Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Ernest Augustus
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Elector-designate of Hanover
Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Elector of Hanover
Reign	19 December 1692 – 23 January 1698
Successor	Georg Ludwig
Prince of Calenberg Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Reign	18 December 1679 – 23 January 1698
Predecessor	John Frederick
Successor	Georg Ludwig
Born	20 November 1629 Herzberg am Harz
Died	23 January 1698 (aged 68) Herrenhausen
Spouse	Sophia of the Palatinate
Issue	George I of Great Britain Friedrich Augustus Maximilian Wilhelm Sophia Charlotte, Queen in Prussia Karl Philipp Christian Heinrich Ernest Augustus, Duke of York
House	Hanover
Father	George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Mother	Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt

Ernest Augustus (German: Ernst August; 20 November 1629 – 23 January 1698) 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.

Biography

Ernest Augustus was born at Herzberg am Harz, 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.

Arms of Ernest as Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1661–1692

Arms of Ernest August as Elector-designate 1692–1698

Ancestry

Ancestors of Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg

16. Henry I of Lüneburg               8. Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       17. Margaret of Saxony               4. William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                             18. Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg               9. Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin                       19. Ursula of Brandenburg               2. George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                   20. Frederick I of Denmark               10. Christian III of Denmark                       21. Anna of Brandenburg               5. Dorothea of Denmark                             22. Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg               11. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg                       23. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel               1. Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                         24. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse               12. George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                       25. Christine of Saxony               6. Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                             26. Bernhard VIII, Count of Lippe               13. Magdalene of Lippe                       27. Catherine of Waldeck-Eisenberg               3. Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt                                   28. Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg               14. John George, Elector of Brandenburg                       29. Magdalena of Saxony               7. Magdalene of Brandenburg                             30. Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt               15. Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst                       31. Agnes of Barby-Mühlingen

Children

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
George Louis	28 May 1660	11 June 1727	Succeeded his mother Sophia as heir presumptive to the throne of Great Britain and succeeded Queen Anne as King George I of Great Britain
Friedrich Augustus	3 August 1661	31 December 1690	died at the Battle of St. Georgen
Stillborn son	February 1664	February 1664
Maximilian Wilhelm	13 December 1666	16 July 1726
Stillborn son	13 December 1666	13 December 1666	twin of Maximilian
Sophia Charlotte	30 October 1668	21 January 1705	married King Frederick I of Prussia
Karl Philipp	3 October 1669	31 December 1690	died at the Battle of Pristina
Christian Heinrich	19 September 1671	31 July 1703	died during the Battle of Munderkingen when drowned in the Danube
Ernest Augustus	7 September 1674	14 August 1728	Duke of York and Albany

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