View source for Duchy of Brunswick

{{Short description|German duchy (1815–1918)}}
{{Use dmy dates |date=July 2024}}
{{Distinguish|Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = {{native name|de|Herzogtum Braunschweig}}
| conventional_long_name = Duchy of Brunswick
| common_name            = Brunswick
| status                 = State of the [[German Confederation]], the [[North German Confederation]], and the [[German Empire]]
| era                    = [[Modern era]]
| government_type        = [[Constitutional monarchy]]
| year_start             = 1815
| year_end               = 1918
| event_start            = [[Congress of Vienna|Restoration]]
| event_end              = [[German Revolution of 1918–19|German Revolution]]
| date_end               = 8 November
| p1                     = Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
| flag_p1                = Blason duché ni Brunswick.svg
| border_p1              = no
| s1                     = Free State of Brunswick
| flag_s1                = Flagge Herzogtum Braunschweig.svg
| image_flag             = Flagge Herzogtum Braunschweig (1814-1830).svg
| image_flag2            = Flagge Herzogtum Braunschweig.svg
| flag_type              = Top: Flag (1815–1830) <br /> Bottom: Flag (1830–1918)
| image_coat             = Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Brunswick.svg
| image_map              = Brunswick in the German Reich (1871).svg
| image_map2             = Herzogtum Braunschweig 1914.png
| image_map_caption      = The Duchy of Brunswick within the [[German Empire]]
| map_caption2           = Duchy of Brunswick (orange) in 1914
| capital                = [[Braunschweig|Brunswick]]
| common_languages       = {{unbulleted list |[[German language|German]],|[[Eastphalian dialect|Eastphalian]]}}
| religion               = [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick|Evangelical Lutheran State Church in Brunswick]]
| leader1                = [[Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|Frederick William]] {{small|(first)}}
| leader2                = [[Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick|Ernest Augustus]] {{small|(last)}}
| year_leader1           = 1813–1815
| year_leader2           = 1913–1918
| title_leader           = Duke
| legislature            = [[Landtag|Landesversammlung]]
| stat_year1             = 1910
| stat_area1             = 3672
| ref_area1              = <ref name="gem1910" />
| stat_pop1              = 494,339
| ref_pop1               = <ref name="gem1910" />
| currency               = [[Thaler]] 1842–1856<br>[[vereinsthaler]] 1858–1871<br>[[German gold mark|Goldmark]] 1873–1914<br>[[Papiermark]] 1914–1918
| today                  = [[Germany]]
}}

The '''Duchy of Brunswick''' ({{langx|de|Herzogtum Braunschweig}}) was a historical German state that ceased to exist in 1918. Its [[capital city|capital]] was the city of [[Braunschweig|Brunswick]] ({{lang|de|Braunschweig|italics=no}}). It was established as the [[successor state]] of the [[Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]] by the [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1815. In the course of the [[19th-century history of Germany]], the duchy was part of the [[German Confederation]], the [[North German Confederation]] and from 1871 the [[German Empire]]. It was disestablished after the end of [[World War I]], its territory incorporated into the [[Weimar Republic]] as the [[Free State of Brunswick]].

==History==

===Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel===
{{main|List of rulers of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel}}

[[File:Fuerstentum-braunschweig-wolfenbuettel-1645-2.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1645]]
The title "[[Brunswick-Lüneburg|Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg]]" ({{langx|de|Herzog zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg}}) was held, from 1235 on, by various members of the [[House of Welf|Welf]] (Guelph) family who ruled several small territories in northwest Germany.  These holdings did not have all of the formal characteristics of a modern unitary state, being neither compact nor indivisible. When several sons of a duke competed for power, the lands often became divided between them; when a branch of the family lost power or became extinct, the lands were reallocated among surviving members of the family; different dukes might also exchange territories. The unifying element of all these territories was that they were ruled by male-line descendants of Duke [[Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Otto I]] (ruled 1235–1252).

After several early divisions, Brunswick-Lüneburg re-unified under Duke [[Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Magnus II]] (d. 1373). Following his death, his three sons jointly ruled the duchy.  After the murder of their brother [[Frederick I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]], brothers Bernard and [[Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Henry]] redivided the land, Henry receiving the territory of Wolfenbüttel.

