Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Encyclopedia
Ernest Augustus was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
and ruled over the Principality of Calenberg (with its capital Hanover
) subdivision of the duchy. He was appointed prince-elector
, but died before the appointment became effective. He was also Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück
.
, the son of George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
and Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt
(Ernest Augustus was descended from the Albertinian line
of the Habsburg family and also the House of Hohenzollern
). In 1658 he married Sophia of the Palatinate in Heidelberg
. As the fourth son, he had little chance of succeeding his father as ruler, and so, in 1662, his relatives appointed him administrator of Osnabrück; according to the Peace of Westphalia
, every second incumbent of the Osnabrück see was to be appointed by the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg. However, after two of his elder brothers had died without sons, Ernest Augustus inherited part of his father's territories in 1679, namely Calenberg (including Göttingen
).
In 1683, against the protestations of his five younger sons, Ernest Augustus instituted primogeniture
, so that his territory would not be further subdivided after his death, and also as a pre-condition for obtaining the coveted electorship. He participated in the Great Turkish War
on the side of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
. In 1692 he was appointed prince-elector
by the Emperor; however, the electorship did not come into effect until 1708. Ernest Augustus died in 1698 at Herrenhausen
; he was succeeded as duke by his eldest son George I Louis
, who would later also become king of Great Britain.
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
and ruled over the Principality of Calenberg (with its capital Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
) subdivision of the duchy. He was appointed prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
, but died before the appointment became effective. He was also Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück
Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück
The Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück was a prince-bishopric centred on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück. The diocese was erected in 772 and is the oldest see founded by Charlemagne, in order to Christianize the conquered stem-duchy of Saxony....
.
Biography
Ernest Augustus was born at Herzberg am HarzHerzberg am Harz
Herzberg am Harz is a town in the Osterode district of Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :Herzberg castle was first mentioned in 1154. The town was part of the state of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, and the castle was for some time used as a residence by the dukes...
, the son of George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg ruled as Prince of Calenberg from 1635.He was a son of William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark . His mother was daughter to Christian III of Denmark and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg...
and Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt
Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt
Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt was the daughter of Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Magdalena von Brandenburg. She was born in Darmstadt, Hesse....
(Ernest Augustus was descended from the Albertinian line
Albertinian Line
The Albertinian line was a line of the Habsburg dynasty, begun by Albert III, who, after death of his brother Rudolf IV the Founder, split the Habsburg territories with his brother. Albert was the prince of the Duchy of Austria, while the southern territories were ruled by his brother - Leopold III...
of the Habsburg family and also the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
). In 1658 he married Sophia of the Palatinate in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. As the fourth son, he had little chance of succeeding his father as ruler, and so, in 1662, his relatives appointed him administrator of Osnabrück; according to the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
, every second incumbent of the Osnabrück see was to be appointed by the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg. However, after two of his elder brothers had died without sons, Ernest Augustus inherited part of his father's territories in 1679, namely Calenberg (including Göttingen
Principality of Göttingen
The Principality of Göttingen was a subdivision of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire with Göttingen as its capital. It was split off from the principality of Brunswick in 1286 in the course of an estate division among members of the House of Welf...
).
In 1683, against the protestations of his five younger sons, Ernest Augustus instituted primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
, so that his territory would not be further subdivided after his death, and also as a pre-condition for obtaining the coveted electorship. He participated in the Great Turkish War
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
on the side of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
. In 1692 he was appointed prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
by the Emperor; however, the electorship did not come into effect until 1708. Ernest Augustus died in 1698 at Herrenhausen
Herrenhausen
Herrenhausen is an area of the German city Hanover which is most notable for the baroque Herrenhausen Gardens.Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg died in Herrenhausen Castle and his grandson King George II of Great Britain was born there. During the Second World War the castle was...
; he was succeeded as duke by his eldest son George I Louis
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, who would later also become king of Great Britain.
Ancestry
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Louis George I of Great Britain George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698.... |
28 May 1660 | 11 June 1727 | Succeeded his mother Sophia as heir Presumptive to the throne of Great Britain and succeeded Queen Anne Anne of Great Britain Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the... as King George I of Great Britain George I of Great Britain George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698.... |
| Friedrich Augustus | 3 August 1661 | 31 December 1690 | died at the Battle of St. Georgen Sfântu Gheorghe Sfântu Gheorghe is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical region of Transylvania, it lies on the Olt River in a valley between the Baraolt Mountains and Bodoc Mountains... |
| Stillborn son | February 1664 | February 1664 | |
| Maximilian Wilhelm Maximilian Wilhelm of Brunswick-Lüneburg Maximilian William of Brunswick-Lüneburg was an Imperial Field Marshal.Maximilian William was born on 13 December 1666 at Schloss Iburg near Osnabrück. He was the third son of Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Sophia of the Palatinate... |
13 December 1666 | 16 July 1726 | |
| Stillborn son | 13 December 1666 | 13 December 1666 | twin of Maximilian |
| Sophia Charlotte Sophia Charlotte of Hanover Sophia Charlotte of Hanover was the Queen consort of Prussia as wife of Frederick I of Prussia. She was the daughter of Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, and Sophia of the Palatinate... |
30 October 1668 | 21 January 1705 | married King Frederick I of Prussia Frederick I of Prussia Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel... |
| Karl Philipp | 3 October 1669 | 31 December 1690) | died at the Battle of Pristina Pristina Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district.... |
| Christian Heinrich | 19 September 1671 | 31 July 1703 | died during the Battle of Munderkingen Munderkingen Munderkingen is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is situated on the Danube, 9 km southwest of Ehingen, and 31 km southwest of Ulm.... when drowned in the Danube Danube The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway.... |
| Ernest Augustus Ernest Augustus, Duke of York and Albany -External links:... |
7 September 1674 | 14 August 1728 | Duke of York and Albany |