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After several dynastic splits and shifts in power that followed the death of Otto the One-Eyed, Duke Eric I "the Elder", Prince of Calenberg, annexed the principality of G�ttingen, which became an integral part of the Principality of Calenberg. The town refused to pay homage to Eric I in 1504, and as a result, Eric I had the Emperor Maximilian I, declare the town of G�ttingen outlawed. The subsequent tensions economically weakened G�ttingen, leading to the town finally paying its homage to Eric I in 1512. Afterward the relationship between Eric and the town improved, because of Eric's financial dependence on G�ttingen.
In 1584 the city came into the possession of the dukes of Brunswick-Wolfenb�ttel, also of the Welf dynasty, and in 1635 it passed to the house of L�neburg, which ruled it thenceforth. In 1692 it was named as part of the indivisible territory Electoral State of Hanover (officially: Electorate of Brunswick-L�neburg).
The University of G�ttingen was founded in 1737 by George II August, who was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-L�neburg and prince-elector of Hanover. During the Napoleonic period, the city was briefly in the hands of Prussia in 1806, turned over in 1807 to the newly created Napoleonic Kingdom of Westphalia, and returned to the State of Hanover in 1813 after Napoleon's defeat. In 1814 the prince-electors of Hanover were elevated to kings of Hanover and the Kingdom of Hanover was established. During the Austro-Prussian War (1866), the Kingdom of Hanover had attempted to maintain a neutral position. After Hanover voted in favour of mobilising confederation troops against Prussia on 14 June 1866, Prussia saw this as a just cause for declaring war. In 1868, the Kingdom of Hanover was dissolved and G�ttingen became part of the Prussian Province of Hanover. The Province of Hanover was eventually disestablished in 1946.
In 1854 the city was connected to the new Hanoverian Southern Railway. Today,