From 1432 forward the Principality of Wolfenbuettel became the capital of the Duchy of Brunswick and Luneburg. It is widely understood and confirmed that from the year 1546 forward there became two dynastic lines of the house of Este-Guelph Brunswick: "the senior", from Brunswick-Wolfenbuettel, and one called "the younger branch" from Calenburg-Hanover.
The ruling monarchs of Brunswick and Lunenburg continued to govern the greater Duchy from the Wolfenbuettel principality till 1754, when temporarily the Brunswick principality was used as a capital to mitigate{{clarify|date=September 2024|reason=Mitigate what?}} while the Brunswick{{clarify|date=September 2024|reason=The Brunswick what?}} wished to become an Imperial free city.

===Duchy of Brunswick===
[[File:Herzogtum Braunschweig 1914.png|thumb|right|400px|The Duchy of Brunswick (orange) in 1914]]

====Formal sovereignty confirmed====
The territory of Wolfenbüttel was recognized as a sovereign state by the [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1815. It had been a portion of the medieval Duchy of [[Brunswick-Lüneburg]]. The northern principality known as Lüneburg remained fragmented and largely under control of Wolfenbuettel. However, in 1702, the [[Prince of Calenberg]] and [[Lüneburg-Celle|Celle]] averted the extinction of the line through a marriage with the low-born Eleonore d'Esmier d'Olbreuse, who from 1705 passed to her successors a united Lüneburg to said princes, later i.e. the [[Elector of Hanover]].{{clarify|date=September 2024|reason=Unclear what "i.e. the Elector of Hanover" means}} The princes of Wolfenbüttel maintained their supremacy over the subject vassal state of Lüneburg, but recognized its semi-sovereignty. 

The Wolfenbüttel principality had from 1807 to 1813 been held as part of the [[Kingdom of Westphalia]]. The Congress turned it into an independent country as the '''Duchy of Brunswick'''. These acts were protested by the de facto and de jure Duke Charles II in annual protests until his death. His grandson Ulric de Civry (brother of [[Frédéric de Civry]]) continued in full ducal regalia and claim maintaining these protests (against Prussia, Hanover, and even some parts of the Council of Vienna) until his assassination in 1935 at Geneva Switzerland.

====Charles II (1815–1830)====
The underage Duke [[Charles II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Charles]], the eldest son of Duke [[Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|Frederick William]] (who had been killed in action), was put under the guardianship of [[George IV of the United Kingdom|George IV]], the Prince Regent of the United Kingdom and Hanover.

First, the young duke had a dispute over the date of his majority. Then, in 1827, Charles declared some of the laws made during his minority invalid, which caused conflicts. After the [[German Confederation]] intervened, Charles was forced to accept those laws. His administration was considered corrupt and misguided.<ref>O. Hohnstein: ''Geschichte des Herzogtums Braunschweig'', Braunschweig 1908, pp. 465–474</ref>

In the aftermath of the [[July Revolution]] in 1830, Charles had to leave the country. His [[Absolute monarchy|absolutist]] governing style had alienated the nobility and [[bourgeoisie]], while the lower classes were disaffected by the bad economic situation. During the night of 7–8 September 1830, the [[Brunswick Palace|ducal palace in Braunschweig]] was stormed by an angry mob, set on fire and destroyed completely. Charles fled the country, but without abdicating.<ref>Gerhard Schildt: ''Von der Restauration zur Reichsgründungszeit'', in Horst-Rüdiger Jarck / Gerhard Schildt (eds.), ''Die Braunschweigische Landesgeschichte. Jahrtausendrückblick einer Region'', Braunschweig 2000, pp. 753–766</ref>

====William VIII (1830–1884)====
When Charles' brother [[William VIII, Duke of Brunswick|William VIII]] arrived in Brunswick on 10 September, he was received joyfully by the people. William originally considered himself only his brother's regent, but after a year declared himself ruling duke. Charles made several desperate attempts, unsuccessfully, to depose him.

William left most government business to his ministers, and spent most of his time outside of his state at his possessions in [[Oels]]. After the revolution of 1830, liberal reforms were made and a new constitution was adopted on 12 October 1832. While the number of voters was limited by a system of [[Suffrage#Census suffrage|census suffrage]] to about 40% of Brunswick's male population, the parliament of Brunswick was granted more rights than in most other German states at the time and the duke's budget and powers were significantly limited.<ref>Schildt: ''Von der Restauration zur Reichsgründungszeit'', pp. 772–777</ref>

While William joined the Prussian-led [[North German Confederation]] in 1866, his relationship to Prussia was strained, since Prussia refused to recognize [[Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover]], his nearest male-line relative, as his heir.

