Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

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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Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duke Paul Friedrich was born in Ludwigslust, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, on September 15, 1800, the eldest son of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his first wife, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia.

Paul Friedrich had one younger sister:

Paul Friedrich had three half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Caroline Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach:

Paul Friedrich’s education began at home before studying in Geneva, Jena, and Rostock. However, his studies came to an end when his father died in 1819, making Paul Friedrich heir apparent to his grandfather. Having been a member of the Mecklenburg military since the age of 10, Paul Friedrich was appointed Major General in 1822. He was also created Major General in the Prussian Army following his marriage two years later. Beginning in 1830, he served as Inspector General of the Mecklenburg-Schwerin forces and served until his accession in 1837.

Alexandrine with the couple’s two eldest children, 1825; Credit – Wikipedia

On May 25, 1822, in Berlin, Paul Friedrich married Princess Alexandrine of Prussia. She was the daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and Princess Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. They had six children:

Paul Friedrich also had several children with his mistress, Countess Catarina Hauke. She was the sister of Julia Hauke, later Princess of Battenberg.

Paul Friedrich became Grand Duke upon his grandfather’s death on February 1, 1837. He moved the official Grand Ducal residence from Ludwigslust to Schwerin and worked to improve the judicial system and the infrastructure of the Grand Duchy. Using his experience with the Prussian military, the Grand Duke made efforts to modernize the Mecklenburg-Schwerin military, basing many of his reforms on the Prussian forces. As his reign continued, he became more reclusive, often shunning his family and spending time quietly with his mistress.

Tomb of Grand Duke Paul Friedrich, in Schwerin Cathedral. photo: by Niteshift – Self-photographed, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3019662

Grand Duke Paul Friedrich died in Schwerin, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany on March 7, 1842. Several weeks earlier, he had contracted a cold while helping to battle a great fire in Schwerin, and never recovered. Following his funeral later that month, he was buried in the Schwerin Cathedral.

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