Peter Hanns Bloecker is blogging on Higher Education from the Gold Coast in Australia.
This site explores the connections of German and British Royals and Families:
Hannover Herrenhausen (Castle)
Braunschweig and Celle and Lueneburg
Jacobite Rising
Act of Settlement 1701 and Its Implications in British History
Historical Context and Passage
The Act of Settlement was enacted by the English Parliament on 12 June 1701 against the backdrop of the Glorious Revolution (1688–1689) and the prospect of a Catholic monarch returning to the throne. With William III childless and Anne’s only surviving child deceased, Parliament moved to secure a Protestant succession and curb royal prerogative.
Key Provisions
- It limited the succession to “the heirs of [Electress Sophia of Hanover] being Protestants,” barring Roman Catholics or anyone who married one from inheriting the crown.
- It required the monarch to join in communion with the Church of England.
- It forbade the sovereign to leave England, Scotland, or Ireland—or to wage war for territories not belonging to the English crown—without Parliament’s consent.
- Judges were to hold office “during good behaviour” rather than at royal pleasure, laying groundwork for judicial independence.
- It disqualified foreign-born individuals (even if naturalised) from holding high office, seats in Parliament, or Crown grants, reinforcing the primacy of native parliamentary authority.
Immediate Outcomes
- The throne was settled on Sophia of Hanover’s line. Though Sophia died two months before Queen Anne, her son succeeded as George I in 1714, inaugurating the Hanoverian dynasty in Britain.
- The Act reinforced the principles of the 1689 Bill of Rights, deepening the realignment of power from the monarch toward Parliament.
Long-Term Constitutional Implications
- It cemented the exclusion of Catholicism from the British monarchy, influencing succession rules for over three centuries.
- By restricting royal prerogatives—over war, travel, and judicial appointments—it strengthened parliamentary sovereignty and foreshadowed the modern constitutional monarchy.
- The requirement for judges’ tenure under “good behaviour” became a cornerstone of judicial independence in Britain.
- When England and Scotland united in 1707, the Act was extended to Scotland, helping to unify legal and dynastic frameworks across Great Britain.
Modern Legacy
- The Act of Settlement remains a fundamental constitutional statute in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms; it cannot be amended without each realm’s consent.
- The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 amended it to end male-preference primogeniture and to remove the disqualification arising from marrying a Roman Catholic (though a Catholic still cannot reign). These changes took effect across the realms in March 2015.
George 1st
Brief Overview: King George I and His Hanoverian Home
Early Life and Accession
George I (George Louis; 1660–1727) was Duke of Brunswick–Lüneburg and Elector of Hanover from 1698, before succeeding to the British throne as King George I of Great Britain and Ireland in 1714. His accession marked the beginning of the 123-year reign of the House of Hanover over Britain.
Herrenhausen: His True Residence
Despite ruling Britain, George I’s principal seat remained in Hanover. He made Herrenhausen Palace, originally a 17th-century summer residence developed by his mother, Electress Sophia of Hanover, his home base. Rather than finishing its grand baroque palace, he focused on enhancing the estate’s water features and formal gardens, reflecting his enduring ties to his German realm.
Final Resting Place
Upon his death in 1727, George I’s remains were moved to the Guelph mausoleum in the Hill Garden at Herrenhausen, underscoring the palace’s role as his lasting dynastic home.
Brief Overview: King George II of Great Britain
Early Life and Accession
George Augustus was born on 9 November 1683 at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover as the eldest son of the future George I. He grew up speaking French and German, with private tutors guiding him in history, languages, and military tactics. In 1714 he became Prince of Wales when his father acceded to the British throne, and on 11 June 1727 he himself succeeded as King of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover.
Military Leadership and Hanoverian Ties
George II is remembered as the last British monarch to lead troops in battle at Dettingen in 1743 during the War of the Austrian Succession. He faced the Jacobite Rising of 1745, which he helped suppress, and under his reign Britain’s colonial reach expanded through victories in North America and India. True to his lineage, he continued to spend summers in Hanover, wielding direct influence over its government and maintaining the dynastic link between Britain and the Holy Roman Empire.
Death and Succession
George II died suddenly on 25 October 1760 at Kensington Palace and was buried in Westminster Abbey alongside his consort, Queen Caroline. His heart was interred in the Guelph Mausoleum at Herrenhausen, symbolising his enduring bond with Hanover. He was succeeded by his grandson, George III, marking the transition to a new era of British monarchy.
More about Herrenhausen and the British Dynasties here soon.
Scottish and Irish rebellions and resistance.
Catholic Dynasties
#Protestants
#Commons
The House of Hanover and King George III:
Origins of the Hanoverian Dynasty
The House of Hanover emerged in 1635 as a cadet branch of the German Welf family, rooted in the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. When the Act of Settlement (1701) barred Catholics from the English throne, Sophia of the Palatinate—granddaughter of James I—became heir presumptive. Her son, Elector George Louis of Hanover, succeeded Queen Anne in 1714 as George I, inaugurating over 120 years of Hanoverian rule in Britain and Hanover A.