While the [[Kingdom of Hanover]] was annexed by [[Prussia]] in 1866, the Duchy of Brunswick remained sovereign and independent. It joined first the North German Confederation and in 1871 the [[German Empire]].
[[File:WillemBrunswijk.jpg|thumb|right|150px|William VIII ruled the Duchy of Brunswick for more than 50 years (1830–1884).]]
In the 1870s, it became obvious that the then-senior branch of the ruling [[House of Welf]] would die with Duke William. By house law, a member of the House of Hanover would have ascended the ducal throne.  However, the Hanoverians still refused to accept the Prussian annexation of their kingdom.  As a result, Prussia was unwilling to let [[George V of Hanover]] or his son, Ernest Augustus, succeed to Brunswick. Berlin would only agree to the Hanoverians becoming dukes of Brunswick under severe conditions, including swearing allegiance to the German constitution and renouncing all claim to Hanover.

By a law of 1879, the Duchy of Brunswick established a temporary council of regency to take over at the duke's death. If Ernest Augustus–who had been created the Duke of Cumberland in the British peerage–were unable to succeed, the council would also be empowered to appoint a regent. With William's death in 1884, the Wolfenbüttel line came to an end.  The Duke of Cumberland then proclaimed himself '''Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick'''. However, since he still claimed to be the rightful King of Hanover, the [[Bundesrat (German Empire)|Federal Council]] ruled that he would violate the peace of the German Empire if he succeeded to Brunswick. Lengthy negotiations ensued, but were never resolved.

====Regency (1884–1913)====
Two regents were appointed: first, [[Prince Albrecht of Prussia|Prince Albert of Prussia]] until his death in 1906, and then [[Duke John Albert of Mecklenburg]].<ref>{{cite news | title =Cable News| publisher =Fielding Star| date =1 June 1907| url =http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=FS19070601.2.8 |page=2 }}</ref>

====Ernest Augustus (1913–1918)====
[[File:Ernstaugusthannover.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Ernest Augustus, the last Duke of Brunswick]]
The need for a regent ended in 1913.  The Duke of Cumberland's eldest son [[George, Hereditary Prince of Hanover|George]] having died in 1912, the elderly duke renounced Brunswick in favor of his youngest son, [[Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick|Ernest Augustus]], who married [[Emperor Wilhelm II]]'s daughter, swore allegiance to the German Empire and renounced all claims to Hanover. Accordingly, he was allowed to ascend the throne of the duchy in November 1913.

In the midst of the [[German Revolution of 1918–19|German revolutions of 1918]], the duke had to abdicate, and the [[Free State of Brunswick]] was founded as a member state of the [[Weimar Republic]].

===Dukes and Regents of Brunswick===

====House of Brunswick-Dannenberg====
# 1815–1830: [[Charles II, Duke of Brunswick|Charles II]], son of Frederick William. Forced to flee Brunswick in 1830 and succeeded by his brother.
# 1830–1884: [[William VIII, Duke of Brunswick|William VIII]]. Brother of Charles II. Last of the Brunswick line, following which the legal succession passed to the Hanoverian royal family, which had been dispossessed by Prussia following the [[Austro-Prussian War]] of 1866.

====Regency====
# 1885–1906: [[Albert, Prince of Prussia (born 1837)|Albert, Prince of Prussia]], regent. The German government prevented the succession of the Hanoverian [[Duke of Cumberland]] to the throne of Brunswick and substituted a Prussian regent for the duke.
# 1907–1913: [[Duke John Albert of Mecklenburg]], regent

====House of Hanover====
# 1913–1918: [[Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick|Ernest Augustus]]

<gallery>
File:ECE Schloss 06u07 1b.jpg|[[Brunswick Palace]]
File:Wolfenbuettel Schloss (2006).jpg|[[Schloss Wolfenbüttel|Wolfenbüttel Castle]]
File:Charles II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1804-1873).jpg|Charles II
File:Prince Albrecht of Prussia in 1883.jpg|Prince Albert of Prussia
File:JohannAlbrechtofMecklenburg.jpg|John Albert of Mecklenburg
File:Braunschweig Brunswick Muenze 1861 Brunonia-2-brightened.jpg|[[:de:Brunonia|Brunonia]], the [[national personification]] of Brunswick
</gallery>

