(House of Brunswick - Luneburg)
Coat of arms:
Hanover, ex electorate of The Holy Empire, became an independent kingdom of the German Confederation in 1815, as a result of the unification of several medieval principalities: The Duchy of Bremen, The Principality of Luneburg, The County of Hoya and that of Diepholz etc.
The female heir of one of these territories got married around 1100 to Henry the Black from the House of Welfs that had conquered the duchy of Bavaria in 1070. Their son, Henry the Lion became duke of Bavaria and Saxony, and extended his domination over the future entire Hanover by marring Gertrude - the heir of Brunswick, Nordheim and Supplinburg.
His son’s nephew – Otto the Child was however dispossessed of most of his states. The ones that remained under his reign formed the duchy of Brunswick in 1235. This duchy was later divided between Otto’s different heirs. The two main branches of heirs were: the first, Brunswick –Wolfenbuttel, descending from Ernest I (The founder of which had been Henry) and the second descending from Wilhelm, duke of Luneburg (the leader of which was Ernest - August).
George I – the son of Ernest August and al Sophie –niece of the king of England, Jacob I Stuart – fallowed Queen Ana Stuart to the throne, thus the dynasty reigned simultaneously in both countries: Hanover and Great Britain, without the latter being unified.
