This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
Oettfagen, a mediatized county of Germany, which existed in the Eiesgau, Swabia, as early as the 13th century, and is divided at present between the Spielberg and Wallerstein lines, the territory belonging partly to Bavaria (since 1806) and partly to Wiirtemberg (since 1810). Wallerstein, the principal town of the latter branch, is situated in the Bavarian district of Swabia and Neuburg, and celebrated for its palace and its library of 100,000 volumes. - Prince Ludwig Kraft Erxst vox Oettixgen-Wal-leesteix, a Bavarian statesman, born at Wallerstein Jan. 31, 1791, died in Lucerne, Switzerland, July 22, 1870. He lost his seat in the Bavarian diet in 1823, on account of his opposition to the government, and his right to the succession as prince by marrying in the same year the daughter of his gardener. In 1828 he was restored to his seat in the diet, and in 1831 he became minister of the interior, but was soon succeeded by his adversary Abel. He was employed in diplomatic missions in 1843-'4, and formed with Berks in 1847 the so-called Lola cabinet. Subsequently lie figured in the chamber as a liberal, but his influence was impaired by his want of consistency, and he was arrested for debt.
On his release in 1863 he was obliged to seek refuge in Lucerne. His nephew, Prince Charles (born in 1840), is the present heir of the house.
 
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