==Geography==
[[File:Hannover Oldenburg Braunschweig 1905.png|thumb|right|The Duchy of Brunswick and neighbouring states in 1905]]
[[File:Wurmberg Braunlage 1900.jpg|thumb|right|The Wurmberg, the highest peak of Brunswick, seen from Braunlage {{circa|1900}}]]
The Duchy of Brunswick consisted of several non-connected parts - three larger and seven smaller ones. The biggest and most populous of those was the area surrounding the cities of [[Braunschweig]], [[Wolfenbüttel]] and [[Helmstedt]] as well as the [[Elm (hills)|Elm]], which extended from the river [[Aller (Germany)|Aller]] in the north to the [[Harz]] mountains in the south. The western part with the town of Holzminden extended from the river [[Weser]] in the east to the Harz Foreland in the west. The southern part with the town of [[Blankenburg (Harz)|Blankenburg]] was located in the Harz mountains. The Duchy's smaller [[Enclave and exclave|exclaves]] were [[Thedinghausen]] near [[Bremen]], [[Bad Harzburg|Harzburg]], [[Calvörde]], [[Bodenburg]] and [[Östrum]], [[Liebenburg|Ostharingen]] near [[Goslar]], Ölsburg near [[Peine]] and a small woodland near the [[Großer Fallstein|Fallstein]]. The Duchy of Brunswick was almost entirely surrounded by the Prussian Provinces of [[Province of Hanover|Hanover]] and [[Province of Saxony|Saxony]], in the south-east it also bordered the [[Duchy of Anhalt]] and in the west the [[Waldeck (state)|Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont]] and the Prussian [[Province of Westphalia]].

The western part of the Duchy lay in the [[Weser Uplands]], the central and southern parts in the northern Harz Foreland and the Harz mountains. The northern part was located on the border between the [[North German Plain]] and the [[Central Uplands]] of Germany. The Duchy's highest peak was the [[Wurmberg (Harz)|Wurmberg]] at 971 metres (3,186&nbsp;ft). The major rivers that ran through Brunswick were the Weser, Aller, [[Leine]], [[Oker]], [[Bode (river)|Bode]] and [[Innerste]].

===Main parts and exclaves of Brunswick by size===
{| class="wikitable"
! Region or exclave<ref>Wolfgang Meibeyer: ''Die Landesnatur. Territorium - Lage - Grenzen'', in Horst-Rüdiger Jarck / Gerhard Schildt (eds.), ''Die Braunschweigische Landesgeschichte. Jahrtausendrückblick einer Region'', Braunschweig 2000, p. 23</ref>
!  Area in<br />square kilometers
!  Shared borders with
|-
| Main part with Braunschweig, Wolfenbüttel, Helmstedt
| align="right" | 1808
| Province of Hanover, Province of Saxony
|-
| Western part with Holzminden, Seesen, Gandersheim
| align="right" | 1107
| Province of Hanover, Province of Westphalia, Waldeck
|-
| Lower Harz with Blankenburg, Braunlage
| align="right" | 475
| Province of Hanover, Province of Saxony, Anhalt
|-
| Harzburg
| align="right" | 125
| Province of Hanover
|-
| Calvörde
| align="right" | 102
| Province of Saxony
|-
| Thedinghausen
| align="right" | 56
| Province of Hanover
|-
| Bodenburg and Östrum
| align="right" | 10
| Province of Hanover
|-
| Ostharingen
| align="right" | 4
| Province of Hanover
|-
| Ölsburg
| align="right" | 3
| Province of Hanover
|}

==Districts==
[[File:Braunschweig.jpg|thumb|right|Braunschweig, the capital and largest city of Brunswick, {{circa|1900}}]]
[[File:Schloss Woflenbüttel 1850s-1860s.jpg|thumb|right|Wolfenbüttel Castle in the mid-19th century]]
The Duchy of Brunswick was subdivided into six [[district#Germany|district]]s (''Kreise'') in 1833. The districts were further subdivided into cities or towns (''Städte'') and more rural townships (''Ämter'').

