William, Duke of Brunswick

For other people named William of Brunswick, see William of Brunswick (disambiguation).

William
Duke of Brunswick
Reign	9 September 1830 – 18 October 1884
Predecessor	Charles II
Successor	Prince Albert of Prussia (as Imperial Regent)
Born	(1806-04-25)25 April 1806 Brunswick, Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Died	Sibyllenort, Silesia, Prussia
Full name William Augustus Louis Maximilian Frederick German: Wilhelm August Ludwig Maximilian Friedrich
House	House of Brunswick-Bevern
Father	Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Mother	Princess Marie of Baden

William (German: Wilhelm August Ludwig Maximilian Friedrich; born 25 April 1806 in Brunswick, Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel – died 18 October 1884 in Sibyllenort, Silesia, Prussia), Duke of Brunswick, was ruling duke of the Duchy of Brunswick from 1830 until his death.

William was the second son of Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and after the death of his father in 1815, was under the guardianship of King George IV of the United Kingdom. He became a Prussian major in 1823. When his brother, Charles, was deposed as ruling duke by a rebellion in 1830, William took over government provisionally. In 1831 a family law of the House of Guelph made William ruling duke permanently. William left most government business to his ministers, and spent most of his time outside of his state at his possessions in Oels.

While William joined the Prussian-led North German Confederation in 1866, his relationship to Prussia was strained, since Prussia refused to recognize Ernest Augustus, 3rd Duke of Cumberland, his nearest male-line relative, as his heir, because of the Duke of Cumberland's claim to the throne of Hanover. William died in 1884; he passed on his private possessions to the Duke of Cumberland. His death caused a constitutional crisis for Brunswick that lasted until the accession of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick, the son of the Duke of Cumberland, in 1913.

William died unmarried, but had a number of illegitimate children.

References

• Meyers Konversationslexikon, 1889
• Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, vol. 43, p. 4-13

Family of William, Duke of Brunswick

16. Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               8. Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel                       17. Duchess Antoinette Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg               4. Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick                             18. Frederick William I of Prussia               9. Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia                       19. Sophia Dorothea of Hanover               2. Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel                                   20. George II of Great Britain               10. Frederick, Prince of Wales                       21. Caroline of Ansbach               5. Princess Augusta of Great Britain                             22. Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg               11. Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha                       23. Princess Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst               1. William, Duke of Brunswick                                         24. Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Baden-Durlach               12. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden                       25. Princess Amalia of Nassau-Dietz               6. Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden                             26. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt               13. Landgravine Karoline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt                       27. Countess Charlotte Christine Magdalene Johanna of Hanau-Lichtenberg               3. Princess Marie of Baden                                   28. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (= 26)               14. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                       29. Countess Charlotte Christine Magdalene Johanna of Hanau-Lichtenberg (= 27)               7. Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt                             30. Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken               15. Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken                       31. Princess Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken

William, Duke of Brunswick House of Brunswick-Bevern Cadet branch of the House of Welf Born: 25 April 1806 Died: 18 October 1884
German royalty
Preceded by Charles II	Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 1830-1884	Vacant Title next held by Ernest Augustus Prince Ernest Augustus(titler)