by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin: The Duchy of Mecklenburg was divided and partitioned a number of times over the centuries. In 1701, the last division created the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna recognized both Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz as grand duchies. Friedrich Franz I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin became the first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. On November 14, 1918, at the end of World War I, Friedrich Franz IV was forced to abdicate as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Today the territory encompassing the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin is in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
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Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Credit – Wikipedia
Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was born at Ludwigslust Palace in Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, on February 28, 1823. He was the eldest son of Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Alexandrine of Prussia, and had five siblings:
- Luise (1824-1859) – married Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Grätz, had issue
- Wilhelm (1827-1879) – married Princess Alexandrine of Prussia, had issue
- Helene (1829-1835) – died in childhood
- Marie (1831-1836) – died in childhood
- Pauline (1833-1894) – unmarried
Friedrich Franz was educated privately at home before attending the Blochmann Institute in Dresden and then the University of Bonn. A career in the military followed, which saw him serve during the Second Schleswig War, the Austro-Prussian War, and the Franco-Prussian War. He became Grand Duke upon his father’s death in 1842.
Princess Auguste of Reuss-Köstritz; Credit – Wikipedia
Friedrich Franz II married three times. His first wife was Princess Auguste of Reuss-Köstritz, the daughter of Heinrich LXIII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz and Countess Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode. They married in Ludwigslust on November 3, 1849, and had six children:
- Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1851-1897) – married Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, had issue
- Duke Paul Friedrich (1852-1923) – married Princess Marie of Windisch-Grätz, had issue
- Duchess Marie (1854-1920) – married Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, had issue
- Duke Nikolaus (1855-1856) – died in infancy
- Duke Johann Albrecht (1857-1920) – married (1) Princess Elisabeth Sybille of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, no issue; (2) Princess Elisabeth of Stolberg-Rossla, no issue
- Duke Alexander (born and died1859) – died in infancy
Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine; Credit – Wikipedia
Two years after Auguste’s death, Friedrich Franz married Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine, the daughter of Prince Karl of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Elisabeth of Prussia. They married in Darmstadt on July 4, 1864, and had one daughter:
- Duchess Anne (1865-1882) – unmarried, died in her teens
Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia
Anna died just a week after giving birth to her daughter. Three years later, Friedrich Franz married for the third time. His bride was Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the daughter of Prince Adolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Princess Mathilde of Schönburg-Waldenburg. They married on July 4, 1868, and had four children:
- Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine (1869-1955) – married Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, had issue
- Duke Friedrich Wilhelm (1871-1897) – unmarried
- Duke Adolf Friedrich (1873-1969) – married (1) Princess Viktoria Feodora of Reuss-Schleiz, had issue; (2) Princess Elisabeth of Stolberg-Rossla, had issue
- Duke Heinrich (1876-1934) – married Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, had issue
During his reign, which lasted over 41 years, Friedrich Franz II oversaw numerous reforms in the Grand Duchy, including the improvement of the national hospital system, reform of the judicial system, and the state church. Against the interests of his own relatives in neighboring Mecklenburg-Strelitz, he issued a liberal constitution in 1849. While the constitution was repealed the following year, his efforts made him immensely popular amongst his people.
Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II died in Schwerin, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany on April 15, 1883, and is buried in the Schwerin Cathedral.
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