Background
Louis Rudolph was the youngest son of Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After being released the same year, his father gave him the County of Blankenburg as a present, thus violating primogeniture.
Louis Rudolph was the youngest son of Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After being released the same year, his father gave him the County of Blankenburg as a present, thus violating primogeniture.
He became a major general in the service of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor in 1690 and was promptly captured in battle by France. On the death of Augustus William in 1731, Louis Rudolph also inherited Wolfenbüttel. After Augustus William had almost ruined the state, Louis Rudolph managed to restore the finances.
Louis Rudolph died without male issue in 1735.
Louis Rudolph married Christine Louise, daughter of Albert Ernest I, Prince of Oettingen, at Aurich in 1690. They had the following children who reached adulthood:
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1691–1750), married Emperor Charles VI of Austria
Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1694–1715), married Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia, Peter the Great"s son and heir
Antoinette Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (14 April 1696 – 6 March 1762), married Duke Ferdinand Albert II of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Louis Rudolph"s descendants include monarchs of World War I Allied Powers George V of the United Kingdom, Nicholas II of Russia, Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, Albert I of the Belgians, Ferdinand I of Romania.
Monarchs of the Central Powers Wilhelm II of Germany, Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary, and Ferdinand I of Bulgaria. Also the current monarchs of Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
And Francis II the last Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and Queen Marie Antoinette of France.
