Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Frederick William (17 October 1819 – 30 May 1904) was a German sovereign who ruled over the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz as Grand Duke from 1860 until his death.

Frederick William
The Grand Duke c. 1887
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Reign6 September 1860 – 30 May 1904
PredecessorGeorge
SuccessorAdolphus Frederick V
Born(1819-10-17)17 October 1819
Neustrelitz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Died30 May 1904(1904-05-30) (aged 84)
Neustrelitz, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, German Empire
Burial6 June 1904
Mirow, Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1843)​
IssueDuke Frederick William
Adolphus Frederick V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Full name
German: Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Georg Ernst Adolf Gustav
HouseMecklenburg-Strelitz
FatherGeorg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
MotherPrincess Marie of Hesse-Kassel
ReligionLutheranism

Biography

He was born in Neustrelitz, the son of Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel. He spent his youth in Neustrelitz and later went to study history and jurisprudence in University of Bonn where he befriended Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.[1] After finishing his studies, he went travelling to Italy and Switzerland. He became a Doctor of Civil Law of the University of Oxford.

Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded as Grand Duke on the death of his father on 6 September 1860. During his reign, Mecklenburg-Strelitz became a member first of the North German Confederation and then the German Empire. Friedrich Wilhelm was a large land owner with more than half of the entire grand duchy, his personal property.[2]

He died at Neustrelitz on 30 May 1904 and was succeeded by his only son, who became Adolf Friedrich V.

Marriage and children

Friedrich Wilhelm was married on 28 June 1843 at Buckingham Palace to his first cousin, Princess Augusta of Cambridge, a member of the British Royal Family and a granddaughter of King George III. The two were also second cousins on their fathers' side. They had two sons:

  • Duke Frederick William of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (born and died in London, 13 January 1845).
  • Duke Adolphus Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1848–1914); succeeded his father as Adolphus Frederick V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Friedrich Wilhelm and his wife Augusta celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary by distributing 25 Pfennig from the public treasury to every citizen of the grand duchy.[3]

Honours
German honours[4]
Foreign honours[4]

Ancestry

References
  1. Gill, Gillian (2009). We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals. New York: Ballatine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-52001-2.
  2. "Wealthiest Grand Duke dead" (PDF). New York Times. 1904-05-31. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  3. "Six Cents to Every Subject". New York Times. 1903-07-05. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  4. Grossherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinscher Staatskalendar, 1902, p. 6
  5. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Hannover (1865), "Königliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 38
  6. Staats- und Adreß-Handbuch des Herzogthums Nassau (1866), "Herzogliche Orden" p. 9
  7. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch für des Herzogtum Anhalt (1894), "Herzoglicher Haus-Orden Albrecht des Bären" p. 16
  8. Staatshandbücher für das Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (1884), "Herzogliche Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden" p. 32
  9. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Großherzogtum Hessen (1879), "Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 44
  10. Hof- und Staats-Handbuch ... Hessen (1879), "Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen" p. 11
  11. Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Großherzogtums Oldenburg: für das Jahr 1878, "Der Großherzogliche Haus-und Verdienst Orden" p. 33
  12. "A Szent István Rend tagjai" Archived 22 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Jørgen Pedersen (2009). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009 (in Danish). Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 466. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2.
  14. Acović, Dragomir (2012). Slava i čast: Odlikovanja među Srbima, Srbi među odlikovanjima. Belgrade: Službeni Glasnik. p. 607.
  15. "Sveriges statskalender (1877) p.368" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-01-06 – via runeberg.org.
  16. Shaw, Wm. A. (1906) The Knights of England, I, London, p. 208
  17. Shaw, p. 61
  18. "The Gentleman's Magazine". F. Jefferies. 1862. p. 350.
Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Cadet branch of the House of Mecklenburg
Born: 17 October 1819 Died: 30 May 1904
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Georg		 Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1860–1904		 Succeeded by
Adolf Friedrich V
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