Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Friedrich Franz IV
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Reign	10 April 1897 – 14 November 1918
Predecessor	Frederick Francis III
Born	9 April 1882 (1882-04-09) Palermo, Kingdom of Italy
Died	17 November 1945 (1945-11-18) (aged 63) Flensburg, Germany
Spouse	Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland
Issue	Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz Duke Christian Ludwig Duchess Olga Duchess Thyra Anastasia, Princess Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
House	House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Father	Frederick Francis III
Mother	Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia
Religion	Lutheranism

Frederick Francis IV (9 April 1882 – 17 November 1945) was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and regent of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He inherited the throne when he was fifteen years old in 1897 and was forced to renounce it in 1918.

Biography

Early life

He was born in Palermo the son of Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia. He succeeded his father as Grand Duke upon his death on 10 April 1897, but due to his minority the grand duchy was governed by his uncle Duke Johann Albrecht as regent until Friedrich Franz came of age on 9 April 1901.

Marriage and issue

On 7 June 1904, Frederick Francis married Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland in Gmunden. She was the second eldest daughter of Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover, and his wife Princess Thyra of Denmark, a daughter of Christian IX of Denmark.

They had five children:

• Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz (22 April 1910 – 31 July 2001)
• Duke Christian Ludwig (29 September 1912 – 18 July 1996) married Princess Barbara of Prussia, daughter of Prince Sigismund of Prussia
• Duchess Olga (1916–1917)
• Duchess Thyra (18 June 1919 – 27 September 1981)
• Duchess Anastasia (11 November 1922 – 25 January 1979) married Prince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Abdication

Following the 1918 suicide of Grand Duke Adolphus Frederick VI of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Frederick Francis took up the regency of Strelitz. This happened because the heir presumptive Duke Charles Michael was serving in the Russian Army at the time and had indicated that he wished to renounce his succession rights. Friedrich Franz abdicated the grand ducal throne on 14 November 1918 following the German Empire's defeat in World War I; the regency ended at the same time.

After his abdication, he was initially not allowed to live in Mecklenburg and he had to move to Denmark. A year later he was permitted to return. He recovered some of his former properties and occupied some of his former homes. Frederick Francis died on 17 November 1945 in Flensburg after being arrested by No6 RAF Security section on 9 November 1945. He was succeeded as head of the grand ducal house by his son Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz. However, his former states became part of East Germany. His widow, two sons and two daughters were forced to move to the West.

Ancestry

Family of Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

16. Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin               8. Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin                       17. Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia               4. Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin                             18. Frederick William III of Prussia               9. Princess Alexandrine of Prussia                       19. Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg               2. Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin                                   20. Prince Heinrich XLIV Reuss of Köstritz               10. Heinrich LXIII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz                       21. Baroness Wilhelmine of Geuder genannt Rabensteiner               5. Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz                             22. Count Henry of Stolberg-Wernigerode               11. Countess Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode                       23. Princess Johanna of Schönburg-Waldenburg               1. Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg                                         24. Paul I of Russia               12. Nicholas I of Russia                       25. Duchess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg               6. Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia                             26. Frederick William III of Prussia (= 18)               13. Princess Charlotte of Prussia                       27. Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg (= 19)               3. Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia                                   28. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden               14. Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden                       29. Louise Geyer of Geyersberg, Countess of Hochberg               7. Princess Cecilie of Baden                             30. Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden               15. Princess Sophie of Sweden                       31. Princess Frederica of Baden

References

Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Cadet branch of the House of Mecklenburg Born: 9 April 1882 Died: 17 November 1945
Regnal titles
Preceded by Friedrich Franz III	Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1897–1918	Succeeded by Hugo Wendorff as President of the State Ministry
Preceded by Adolf Friedrich VI as Grand Duke	Regent of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1918	Succeeded by Peter Franz Stubmann as Chairman of the State Ministry
Titles in pretence
Loss of title Monarchy abolished	— TITULAR — Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1918–1945 Reason for succession failure: Grand Duchy abolished in 1918	Succeeded by Friedrich Franz