Charles was born in Brunswick, the eldest son of Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After the death of his father in 1815, Charles inherited the Duchy, but since he was still underage, he was put under the guardianship of George, the Prince Regent of the United Kingdom and Hanover.
When Charles neared his 18th birthday, a dispute over the date of his majority erupted. Charles claimed majority at age 18, while George considered the age of majority to be 21 years. A compromise was made, and Charles reached his majority at age 19, and took over government on 30 October 1823.
In 1827, Charles declared some of the laws made during his minority invalid, which caused a dispute with Hanover.
The German Confederation finally had to intervene in this conflict and ordered Charles to accept all the laws from his minority, which he did. Charles" administration was considered corrupt and misguided.
When in 1830 the July Revolution broke out, Charles happened to be in Paris. He fled home to Brunswick, where he announced his intention to suppress all revolutionary tendencies by force of arms.
But on 6 September, he was attacked by stone throwers while riding home from the theater.
On the next day, a large mob tried to break into the palace. Charles fled; the palace was completely destroyed by fire. When Charles" brother, William, arrived in Brunswick on 10 September, he was received joyfully by the people.
William originally considered himself only his brother"s regent, but after a year declared himself ruling duke.
None of the other European monarchs wanted to support Charles. Charles spent the rest of his life outside of Germany.
Mostly in Paris and London. While he lived in London he engaged in a high profile feud with the publisher Barnard Gregory due to articles published about the Duke in The Satirist.
After the war between France and Germany broke out, he moved to Geneva, where he died in the Beau-Rivage Hotel in 1873, aged 68.
He left his considerable wealth to the City of Geneva which, at his request, constructed the Brunswick Monument to his memory. Charles never married. Titles and styles
30 October 1804 – 16 October 1806: His Serene Highness Duke Charles Frederick of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
16 October 1806 – 16 June 1815: His Highness The Hereditary Duke of Brunswick
16 June 1815 – 9 September 1830: His Highness The Duke of Brunswick
9 September 1830 – 18 August 1873: His Highness Duke Charles II of Brunswick.