{| class="wikitable"
! District
!  Area in square kilometers<br />(1 Dec 1910)<ref name="gem1910">[http://www.gemeindeverzeichnis.de/gem1900/gem1900.htm?braunschweig1900.htm Gemeindeverzeichnis Deutschland 1900 - Herzogtum Braunschweig] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090821/http://www.gemeindeverzeichnis.de/gem1900/gem1900.htm?braunschweig1900.htm |date=4 March 2016 }} (in German)</ref>
!  Population<br />(1 Dec 1910)<ref name="gem1910" />
!  Cities and ''[[Amt (country subdivision)|Ämter]]''<ref name="Stat1888a">''Beiträge zur Statistik des Herzogthums Braunschweig VIII'', Braunschweig 1888, pp. 74–75</ref>
|-
| District of [[County of Blankenburg|Blankenburg]]
| align="right" | 474,67
| align="right" | 35,989
| [[Blankenburg (Harz)|Blankenburg]], [[Hasselfelde]] and [[Walkenried]]
|-
| District of [[Braunschweig (district)|Braunschweig]]
| align="right" | 543,87
| align="right" | 191,112
| Braunschweig, [[Riddagshausen Abbey|Riddagshausen]], [[Thedinghausen]] (since 1850) and [[Vechelde]]
|-
| District of Gandersheim
| align="right" | 533,92
| align="right" | 50,435
| [[Bad Gandersheim|Gandersheim]], [[Seesen]], [[Lutter am Barenberge]] and [[Kreiensen|Greene]]
|-
| District of [[Helmstedt (district)|Helmstedt]]
| align="right" | 799,56
| align="right" | 78,514
| [[Helmstedt]], [[Schöningen]], [[Königslutter]], [[Wolfsburg|Vorsfelde]] and [[Calvörde]]
|-
| District of [[Holzminden (district)|Holzminden]]
| align="right" | 584,11
| align="right" | 51,756
| [[Holzminden]], [[Stadtoldendorf]], [[Eschershausen]], [[Ottenstein]] and [[Thedinghausen]] (until 1850)
|-
| District of [[Wolfenbüttel (district)|Wolfenbüttel]]
| align="right" | 735,92
| align="right" | 86,533
| [[Wolfenbüttel]], [[Salzgitter|Salder]], [[Schöppenstedt]] and [[Bad Harzburg|Harzburg]]
|}

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|width = 20em
|state = collapsed
|1831|245,798
|1836|258,309
|1843|267,563
|1849|270,085
|1855|269,213
|1858|273,394
|1861|281,708
|1864|292,708
|1867|302,801
|1871|311,764
|1875|327,493
|1885|372,452
|1890|403,773
|1900|464,333
|1905|485,958
|1910|494,339
}}
[[File:Marktplatz Helmstedt mit Stadthaus 1891.jpg|thumb|right|Helmstedt market place in 1891]]
[[File:Blankenburg um 1900.jpg|thumb|right|Blankenburg, {{circa|1900}}]]
[[File:Bad Harzburg um 1900.jpg|thumb|right|Harzburg, {{circa|1900}}]]
[[File:Calvörde-Neustadt Postkarte 1900.png|thumb|right|Calvörde in 1900]]
In 1910, the Duchy of Brunswick had a population of 494,339 people.

According to the 1885 census, 84.90% (316,208 people) of the Duchy's inhabitants held citizenship of Brunswick, while 54,738 people (14.70%) were [[German nationality law#History|citizens of other German states]]. 1506 people (0.40%) were foreign nationals, among those 785 came from [[Austria-Hungary]], 133 from the United Kingdom, 112 from the United States, 91 from Italy, 83 from the [[Russian Empire]], and 81 from Switzerland.<ref>''Beiträge zur Statistik des Herzogthums Braunschweig VIII'', Braunschweig 1888, p. 67</ref>

===Religion===

In 1905, 450,760 people or 92.5% of the population adhered to the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick]]. 26,504 (5.5%) people were [[Catholicism|Catholic]], 4720 (0.97%) adhered to [[Continental Reformed church|Reformed churches]]. 1815 (0.39%) people were of [[Judaism|Jewish]] faith.<ref name="Landeskunde1">E. Oppermann: ''Landeskunde des Herzogtums Braunschweig. Geschichte und Geographie'', Braunschweig 1911, p. 63</ref>

