from 1906.

Duke Siegfried August in Bavaria died in Munich, Bavaria on 12 March 1952.