Principality of Lüneburg
Principality of Lüneburg (also: Celle, Brunswick-Celle or Brunswick and Luneburg) Fürstentum Lüneburg (Braunschweig und Lüneburg) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1269–1705 | |||||||||
| Status | Principality | ||||||||
| Capital | Lüneburg, then Celle | ||||||||
| Common languages | Low Saxon, German | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic until 1527, then Lutheran | ||||||||
| Government | Principality | ||||||||
| Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Lüneburg (-Celle) | |||||||||
• 1269–1277 | John I | ||||||||
• 1369–1373 | Magnus II Torquatus | ||||||||
• 1520–1546 | Ernest I the Confessor | ||||||||
• 1665–1705 | George William | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages Early modern period | ||||||||
1180/1181 | |||||||||
| 1269 | |||||||||
| 28 August 1705 | |||||||||
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The Principality of Lüneburg (later also referred to as Celle) was a territorial division of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg within the Holy Roman Empire, immediately subordinate to the emperor. It existed from 1269 until 1705 and its territory lay within the modern-day state of Lower Saxony in Germany. The principality was named after its first capital, Lüneburg (also called Lunenburg in English), which was ruled jointly by all Brunswick-Lüneburg lines until 1637. From 1378, the seat of the principality was in Celle. It lost its independence in 1705 when it was annexed by the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, but retained its vote in the Reichstag as Brunswick-Celle.