ERNEST AUGUSTUS, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND (1845 1923 ) , only son of George V. of Hanover (q.v.), who was deposed in 1866, following the events of the Seven Weeks' War, was born at Hanover on Sept. 21, 1845. He was a grandson of the Ernest Augustus, king of Hanover noticed above. Ernest Augustus lived at Gmunden, and after his father's death maintained his claim to the Hanoverian throne. He bore the titles of duke of Cumber land, and duke in Brunswick and Luneburg. He married Princess Thyra of Denmark. When William, duke of Brunswick, died (1884) without issue, Ernest Augustus claimed the duchy as the next heir, but the Federal diet refused to sanction his accession to the ducal throne because he persisted in the Han overian claim. Brunswick was therefore placed under a regency. In 1902 he expressly stated to the German emperor his ac quiescence in the imperial regime, and thenceforward received the income from his inheritance. He resigned his claim to the duchy of Brunswick in favour of his son Ernest Augustus in 1906. The decision of the Federal Council was, however, reaffirmed in 1907.
Prince Ernest Augustus presently entered the Prussian army, and the difficulties, in so far as Brunswick was concerned, were ended by his marriage (May 24, 1913) , to the only daughter of Wilhelm II., Victoria Louise. He then asked for a reversal of the former decisions of the Federal Council. The Council agreed on Oct. 27 to the prince's accession, and on Nov. 3 the young duke and duchess made their State entry into Brunswick. The decision was attacked in the reichstag because the duke of Cum berland had never renounced the throne of Hanover. Ernest Augustus, duke of Brunswick, abdicated, with other German princes in 1918. His father died at Gmunden on Nov. 14, 1923.