Personal Union: Britain and Hanover
Electors of Hanover held simultaneous titles as Kings of Great Britain (and later the United Kingdom) and Electors (later Kings) of Hanover. This personal union:
- Combined two distinct states under one monarch
- Kept Hanover’s army and foreign policy under the British sovereign
- Endured until 1837, when semi-Salic inheritance law barred Queen Victoria from Hanover, passing its crown to her uncle, Ernest Augustus A B
George III: Early Life and Accession
George William Frederick, born 4 June 1738 at Norfolk House, was the first Hanoverian monarch native to Britain. The eldest son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, he became heir in 1751 and ascended at age 22 on 25 October 1760. His English upbringing and fluency set him apart from his German predecessors C D.
Political and Colonial Challenges
George III’s reign saw seismic shifts:
- Civil List Reform• Surrendered Hanoverian and Crown revenues to Parliament
- In return, received a fixed Civil List to fund royal and government expenses D
- American Independence• Stamp Act (1765) and Townshend duties fueled colonial unrest
- Loss of the American colonies formalized by the 1783 Treaty of Paris
- King opposed independence but did not originate taxation policies; he assumed popular blame for the defeat C
- Wars with Revolutionary and Napoleonic France• England entered near-continuous conflict from 1793 to 1815
- Defeats and victories at battles such as Trafalgar (1805) and Waterloo (1815) reshaped European geopolitics C
Patron of Arts, Sciences, and Agriculture
George III fostered cultural and scientific advancement:
- Founded the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768, supporting British artists D
- Assembled a 65,000-volume library that became part of the British Museum’s core collection D
- Maintained an astronomical observatory and collected scientific instruments now in the Science Museum D
- Championed agricultural improvements on Crown estates, earning the nickname “Farmer George” D
Mental Health and Regency
From 1788, George suffered recurring bouts of mental instability—now often attributed to porphyria. By 1810, his incapacity led to the appointment of his son as Prince Regent, a status formalized by the Regency Act of 1811. This decade‐long regency preceded George III’s death on 29 January 1820 at Windsor Castle C D.
Elevation of Hanover and End of Personal Union
At the 1814 Congress of Vienna, the Electorate of Hanover was raised to a kingdom. George III thus became King of Hanover as well as Britain’s sovereign. Upon his death, his son George IV inherited both crowns until 1837, when Victoria’s accession and semi-Salic law split them. Hanover then passed to Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, dissolving the centuries-old personal union A B.
Key Monarchs of the House of Hanover
Monarch Reign in Britain Reign in Hanover
George I 1714–1727 Elector 1698–1727
George II 1727–1760 Elector 1727–1760
George III 1760–1820 Elector 1760–1814King 1814–1820
George IV 1820–1830 King 1820–1830
William IV 1830–1837 King 1830–1837
Victoria 1837–1901 — (barred by semi-Salic law)
At his death, George III left a mixed legacy: the loss of America, the triumph over Napoleon, and notable cultural patronage. His reign marked a turning point in the balance between royal authority and parliamentary governance.
Further Exploration
- The Welf family’s medieval roots and connections to other European dynasties
- The Royal Marriage Act (1772) and its long-term impact on dynastic unions
- Comparative study of Hanoverian administration in Britain versus its German territories
- The evolution of royal finances from George I to the present Civil List conventions
Modern Royals and Their Ties to Herrenhausen until today
The House of Hanover Today
- Prince Ernst August of Hanover (b. 1954) is the current head of the House of Hanover.
- He retains the Fürstenhaus (“Prince House”), built in 1720 by George I for his daughter Princess Anna Louise. It remains his private residence adjacent to the Great Garden. A
Reopening Ceremony of Herrenhausen Palace (2013)
- After destruction in 1943 and prolonged debate, the palace was reconstructed between 2009 and 2013 by the Volkswagen Foundation.
- It officially reopened on 18 January 2013 in a ceremony attended by:• Princess Beatrice of York
- Princess Eugenie of York
- Prince Ernst August of Hanover A
Genealogical Connections with British Royals
Although the personal union between Britain and Hanover ended in 1837 under Salic law, the two families remain related through shared ancestry.
- Queen Elizabeth II (and now King Charles III) both trace descent from earlier Hanoverian monarchs.
- Invitations to events at Herrenhausen often acknowledge this historic bond.
Contemporary Engagements at Herrenhausen
- Herrenhausen Palace now houses:• Museum Schloss Herrenhausen with rotating exhibitions
- A Volkswagen-sponsored scientific conference centre
- The princely family collaborates with the City of Hanover and cultural organisations to host educational programmes, concerts, and state-style receptions on the palace grounds.
Key Figures and Roles
Name Title/Relation Connection to Herrenhausen
Prince Ernst August of Hanover Head of House of Hanover Owns Fürstenhaus; led reopening event A
Hereditary Prince Ernst August Heir to the House of Hanover Participates in family and cultural events
Princess Beatrice of York British royal, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II Guest of honour at 2013 reopening A
Princess Eugenie of York British royal, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II Guest of honour at 2013 reopening A
King Charles III Monarch of the United Kingdom Shares Hanoverian heritage; invited guest
The revived Herrenhausen Palace stands as a living monument to centuries-old Franco-German-British connections, where modern royals from both houses renew the ties first forged under George I.
Further Exploration
- Architectural history and current use of the Fürstenhaus
- The role of Volkswagen Foundation in preserving German royal heritage
- Comparative study of how other European royal families maintain historic residences
- Profiles of the young Hanover princes and their public engagements
Updated Wed 23 Jul 2025.
Blogger Peter H Bloecker
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