HANOVER, a city of Germany, and capital of an electorate of the same name, of which the king of Great Britain is elector.—Though the house of Hanover is the last that hath been raised to the electoral dignity in the empire, it may vie with any in Germany for the antiquity and nobleness of its family. It is likewise very considerable for the extent of its territories, which at present are, the duchy of Calenberg, in which are the cities of Hanover, Calenberg, Hamelen, Neustadt, Gottingen, &c.; the duchy of Grubenhagen, the county of Diepholt, the county of Ilona, in the bishopric of Hildesheim; the bailiages of Coldingen, Luther, Badenburg, and Westershoven, with the right of protection of the city of Hildesheim; and the county of Danneberg, ceded by the dukes of
Wolfenbuttle to the dukes of Lunenburg, as an equivalent for their pretensions on the city of Brunswick. The elector possesses likewise the county of Delmenhorst, and the duchies of Bremen and Verden, sold by the king of Denmark in 1715: the right of possessing alternatively the bishopric of Osnabruck belongs solely to the electoral branch; but if it shall happen to fail, the dukes of Wolfenbuttle are to enjoy the same right.
In consideration of the great services performed by Ernest Augustus, duke of Brunswick-Hanover, in the wars which the emperor Leopold had with Louis XIV. that emperor conferred the dignity of an elector of the holy Roman empire upon him and his heirs male, of which he received the investiture on the 19th of December 1692. This new creation met with great opposition both in the electoral college and the college of princes; but at last, by a conclusion of the three colleges on the 30th of January 1708, it was unanimously determined, that the electoral dignity should be confirmed to the duke of Hanover and his heirs male; but it was added, that if, while that electoral dignity subsisted, the Palatine electorate should happen to fall into the hands of a Protestant prince, the first Catholic elector should have a supernumerary vote.
The princes of this house have their seat in the college of princes, immediately after those of the electoral houses; each branch having a vote. The elector, besides his seat in the electoral college, was invested with the office of arch standard-bearer of the empire; but this being disputed with him by the duke of Wirtemberg, the elector Palatine having obtained the office of arch-steward, yielded that of arch-treasurer to the elector of Hanover, who was confirmed in this dignity by a decree of the diet of the 13th of January 1710. For the administration of the government, the elector has a council of state, a council of war, the court of justice, the chancery, the justice of the court, and a consistory. But for making new laws, or establishing new taxes, the consent of the states, which are composed of the nobility, clergy, and burghers, is required.
The city of Hanover is agreeably situated in a sandy plain on the river Leyne, in E. Long. 10. 5. N. Lat. 22. 5. It is a large well-built town, and pretty well fortified. The established religion is the Lutheran; but the Catholics are tolerated, and have a handsome church. It has suffered greatly by the French, who got possession of it in 1757, but were soon after driven out. It is noted for a particular kind of beer, reckoned excellent in these parts. This city was the residence of the elector before he ascended the throne of Great Britain. The palace makes no great shew outwardly, but within it is richly furnished. The regency of the country is administered in the same manner as if the sovereign was present.