Bavaria's Maximilian II did not possess such towering ambitions at this time. The romantic debts left by his father had erupted spectacularly in 1848, leaving him with an indelible impression.
In order to distinguish himself from his father's image, Maximilian II desperately cultivated an image of himself as a lover of literature.
In truth, his academic attainments were indeed considerable. He even hosted scholarly dinners every week, inviting renowned scholars from around the world to discuss academic questions.
Bavaria at the time did indeed attract many academic talents, even giving rise to the famous Munich School.
Yet Bavaria's rate of turning scientific achievements into practical results was astonishingly low. It was difficult to say how much importance he truly placed on it; at the very least, the Bavarian government of the time did not care.
On the other hand, because the previous king had left behind far too many debts, Maximilian II had no choice but to constantly deal with the stench of money he despised most.
The problem was that he himself also loved spending money, making the finances of the Kingdom of Bavaria even worse—snow piled upon frost.
In fact, Maximilian II had another side unknown to others. He was not truly a man entirely devoid of ambition.
Historically, Maximilian II had proposed a third path: setting aside the Austrian Empire's Greater German Solution and Prussia's Lesser German Solution, Bavaria would lead the other medium and small German states in a Third German Solution.
However, Maximilian II's abilities were quite limited. Let alone coordinating the German states, he could not even handle the Liberals and conservatives within his own household.
Maximilian II himself also lacked sufficient resolve. He opposed the Church, yet did not dare break with it, nor even dare engage in a direct confrontation.
Historically, Maximilian