===Largest municipalities by population===
{| class="wikitable"
! City or town
! Population<br />(1 Dec 1910)<ref name="gem1910" />
|-
|[[Braunschweig]]
|align=right|143,552
|-
|[[Wolfenbüttel]]
|align=right|18,934
|-
|[[Helmstedt]]
|align=right|16,421
|-
|[[Blankenburg (Harz)|Blankenburg am Harz]]
|align=right|11,487
|-
|[[Holzminden]]
|align=right|10,249
|-
|[[Schöningen]]
|align=right|9,773
|-
|[[Seesen]]
|align=right|5,381
|-
|[[Bad Harzburg|Harzburg]]
|align=right|4,728
|-
|[[Oker (Goslar)|Oker]]
|align=right|3,984
|-
|[[Stadtoldendorf]]
|align=right|3,728
|-
|[[Langelsheim]]
|align=right|3,611
|-
|[[Schöppenstedt]]
|align=right|3,226
|-
|[[Königslutter]]
|align=right|3,126
|-
|[[Bad Harzburg|Bündheim]]
|align=right|2,982
|-
|[[Braunlage]]
|align=right|2,811
|-
|[[Bad Gandersheim|Gandersheim]]
|align=right|2,711
|-
|[[Hasselfelde]]
|align=right|2,649
|-
|}

==Economy==

In 1905, out of 1,000 residents 455 were working in the [[industrial sector]], [[mining]] or [[construction]], 289 were working in [[agriculture]] and [[forestry]], 121 in [[commerce]], 57.3 were employed in the [[civil service]] and 70 were working in miscellaneous other professions.<ref name="Landeskunde1" />

==Transport==

The [[Duchy of Brunswick State Railway]] was the first [[Länderbahnen|state railway]] in Germany. The first section of its [[Brunswick–Bad Harzburg railway]] line connecting Braunschweig and Wolfenbüttel opened on 1 December 1838, as the first railway line in Northern Germany.<ref>E. Oppermann: ''Landeskunde des Herzogtums Braunschweig. Geschichte und Geographie'', Braunschweig 1911, p. 64</ref> In the 1870s, the Duchy of Brunswick State Railway merged with the [[Prussian state railways|Royal Prussian State Railways]]. Some other railways of secondary importance were operated by the [[Brunswick State Railway Company]], founded in 1884.

==Sports==

In 1847, [[MTV Braunschweig]] was founded as the first [[sports club]] in Brunswick.<ref>Kurt Hoffmeister: ''Zeitreise durch die Braunschweiger Sportgeschichte: 180 Jahre Turnen und Sport in Braunschweig'', Braunschweig 2010, p. 9</ref>

Brunswick also played a pioneering role in the history of [[association football]] in Germany: [[Konrad Koch]], a school teacher from Braunschweig, was the first to write down a German version of the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|rules of football]], and, together with [[August Hermann]], also arguably organized the first football match in Germany between pupils from his school ''Martino-Katharineum'' in 1874.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.braunschweig.de/kultur_tourismus/veranstaltungen/medien-bsm/Internet_Die_Wiege_des_Fussballs_090910.pdf| title = Die Wiege des Fußballs stand in Braunschweig| language = de| access-date = 8 August 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101207080220/http://www.braunschweig.de/kultur_tourismus/veranstaltungen/medien-bsm/Internet_Die_Wiege_des_Fussballs_090910.pdf| archive-date = 7 December 2010| url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/21281/der_mann_der_die_englische_krankheit_einschleppte.html| title = Der Mann, der die "englische Krankheit" einschleppte| publisher = [[Der Spiegel|einestages.spiegel.de]]| language = de| access-date = 2 September 2013| archive-date = 12 March 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120312030250/http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/21281/der_mann_der_die_englische_krankheit_einschleppte.html| url-status = live}}</ref>

The [[1. Spielklasse Bezirk Braunschweig|Duchy of Brunswick Football Association]] (German: ''Fußballbund für das Herzogtum Braunschweig'') was founded in May 1904.<ref>Stefan Peters: ''Eintracht Braunschweig. Die Chronik'', Kassel 1998, p. 22</ref> [[Eintracht Braunschweig]], founded in 1895, quickly became one of the leading football clubs in Northern Germany. To this day, the team plays in the colours blue and yellow, derived from the flag of Brunswick.

