Ludwig III of Bavaria was the last king of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 until the monarchy was abolished in 1918. He was born on January 7, 1845, and was a member of the House of Wittelsbach. His reign was marked by the turmoil of World War I and the subsequent political changes in Germany. After the war, Ludwig III fled to exile in Austria and later settled in Italy. He was never formally deposed, but the end of the monarchy in Germany led to the establishment of the Weimar Republic. Ludwig III died on October 18, 1921, in Italy.