George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
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George William was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
and ruled first over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, then over the Lüneburg
subdivision. In 1689 he occupied the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg.
George William was the second son of George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
. In 1648, he received Calenberg from his elder brother Christian Louis
when Christian Louis inherited Lüneburg. On Christian Louis' death in 1665, George William inherited Lüneburg, and gave Calenberg to his next brother, John Frederick
.
George William had remained unmarried, but his desire to improve the status of his mistress Eleanor, Countess of Wilhelmsburg
, (whom in spite of his promise he married in 1676) and of their daughter Sophia Dorothea
, greatly alarmed his relatives, as these proceedings threatened to hinder the contemplated union of the Lüneburg territories. However, in 1682, the difficulty caused by George William's having a family and heirs of his own was bridged over by the marriage of his daughter with his nephew, George Louis
(who later became King George I of Great Britain), son of George William's younger brother Duke Ernest Augustus
, who became elector
in 1692.
When in 1689 Julius Francis, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
died leaving two daughters, Anna Mary Francisca
and Mary Francisca Sibylla Augusta
, only, George William claimed the succession for himself. Their father had provided for the legal grounds of female succession in Saxe-Lauenburg, but George William simply invaded the duchy with his troops, thus inhibiting the accession of the legal heiress Anna Mary Francisca.
Also other monarchies claimed the succession, resulting into a conflict involving further the neighbouring duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
and of Danish Holstein, as well as the five Ascanian-ruled Principalities of Anhalt, the Electorate of Saxony
, which had succeeded the Saxe-Wittenberg
ian Ascanians in 1422, Sweden
and Brandenburg.
However, only George William and Duke Christian V of Holstein (also Danish king)
, were militarily engaged. On 9 October 1693 they agreed (Hamburger Vergleich) that George William - anyway de facto holding most of Saxe-Lauenburg - would retain the duchy in personal union
. However, Emperor Leopold I
did not accept this violent act. He withheld the Saxe-Lauenburgian exclave Land of Hadeln, which George William did not have occupied, in imperial custody. But else Leopold I did not conquer Saxe-Lauenburg to enthrone its legitimate duchess. Only his son Emperor Charles VI finally legitimised the de facto takeover and enfeoffed George William's second successor, Elector George II Augustus of Hanover (also British king)
with the duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg in 1728. Saxe-Lauenburgian Hadeln remained in imperial custody until 1731, when it was ceded to George Augustus too.
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 first over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, then over the Lüneburg
Principality of Lüneburg
The Principality of Lüneburg was a territorial division of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg within the Holy Roman Empire, immediately subordinate to the emperor. It existed from 1269 until 1705 and its territory lay within the modern-day state of Lower Saxony in Germany...
subdivision. In 1689 he occupied the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg.
George William was the second 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...
. In 1648, he received Calenberg from his elder brother Christian Louis
Christian Louis, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Christian Louis was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. A member of the House of Welf, from 1641 until 1648 he ruled the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, and, from 1648, until his death the Principality of Lüneburg....
when Christian Louis inherited Lüneburg. On Christian Louis' death in 1665, George William inherited Lüneburg, and gave Calenberg to his next brother, John Frederick
John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
John Frederick was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, from 1665 until his death....
.
George William had remained unmarried, but his desire to improve the status of his mistress Eleanor, Countess of Wilhelmsburg
Eleonore d'Esmier d'Olbreuse
Éléonore d'Olbreuse was the wife of George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and grandmother of George II of Great Britain. She was Countess of Wilhelmsburg from 1674 and Duchess of Braunschweig-Lüneburg from 1676...
, (whom in spite of his promise he married in 1676) and of their daughter Sophia Dorothea
Sophia Dorothea of Celle
Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick and Lunenburg was the wife and cousin of George Louis, Elector of Hanover, later George I of Great Britain, and mother of George II through an arranged marriage of state, instigated by the machinations of Duchess Sophia of Hanover...
, greatly alarmed his relatives, as these proceedings threatened to hinder the contemplated union of the Lüneburg territories. However, in 1682, the difficulty caused by George William's having a family and heirs of his own was bridged over by the marriage of his daughter with his nephew, 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....
(who later became King George I of Great Britain), son of George William's younger brother Duke Ernest Augustus
Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Ernest Augustus was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Principality of Calenberg subdivision of the duchy. He was appointed prince-elector, but died before the appointment became effective...
, who became 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...
in 1692.
When in 1689 Julius Francis, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Julius Francis, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Julius Francis was duke of Saxe-Lauenburg between 1666 and 1689. He was a son of Duke Julius Henry and his third wife Anna Magdalena of Lobkowicz , daughter of Baron William the Younger Popel von Lobkowitz...
died leaving two daughters, Anna Mary Francisca
Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg
Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg was the legal Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg in the eyes of the Holy Roman Emperor, the overlord of Saxe-Lauenburg, from 1689 until 1728; however, because her distant cousin George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, conquered the duchy by force in 1689, she...
and Mary Francisca Sibylla Augusta
Sibylle Auguste of Saxe-Lauenburg
Sibylle of Saxe-Lauenburg was Margravine of Baden-Baden. Born a Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg, she was the wife of Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden, a famous Imperial general who was known as the Türkenlouis...
, only, George William claimed the succession for himself. Their father had provided for the legal grounds of female succession in Saxe-Lauenburg, but George William simply invaded the duchy with his troops, thus inhibiting the accession of the legal heiress Anna Mary Francisca.
Also other monarchies claimed the succession, resulting into a conflict involving further the neighbouring duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
and of Danish Holstein, as well as the five Ascanian-ruled Principalities of Anhalt, the Electorate of Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
, which had succeeded the Saxe-Wittenberg
Saxe-Wittenberg
The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. As the precursor of the Saxon Electorate, the Ascanian Wittenberg dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity.-Ascanian...
ian Ascanians in 1422, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Brandenburg.
However, only George William and Duke Christian V of Holstein (also Danish king)
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, were militarily engaged. On 9 October 1693 they agreed (Hamburger Vergleich) that George William - anyway de facto holding most of Saxe-Lauenburg - would retain the duchy in personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
. However, Emperor Leopold I
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...
did not accept this violent act. He withheld the Saxe-Lauenburgian exclave Land of Hadeln, which George William did not have occupied, in imperial custody. But else Leopold I did not conquer Saxe-Lauenburg to enthrone its legitimate duchess. Only his son Emperor Charles VI finally legitimised the de facto takeover and enfeoffed George William's second successor, Elector George II Augustus of Hanover (also British king)
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
with the duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg in 1728. Saxe-Lauenburgian Hadeln remained in imperial custody until 1731, when it was ceded to George Augustus too.