Ernst Augustus III Duke of Brunswick Husaren Regiment Nr.17 BMM31

PRINCE ERNST AUGUST III OF HANNOVER (BORN 17 NOVEMBER 1887 DIED 30 JANUARY 1953), REIGNING DUKE OF BRUNSWICK AND LUNEBURG 2 NOVEMBER 1913-8 NOVEMBER 1918, WAS A GRANDSON OF KING GEORGE V OF HANNOVER.HIS GREAT-GRANDFATHER, PRINCE ERNEST AUGUSTUS, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, THE FIFTH SON OF KING GEORGE III OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, BECAME KING OF HANNOVER IN 1837.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ERNST AUGUST CHRISTIAN GEORG OF HANNOVER AND CUMBERLAND, PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, WAS BORN AT PENZING NEAR VIENNA, THE SIXTH AND YOUNGEST CHILD OF PRINCE ERNST AUGUST II OF HANNOVER, 3RD DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, AND HIS WIFE, THE FORMER PRINCESS THYRA OF DENMARK.

IN 1884 THE REIGNING DUKE OF BRUNSWICK-WOLFENBUTTEL, A DISTANT COUSIN, DIED AND THE DUKE OF CUMBERLAND CLAIMED TO SUCCEED TO THAT TERRITORY. HOWEVER, THE REICH CHANCELLOR OTTO VON BISMARCK, MANAGED TO GET THE FEDERAL COUNCIL (BUNDESRAT) OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE TO EXCLUDE HIM FROM THE SUCCESSION. BISMARCK DID THIS BECAUSE THE DUKE HAD NEVER FORMALLY RENOUNCED HIS CLAIMS TO THE KINGDOM OF HANNOVER, WHICH HAD BEEN ANNEXED TO PRUSSIA IN 1866.

ON 24 MAY 1913, PRINCE ERNST AUGUST OF CUMBERLAND MARRIED PRINCESS VIKTORIA LUISE OF PRUSSIA (13 SEPTEMBER 1892-11 DECEMBER 1980), THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF THE GERMAN EMPEROR WILHELM II. THE MARRIAGE ENDED THE DECADES-LONG RIFT BETWEEN THE HOUSE OF HOHENZOLLERN AND THE HOUSE OF HANOVER, THAT BEGAN WITH THE AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN WAR IN 1866 (IN WHICH HANOVER SIDED WITH THE LOSING AUSTRIA). THE WEDDING OF PRINCE ERNST AUGUST AND PRINCESS VIKTORIA LUISE WAS ALSO THE LAST GREAT GATHERING OF EUROPEAN SOVEREIGNS (MANY DESCENDED FROM QUEEN VICTORIA AND KING CHRISTIAN IX OF DENMARK) BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR. IN ADDITION TO THE GERMAN EMPEROR AND EMPRESS AND THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CUMBERLAND, KING GEORGE V AND QUEEN MARY OF GREAT BRITAIN, TSAR NICHOLAS II AND EMPRESS ALEXANDRA FEODROVNA OF RUSSIA ATTENDED. UPON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS BETROTHAL OF PRINCESS VIKTORIA LUISE IN FEBRUARY 1913, PRINCE ERNST AUGUST TOOK AN OATH OF LOYALTY TO THE GERMAN EMPEROR AND ACCEPTED A COMMISSION AS A CAVALRY CAPTAIN AND COMPANY COMMANDER IN THE ZIETEN HUSSARS, A PRUSSIAN ARMY REGIMENT IN WHICH HIS GRANDFATHER (GEORGE V) AND GREAT GRANDFATHER (ERNST AUGUST I) HAD BEEN COLONELS.

ON OCTOBER 27 1913, THE DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, PRINCE ERNST AUGUST II OF HANNOVER, FORMALLY RENOUNCED HIS CLAIMS TO THE (FORMER) KINGDOM OF HANNOVER AND THE DUCHY OF BRUNSWICK IN FAVOR OF HIS SURVIVING SON. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE FEDERAL COUNCIL VOTED TO ALLOW PRINCE AND PRINCESS ERNST AUGUST OF CUMBERLAND TO BECOME THE REIGNING DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BRUNSWICK-LUNEBURG. THE NEW DUKE OF BRUNSWICK, WHO RECEIVED A PROMOTION TO COLONEL IN THE ZIETEN HUSSARS, FORMALLY TOOK POSSESSION OF HIS DUCHY ON 1 NOVEMBER. DURING WORLD WAR I, HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL OF THE 17TH BRUNSWICK HUSSARS. ON NOVEMBER 8 1918, HE WAS FORCED TO ABDICATE HIS THRONE ALONG WITH THE OTHER GERMAN KINGS, GRAND DUKES, DUKES, AND PRINCES. HE RETIRED TO LIVE ON HIS VARIOUS ESTATES. EYES ARE HAZEL.