Ernest Augustus, Duke of York and Albany: Difference between revisions

| birth_place = [[Osnabrück]], Germany

| death_place = [[Osnabrück]], Germany

'''Ernest Augustus, Duke of York and Albany''' (17 September 1674 – 14 August 1728), was the younger brother of [[George I of Great Britain]].<ref name=cal/> Ernest Augustus was a soldier and served with some distinction under [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Leopold I]] during the [[Nine Years' War]] and the [[War of the Spanish Succession]]. In 1715, he became [[Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück|Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück]].

Ernest Augustus was born on 17 September 1674. He was the sixth son and seventh child of [[Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg]], and [[Sophia of Hanover|Sophia of the Palatinate]], and athe youngeryoungest brother of the future [[George I of Great Britain]].{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

His education followed the customs of the time, by which German princes were expected to travel to foreign courts to make contacts and learn how to conduct diplomatic relations. In the summer of his 20th year1687, he visited the French court at [[Palace of Versailles|Versailles]] via [[Amsterdam]]. While there, he turned 20 and the two brothers were popular with the French royal family.{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

After his visit to France, he trod the well-worn path for young German princes of those times and served as a soldier. His family interests were aligned with those of [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Leopold I]] and so he fought againagainst the French in the Nine Years' War and was present at the [[Battle of Neerwinden (1693)|Battle of Neerwinden]] in 1693. He continued his military career during the [[War of Spanish Succession]] and was actively engaged in the [[Siege of Lille (1708)]].{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

After his father's death, his elder brother George inherited all his lands and titles, including the electorate. His father, as part of the conditions he had to fulfil to acquire an electorship, had adopted [[primogeniture]], thus disinheriting younger sons. Unlike his four elder brothers, Ernest Augustus did not oppose this change; consequently he got on well with his eldest brother George, who trusted him. He was a prominent member of his brother's court at [[Herrenhausen]], in Hanover, receiving diplomatic visitors and taking an active role in the cultural interests of the court. His influence may have helped secure the position of ''[[Kapellmeister]]'' for [[Handel]] at the court.{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

With his [[Hanoverian Succession|accession to the British throne]], George moved to London and Ernest Augustus took on the mantle of the senior head of the family in Brunswick-Lüneburg. In this capacity, he became regent in all but name, and took on the duty of care for George's seven-year-old grandson, [[Frederick, Prince of Wales|Frederick Lewis]], the future [[Prince of Wales]] and father-to-be of [[George III]]. Frederick was left in Germany as a diplomatic move, to reassure the populace and any ambitious neighbouring states of the family's continuing commitment to its German lands.{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

Upon the death of [[Charles Joseph, Elector of Trier]], in 1715, under the terms of the [[Treaty of Westphalia]], it was the turn of a Protestant to become Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück. This position as a [[Princes of the Holy Roman Empire|Prince of the Holy Roman Empire]] and ruler of an independent principality had to alternate between Catholics and Lutherans according to the treaty. Usually a member of the [[House of Welf]] held the office whenever the turn came to Protestants. As Ernest Augustus's elder brother [[Maximilian William of Brunswick-Luneburg]] had become a Catholic, King George nominated Ernest Augustus to be elected by the Osnabrück [[cathedral chapter]]. The position was not just an honorific, and so Ernest Augustus had to divide his time between [[Osnabrück#Main_sights|Schloss Osnabrück]] and the court at Herrenhausen.{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

In 1716, Ernst visited England where, on 29 June 1716, he was created [[Duke of York]], [[Duke ofand Albany|Albany]], and [[Earl of Ulster]].<ref>"These titles had previously been held by James II during the reign of his brother Charles II" {{harv|Kilburn|2005}}</ref> On 30 April 1718 ([[Old Style|OS]]), he was created a [[Order of the Garter|Knight of the Garter]] together with his grand-nephew Frederick, later Prince of Wales.{{sfn|Vian|1889|p=293}}<ref>Ernest Augustus and Frederick would have been knighted in August 1716, but was delayed until December and in the end it did not take place until 30 April 1718 when both were represented by proxies. {{harv|Kilburn|2005}}</ref>

After his sojourn toin Great Britain, Ernest Augustus returned to his previous life and continued to divide his time between Schloss Osnabrück and the court at Herrenhausen, while actively managing the affairs of both states. He died at Osnabrück on 14 August 1728 ([[New Style|NS]]) and was buried there.{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}} One year earlier his brother George I had also died there on a journey.

Believed to be [[homosexual]], Ernest Augustus never married.{{sfn|Campbell|2004|p=281}} Upon his death, his British and Irish peerages became extinct.{{sfn|Kilburn|2005}}

|image = [[File:Coat of armsArms of Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg,York and KGAlbany.png|250px]]svg

|supporters = Dexter: a Lion rampant guardant Or, armed and langued Gules, with a coronet of rank Or, charged on the shoulder with a label for difference as in the arms. Sinister: ana Unicorn Argent, armed, crined and unguled Or, langued Gules, gorged with a Coronet of rank, a chain affixed thereto passing between the forelegs and reflexed over the back Or, charged on the shoulder with a label for difference as in the arms.

|12= 12. [[Frederick IV, Elector Palatine|Frederick IV, Elector Palatine]]

|24= 24. [[Louis VI, Elector Palatine|Louis VI, Elector Palatine]]

{{Reflist|refs=

In this article "[[New Style|NS]]" means the Gregorian calendar. [[Old Style|OS]] the Julian calendar with the start of the year adjusted to 1&nbsp; January. Events on the European mainland are usually given using the Gregorian calendar, while events in Great Britain are usually given using the Julian calendar with the year adjusted to 1&nbsp; January. Dates with no explicit Julian or Gregorian postscript will be using the same calendar as the last date with an explicit postscript.

*{{Cite book|ref=harv |first=Clarissa|last=Campbell|title=Queenship in Europe 1660-18151660–1815: The Role of the Consort|volume=|pages=281|year=2004|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0521814227}}

*{{cite ODNB |last=Kilburn |first=Matthew |title=Ernest Augustus, Prince, duke of York and Albany (1674–1728) |origyearorig-year=200n42004|date=May 2005 |id=8839}}

*{{Cite DNB|ref=harv |author=first=Alsager Richard |last=Vian |wstitle=Ernest Augustus (1674-1728) |display=Ernest Augustus (1674–1728) |volume=17 |pages=393}}

{{Succession box | title=[[Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück|Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück]] | before=[[Charles Joseph, Bishop of Osnabrück|Charles Joseph]] | after=[[Klemens August of Bavaria|Clemens August]] | years=1715&ndash;17281715–1728}}

[[Category:Dukes of York and Albany|101]]

[[Category:1674Military birthspersonnel from Osnabrück]]

[[Category:1728Burials deathsat Berggarten Mausoleum, Herrenhausen (Hanover)]]

[[Category:18th-centurySons Lutheranof bishopsdukes]]