BRUNSWICK, HOUSE OF. Henry the Lion, who held the united duchies of Bavaria and Saxony in the 12th c., may properly be called the immediate ancestor of this house, though they can trace their lineage back to Albert Azo I., margrave of Este in Italy, who died in 964. The eldest son of Henry the Lion became count palatinate by mar riage; his second son, Otho, died in 1218 after having been crowned German emperor, and it was therefore William, a younger son, who succeeded to the Brunswick inherit ance. Otho, a grandson of Henry the Lion, was invested in 1235 with these domains as a fief of the empire and recognized as the first duke of Brunswick. Ernest the Pious, or the Confessor, who died in 1546, inherited the principalities of Brunswick-Luneburg, and was the founder of both branches of the existing dynasty; he took an active part in the reformation and signed the confession of Augsburg. Ills descendant, Ernest Augustus, duke of Brunswick-Luneburg, was raised to the dignity of ninth elector of the empire in 1692, by his marriage with Sophia, a grand-daughter of James 1.. of England. His sou George Lewis succeeded to the crown of Great Britain in 1714. Ferdinand, a later duke of this house, entered the Prussian service in 1740, distinguished himself in the seven years' war, decided the battle of Prague, and gained the victories of Corfeld and Mindon. The ducal residence, which had been at Wolfenbuttel, was in 1754 removed to Brunswick by duke Charles; he founded the famous Collegium Carolinum, and was a faithful ally of Englaud during the seven years' war. He died 1780. His successor,
Ferdinand, was a nephew of Frederick the great, and married Augusta, daughter of George 111. of England. Ile fought in the seven years' war, and played an important part at the battle of Krefeld in 1758. In 1792 he was commauder-in-chief of the allied armies of Austria and Prussia against France. He marched into Champagne, but was compelled to conclude an armistice with Dumouriez after trying in vain to force the position of Valmy. In 1806 he was called to lead the Prussian troops against .Napoleon, who defeated him at Jena and Auerstadt; he retired broken-hearted, and died soon afterwards from the effects of his wounds. Napoleon incorporated his duchy with the new kingdom of Westphalia, but after the battle of Leipsic it was restored. to his son Frederick William, who had distinguished himself in the eampaigns of 1792, 1793, 1806, and who fell at the head of his troops at the battle of Quatre-Bras in 1815. His son Charles Frederick was a minor, and up to 1823 George IV. of England acted as prince-regent. The people of B. endured the misrule of Charles Frederick for seven years; then they revolted and drove him out of his duchy in 1830. Ile died childless at Geneva in 1873. By an act of the Germanic diet the duchy was transferred to his. brother William, prince of Oels (b. 1806), who assumed the government, April 25, 1831. He is still unmarried, and, if he dies without issue, Brunswick will pass to the house or Hanover.