Friedrich Franz IV, last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, reigned 1882 – 1918; Credit – Wikipedia
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. Today the territory encompassing the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin is in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In February 1918, Friedrich Franz IV, the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, began to serve as Regent for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The reigning Grand Duke, Adolf Friedrich VI, had died by suicide, and the heir presumptive was serving with the Russian military and had made it known that he wished to renounce his rights of succession. The regency lasted only nine months, as on November 14, 1918, Friedrich Franz IV was forced to abdicate as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, as well as the Regent in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin within the German Empire; Credit – By Milenioscuro – Own work based on: File:Deutsches Reich (Karte) Mecklenburg-Schwerin.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35265362
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Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles about the Grand Ducal Family of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. If it says “Notable Issue” before a name, that means not all of the children for the parent of that person are listed. Also listed below are links to Mecklenburg-Schwerin Content Areas.
House of Mecklenburg – Dukes of Mecklenburg, Dukes and Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1471 – 1918)
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1815 – 1918)
Family of Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1785 – 1815, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1815 – 1837)
- Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (wife of Friedrich Franz I)
Family of Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (grandson of Friedrich Franz I, reigned 1837 – 1842)
- Alexandrine of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (wife of Paul Friedrich)
- Notable Issue: Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (see below)
Family of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (reigned 1842 – 1883)
- Auguste Reuss of Kostritz, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1st wife of Friedrich Franz II)
- Notable Issue: Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (see below)
- Notable Issue: Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia
- Anna of Hesse and by Rhine, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (2nd wife of Friedrich Franz II, one daughter)
- Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (3rd wife of Friedrich Franz II)
Family of Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (reigned 1883 – 1897)
- Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (wife of Friedrich Franz III)
- Notable Issue: Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Queen of Denmark
- Notable Issue: Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (see below)
- Notable Issue: Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Crown Princess
Family of Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (reigned 1882 – 1918, monarchy abolished)
- Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (wife of Friedrich Franz IV, had issue)
Pretenders to the Throne
- LAST REIGNING: Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Former: Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Current: Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg
Other Mecklenburg-Schwerin Royals
- Sophie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Queen in Prussia (daughter of Friedrich, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow)
- Sophia Friederike of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Hereditary Princess of Denmark and Norway (granddaughter of Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin)
- Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg (daughter of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, granddaughter of Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin)