Why did Ludwig van Beethoven leave school when he was young?

Ludwig van Beethoven left school at the age of 11 due to his family's declining financial situation. Following the death of his grandfather in 1773, the family became increasingly impoverished, a condition exacerbated by his father's struggle with alcoholism.1

Because of these circumstances, his formal education was limited; notably, it is recorded that his schooling in arithmetic did not even extend as far as the multiplication table. By the time he was 18, Beethoven had become the primary breadwinner for his family.21