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Brunswick (FAMILY OF a distinguished)

FAMILY OF, a distinguished family founded by ALBERT Azo II., Marquis of Reggio and Modena, a descendant, by the female line, of Charlemagne. In 1047 he married Cunigunda, heiress of the Counts of Altorf, thus uniting the two houses of Este and Guelph. From his son, GUELPH, who was created Duke of Bavaria, in 1 1071, and married Judith of Flanders, a descendant of Alfred of England, descended Henry the Proud, who succeeded, in 1125, and by marriage acquired Brunswick and Saxony. OTHo, the great-grandson of Henry by younger branch of his family, was the first who bore the title of Duke of Brunswick (1235). By the two 20; nd sons of ERNEST of Zell, who became Duke in 1532, the family was divided into the two branches of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (II.) and Brunswick-Hanover, from the latter of which comes the present royal family of Great Britain. The former was the German family in possession of the duchy of Brunswick until the death of the last Duke in 1884. GEORGE LOUIS, son of Ernest Augustus and Sophia, granddaughter of James I. of England, over in 1698, and was called to the throne succeeded his father as Elector of Hanof Great Britain in 1714 as GEORGE I.