==Coat of arms==
[[File:Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Brunswick.svg|thumb|right|Coat of arms of the Duchy of Brunswick since 1834]]
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg was formed out of the possessions of senior branch of the House of Brunswick. The House of Brunswick originated from the Italian [[House of Este]]. This family acquired the inheritance of the Guelph family by marriage — around the year 1000 — of [[Albert Azzo II, Margrave of Milan|Azzo II]] with [[Kunigunde of Altdorf]], daughter of [[Welf II, Count of Swabia|Welf II]]. Again important possessions were gained in (Lower) [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxony]] by the marriage of [[Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria|Henry the Black]] to [[Wulfhilde of Saxony]] (d 1126), daughter of the last member of the House of [[Billung]], who had been Dukes of Saxony for five generations. They were made Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg in 1235. In 1269 the house of Brunswick-Lüneburg divided into the branches of [[Principality of Lüneburg|Lüneburg]] and Brunswick (later Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the later Duchy of Brunswick). In 1432 the [[Principality of Calenberg]], the later Electorate of Hanover, split from Brunswick(-Wolfenbüttel), and in 1705 acquired the territory of Lüneburg.

Both branches used in their arms the two lions of Brunswick, the blue lion of Lüneburg and the [[Saxon steed|white steed]] of Saxony. The use of the lion as a [[heraldic animal]] in the House of Guelph goes back to [[Henry the Lion]] in the 12th century at least. However, Henry used only a single lion as his symbol. Later accounts by medieval writers that the two golden lions of Brunswick were granted to Henry by the English king, his father-in-law, are deemed fictional by modern historians.<ref>Peter Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', in Horst-Rüdiger Jarck / Gerhard Schildt (eds.), ''Die Braunschweigische Landesgeschichte. Jahrtausendrückblick einer Region'', Braunschweig 2000, pp. 80–81</ref> It was Henry's sons from his marriage with [[Matilda of England]], the future [[Holy Roman Emperor]] [[Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto IV]] and [[Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine]], who adapted the [[Royal Arms of England]] to display their royal lineage. While Otto's coat of arms showed the three golden lions of England, Henry used only two. The two lions of Henry V then went on to become the symbol of the House of Guelph.<ref>Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', p. 81</ref> The blue lion of Lüneburg was adopted by [[John, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|John I of Lüneburg]], who based his coat of arms on the [[coat of arms of Denmark]] to emphasise his kinship with the Danish kings.<ref>Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', p. 82</ref> The dukes of Brunswick later added the blue lion to their arms as well, to show their own claim to the territory of Lüneburg.

The white steed was said to be the emblem of the eighth century Saxon duke [[Widukind]], who according to legend rode a black horse before his baptism and a white horse afterwards. In truth, the use of the horse as a symbol for Saxony only goes back to the 14th century, when the House of Guelph, after the ducal title of Saxony had fallen to the [[House of Ascania]], adopted the fictional "ancient" symbol to represent themselves as the true descendants of the old Saxon dukes.<ref>Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', p. 84</ref> Due to the legend associated with it, the white horse became a very popular symbol among the population of Brunswick, even more so than the lions.<ref>Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', p. 85</ref>

Over time, the arms of smaller territories that had been acquired by the Dukes of Brunswick were added to the coat of arms. The coat of arms of the Duchy of Brunswick eventually consisted of a crown and shield, supported by two [[wild man|wild men]], on which the blue lion of Lüneburg, the two golden lions of Brunswick, the Saxon steed and the arms of various counties were displayed. The lesser coat of arms of the Duchy of Brunswick showed a crowned shield with the white horse on a red background. The Saxon steed was dropped from the coat of arms during the reign of William VIII.<ref>Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', p. 88–89</ref> The greater coat of arms of the Duchy of Brunswick, as adopted in 1834, shows a shield with a ducal crown on top and surrounded by the insignia of the [[Order of Henry the Lion]]. Displayed on the shield are, from left to right, the blue lion of Lüneburg, the two lions of Brunswick, and the arms of the Counts of Eberstein, Homburg, Diepholz (upper half), Lauterberg, Hoya and Bruchhausen, Diepholz (lower half), Honstein, Regenstein, Klettenberg and Blankenburg.<ref name="HB1908">''Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Herzogtums Braunschweig für 1908'', Braunschweig 1908, pp. 62–63</ref> The new lesser coat of arms introduced under William VIII was a return to the arms of Brunswick-Lüneburg, displayed on a crowned shield supported by two lions. The Latin inscriptions read ''IMMOTA FIDES'' ("unswerving faithfulness") and ''NEC ASPERA TERRENT'' ("they are not afraid of difficulties").

