The Catholic Church party, which adorned itself with the often misused name of "National," worked up a strong feeling against him and his Ministers. In reality, this party was less national than the other; for the Catholic Church is international in its principle and in its entire organisation, the threads being collected in Rome from the Catholic communities in all parts of the world! Nor was there unity among the Catholic clergy themselves. One of the heads of the Church in Bavaria at that time was Ignaz von Döllinger. He had been Ludwig's teacher, and one of the few whom Ludwig in his youth had really cared about. The Dean was among the most learned theologians of the last century. He had in 1863 published a book, "Pabstfabeln des Mittelalters," which had brought him into bad odour with the Romish curia. In spite of threats from Rome he quietly continued the way which his truth-loving spirit and his scientific researches pointed out to him. In 1864 Pius IX. had issued the so-called "Syllabus," in which he vindicated and defined the mediæval conception of the Church's supremacy over the State. The Pope meant by his action to prepare for the dogma of his Infallibility. Döllinger made this the object of scathing criticism. His writings did not indeed influence the unenlightened masses, who received the Holy Father's message with blind obedience, but within scientific circles in the Catholic world the Dean's utterances made a deep impression. Munich became the centre of the opposition, and Döllinger, as a matter of course, became its leader. The suppressed embitterment of which he had long been the object at Rome was now transformed into open and violent persecution. During these struggles King Ludwig held his protecting hand over his old teacher, [29] and sent him the following letter:-- "My dear Dean von Döllinger, "I intended to have called upon you to-day, but, unfortunately I am hindered by indisposition from carrying out my purpose, and expressing my very heartiest wishes for your happiness and blessing on the occasion of your birthday. "I therefore send you my congratulations in this manner. "I hope that God may grant you still many years of unimpaired intellect and health, so that you may lead to a victorious end the struggle which you began for the honour of religion and science, for the welfare of the Church and the State. "Do not weary in this so serious and important combat! May you ever be upheld by the consciousness that millions look up to you with confidence as the champion and pillar of truth, and who abandon themselves to the certain hope that you and your undaunted fellow-fighters will put the Jesuitical intrigues to shame and shed the light of victory over human malice and darkness. "May God grant it, and I pray it of Him with my whole soul!