Ludwig Salvator

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Ludwig Salvator - Archduke Ludwig Salvator 1847-1915

Known for:

Being a champion for Majorca's wildlife in an era when the term conservation meant nothing.

Settling on Majorca and buying up large pieces of nature in order to preserve and enjoy it.

His story is now a tourist attraction and his main home of S'Arxiduc, near the village of Deia is now a museum.

Key Achievements:

Wrote a book on insects at the age of 22. Wrote a 9 volume book on the Balearic islands, 'Die Balearen' - 'The Balearics'

Much of what was his property now belongs to the American actor Michael Douglas, most notably the Moorish style palace 'S'Estaca' that Ludwig converted from a ruined old manor house. Today it is Michael Douglas's holiday home.

Background:

A distant and undistinguished member of the Austrian Royal family. Following the death of his young bride Princess Mathilde, (she was bored while watching a parade and tried to smoke a sereptitious cigarette, caught fire and became a mass of agonising fire, she died before they could put the flames out, 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.

The 19th century version of Paul Theroux, he was restless and his constant demand for knowledge and new places led him to often ship out on his steam-yacht the 'Nixe'.

Known for his extreme love of animals and nature he never married again, being content to have assignations with various women and one woman in particular named Catalina Homar. Sadly she convinced Ludwig to let her visit Jerusalem and it is believed that it was there that she contracted the dreadful disease of leprosy that took her life in 1905. The Austrian Royal Court was not saddened, believing as they did that she was ignorant and a 'mere concubine'. This was to underestimate Ludwig's love for her but it is a fact that he had many many lovers, most of them Mallorcan and he sired many illegitimate children. Luckily for them he was to treat them as honoured children and give them land and wealth, being naturally of a kind disposition.

Ludwigs main work, his 9 volume book on the Balearics took 22 years to complete, an amazing achievement when one considers that he was writing other works and travelling to other places during that time.

When World War One broke out his family ordered him to leave Majorca and in 1915 he died. Heartbroken at leaving his home? Maybe. One thing is sad to relate. That he was buried in Vienna, miles from his children and the wide blue skies of Mallorca and the howling winds of the Tramuntana.

All information here is based upon the wonderful work below:

Hammer, Ute. Oliver. Toniner and Schauhoff, Frank. 'Majorca: Culture and Life' Konemann Publishing

Germans and Italians have a great big website on the man at http://www.ludwig-salvator.com/