His mother, Maria Magdalena van Beethoven, died in 1787. In 1815, Ludwig's brother Caspar died on November 15. Caspar was preceded by his wife and their nine-year-old son. His brother left guardianship of his son to his widowed wife and Ludwig. Beethoven was in his forties and struggling to juggle raising a nine-year-old, his deafness and his music. Ludwig tried to teach his nephew music, but he never succeeded and the boy eventually began life in the army.