Group

Brunswick-Lüneburg, Electorate of (Electorate of Hanover)

Substate Defunct 1692 CE – 1806 CE Capital Hanover > Hannover Niedersachsen Germany

The Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, colloquially Electorate of Hanover, is established in 1692 as the ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire and formally approved in 1708.

It is ruled by the House of Hanover, a cadet branch of the House of Welf, which at this time rules and earlier had ruled a number of principalities, which had several times been partitioned among several heirs from the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

After 1705, only two of these territories exist.

One is the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, which remains independent as the Duchy of Brunswick (new title adopted in 1815) until 1918.

The other, the new Electorate, is based on the dynastic line of the Principality of Calenberg.

With the ascension of its prince-elector as King of Great Britain in 1714, it becomes ruled in personal union with Great Britain.

As a consequence, a reluctant Great Britain is forced time and again to become involved with the fate of the German possessions of its King.

However, internally, it remains a separately ruled territory with its own government and bodies.

Merged into the Napoleonic Kingdom of Westphalia in 1807, it is re-established as the Kingdom of Hanover in 1814, with the personal union with the British crown lasting until 1837.

Member Cities

Moran, J. (n.d.). Brunswick-Lüneburg, Electorate of (Electorate of Hanover). History Atlas. Retrieved 5 November 2026, from https://www.historyatlas.com/groups/brunswick-luneburg-electorate-of-electorate-of-hanover/

Menu

Related events