The flag of the Duchy of Brunswick was blue over yellow,<ref name="HB1908" /> and is remarkably similar to the [[flag of Ukraine]]. The standard of the dukes of Brunswick given by [[Siebmachers Wappenbuch]], Nuremberg 1878, shows the white horse on a red cloth - this, however, is today assumed to have been in error.<ref name="Veddeler93">Veddeler: ''Landessymbole'', p. 93</ref> The [[State flag#Government flag|state flag]] introduced in 1912 was blue over yellow, with a crowned shield with the white horse on a red background in the center.<ref name="Veddeler93" />

<gallery>
File:Brauschw1814.jpg|Coat of arms of the Duchy of Brunswick before 1834
File:Small Arms of the Duchy of Brunswick.svg|Lesser coat of arms of the Duchy of Brunswick
File:Braunschweig_1865_18_Wappen_des_Herzogtums.jpg|Saxon steed on an 1860s stamp of Brunswick
File:Vereinstaler 1866 reverse Braunschweig.jpg|Coat of arms of Brunswick on an 1866 [[Vereinsthaler]]
File:Coat of Arms of Brunswick-Lüneburg.svg|Coat of arms of Brunswick-Lüneburg
File:Blason duché ni Brunswick.svg|Coat of arms of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
File:Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel_Siebmacher005_-_Herzogtum.jpg|Coat of arms of the Dukes of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Brunswick Land]]
*[[Former countries in Europe after 1815]]
*[[New Brunswick]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* [[Richard Andree]]: ''Braunschweiger Volkskunde.'' 2nd edition. Vieweg, Braunschweig 1901.
* F. Fuhse (ed.): ''Vaterländische Geschichten und Denkwürdigkeiten der Lande Braunschweig und Hannover, Band 1: Braunschweig.'' 3rd edition.  Appelhans Verlag, Braunschweig 1925.
* Hermann Guthe: ''Die Lande Braunschweig und Hannover. Mit Rücksicht auf die Nachbargebiete geographisch dargestellt.'' Klindworth's Verlag, Hannover 1867.
* Otto Hohnstein: ''Geschichte des Herzogtums Braunschweig.'' F. Bartels, Braunschweig 1908.
* Horst-Rüdiger Jarck, Gerhard Schildt (eds.): ''Die Braunschweigische Landesgeschichte. Jahrtausendrückblick einer Region.'' 2nd edition. Appelhans Verlag, Braunschweig 2001, {{ISBN|3-930292-28-9}}.
* Jörg Leuschner, Karl Heinrich Kaufhold, [[Claudia Märtl]] (eds.): ''Die Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte des Braunschweigischen Landes vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart.'' 3 vols. Georg Olms Verlag, Hildesheim 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-487-13599-1}}.
* Richard Moderhack (ed.): ''Braunschweigische Landesgeschichte im Überblick.'' 3rd edition, Braunschweigischer Geschichtsverein, Braunschweig 1979.
* E. Oppermann: ''Landeskunde des Herzogtums Braunschweig. Geschichte und Geographie.'' E. Appelhans, Braunschweig 1911.
* [[Werner Pöls]], Klaus Erich Pollmann (eds.): ''Moderne Braunschweigische Geschichte.'' Georg Olms Verlag, Hildesheim 1982, {{ISBN|3-487-07316-1}}.
* Henning Steinführer, Gerd Biegel (eds.): ''1913 – Braunschweig zwischen Monarchie und Moderne.'' Appelhans Verlag, Braunschweig 2015, {{ISBN|978-3-944939-12-4}}.

==External links==
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Brunswick (German duchy)}}
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.hoeckmann.de/germany/lowersaxony.htm Map of Lower Saxony 1789]

{{coord missing|Lower Saxony}}
{{States of the German Confederation}}
{{States of the North German Confederation}}
{{States of the German Empire}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brunswick, Duchy of}}
[[Category:Duchy of Brunswick| ]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1918]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1815]]
[[Category:States of the German Empire]]
[[Category:States of the North German Confederation]]
[[Category:States of the German Confederation]]
[[Category:Wolfenbüttel]]
[[Category:1815 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:1918 disestablishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Former duchies]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of Europe]]