Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Frederick Francis I
Frederick Francis I
	Portrait by Rudolph Suhrlandt (1817)
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Reign	24 April 1785 – 1 February 1837
Predecessor	Frederick II
Successor	Paul Frederick
Born	10 December 1756; Schwerin, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Died	1 February 1837 (aged 80); Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Burial	Doberan Minster
Spouse	Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Issue; Among others	Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Louise Charlotte, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg; Charlotte Frederica, Hereditary Princess of Denmark
House	Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Father	Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mother	Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Religion	Lutheranism

Frederick Francis I (10 December 1756 – 1 February 1837) ruled over the German state of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, first as duke (1785–1815), and then as grand duke (1815–1837).

Biography

He was born in Schwerin, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, to Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Friedrich Franz succeeded his uncle Friedrich as duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1785.

Following the Napoleonic Wars, Friedrich Franz was raised to the dignity of grand duke at the Congress of Vienna.[1] Along with his cousin in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, he was known as one of the most reactionary German rulers. On his death in 1837 he was succeeded by his grandson, Grand Duke Paul Friedrich.

Marriage and children

On 1 June 1775 in Gotha, Friedrich Franz married Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. They had eight children:

Daughter (stillborn 7 May 1776), buried in the Schelfkirche St. Nikolai of Schwerin.[2]
Son (stillborn 11 May 1777), buried in the Schelfkirche St. Nikolai of Schwerin.[2]
Friedrich Ludwig (13 June 1778 – 29 November 1819). He married Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, a daughter of Paul I of Russia and Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg
Louise Charlotte (19 November 1779 – 4 January 1801). Married Emil Leopold August, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Gustav Wilhelm (31 January 1781 – 10 January 1851).
Karl (2 July 1782 – 22 May 1833).
Charlotte Frederica (4 December 1784 – 13 July 1840). Married Christian VIII of Denmark. They were parents to Frederick VII of Denmark.
Adolf (18 December 1785 – 8 May 1821).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin[3]

16. Adolf Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

8. Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow

17. Duchess Maria Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg

4. Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

18. William Christoph, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

9. Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg

19. Sophia Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt

2. Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

20. Adolf Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (= 16)

10. Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

21. Duchess Maria Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg (= 17)

5. Duchess Gustave Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

22. Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow

11. Marie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow

23. Magdalena Sibylla of Holstein-Gottorp

1. Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

24. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha

12. John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

25. Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg

6. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

26. Josias II, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen

13. Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen

27. Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen

3. Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

28. Albert Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

14. Louis Frederick I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

29. Emilie Juliane of Barby-Mühlingen

7. Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

30. Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

15. Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

31. Magdalena Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels

References

Haydn, Joseph (1855). History of the Wars of the French Revolution. Bangs. p. 555.
Schelfkirche St. Nikolai zu Schwerin in: worldhistory.de [retrieved 2 March 2017].
Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 104.

Regnal titles
Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Cadet branch of the House of Mecklenburg Born: 10 December 1756 Died: 1 February 1837
Preceded by Frederick II	Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1785–1815	Became grand duke
New title Previously duke	Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1815–1837	Succeeded by Paul Frederick

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[1] Haydn, Joseph (1855). History of the Wars of the French Revolution. Bangs. p. 555.

[worldhistory-2] Schelfkirche St. Nikolai zu Schwerin in: worldhistory.de [retrieved 2 March 2017].

[3] Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 104.