Ernst zu Münster

Ernst, Count of Munster (1822)

Graf Ernst Friedrich Herbert zu Münster (born March 1, 1766 Osnabrück - died May 20, 1839 Hanover) was a German statesman, politician and minister in the service of the House of Hanover.^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Biography

Count Münster studied at Göttingen University together with the three youngest sons of King George III. He entered the public service in the Electorate of Hanover. One of his first tasks was to bring Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex and his company home from Italy. Later he was appointed minister for the affairs of Hanover in London (German Chancery) in 1805 following Lenthe. At the Congress of Vienna (1815) he had to care for the German assets of the House of Hanover which he successfully did. The electorate became the Kingdom of Hanover and gained territories at the North Sea, partially ruled earlier in personal union, such as the Duchies of Bremen-Verden and partially ruled by others, to wit East Frisia. However, the bulk of another duchy ruled before the Napoleonic Wars in personal union, Saxe-Lauenburg north of the river Elbe was assigned in personal union to Denmark. He stayed in office until 1831.

Family

Ernst zu Münster, with his family.

Münster was married to Wilhelmine Charlotte, Countess of Münster (1783–1858) and survived by his wife and son Georg Herbert Münster when he died in 1839.

Notes and references

1. Regarding personal names: Until 1919, Graf was a title, translated as Count, not a first or middle name. The female form is Gräfin. In Germany since 1919, it forms part of family names.. His title was given as "The Count Munster" in the official British Government translations from the French of the treaties he signed at the Congress of Vienna (see for example Treaty between Prussia and Hanover, 29 May 1815).

External links

• Literature by and about Ernst zu Münster in the German National Library catalogue
• Kulturzentrum Glashaus Gut Derneburg