Charles Michael, Duke of Mecklenburg (german: Carl Michael
Herzog zu Mecklenburg; russian: Михаил Георгиевич; – 6 December 1934) was an officer in the
Imperial Russian Army,
heir presumptive to the throne of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz and from 1918 head of the
Grand Ducal House.
Life in Russia
He was born in
Oranienbaum, Russia, a grandson of
Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz via his second son Duke Georg August of Mecklenburg (1824–1876) and his wife
Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia
Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia (russian: Великая Княжна Екатерина Михайловна) (28 August 1827 – 12 May 1894), was the third of five daughters of Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia (youngest son ...
, a granddaughter of Emperor
Paul I of Russia. Charles Michael studied at the
University of Strasbourg and gained a
PhD. As he was born into the Russian branch of the Grand Ducal house of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Charles Michael and his older brother Duke George Alexander, both served in the Russian Imperial Army with Charles Michael achieving the rank of
Lieutenant General. When his brother died in 1909 Charles Michael was appointed the guardian of his children Katharina, Marie, Natalia and
Georg by Adolf Friedrich V. From 1908 to 1910, he served as the head of artillery in the
1st Army Corps of the Russian Imperial Army.
On 24 June 1914 two weeks after the death of his cousin
Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich V, Charles Michael wrote to the new Grand Duke
Adolf Friedrich VI informing him that he wished to renounce his rights to the throne of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
[ On 7 August shortly after the outbreak of World War I he became a ]naturalised
Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...
Russian citizen.
In March, 1917 Charles Michael was arrested and made to appear before the Russian parliament the Duma. He later fled to the Caucasus region.
Heir to Strelitz
The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Friedrich Franz IV wrote to Charles Michael informing him that his cousin Adolf Friedrich VI of Mecklenburg-Strelitz had died on 23 February 1918 and that as he was first in the line of succession he was being called to the throne.[ A petition to accept the throne was also sent to Charles Michael by the citizens of Mecklenburg-Strelitz as they wanted to maintain their independence and not be united with Mecklenburg-Schwerin.][ However Charles Michael never received it so he wrote a private letter confirming his desire to renounce his rights to reign in Mecklenburg-Strelitz although the letter did not reach Friedrich Franz IV, who was acting as regent for Mecklenburg-Strelitz, until January 1919][ after the fall of the German monarchies. As a result, the succession issue could not be resolved in time and the two Mecklenburg grand duchies became separate free states in the ]Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...
.
Charles Michael eventually left Russia with his family arriving first in France before going into exile in Denmark.[ While there he served as Chairman of the Mutual Charitable Society for Russian Officers in Denmark. In 1921 he was paid five million marks by the Mecklenburg government in return for renouncing his claim to the Strelitz throne. In April, 1930 he returned to Germany and took up residence at his estate, ]Remplin
Remplin is a village and a former municipality in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Since 7 June 2009, it is part of the municipality Malchin.
Palace Complex
The town includes the remains of a once l ...
castle.
Charles Michael adopted his nephew Georg, Count of Carlow who was the morganatic son of his older brother Duke George Alexander of Mecklenburg (1859–1909) on 11 September 1928 and confirmed in the courts of Malchin
Malchin () is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It offers some notable landmarks, such as two Brick Gothic town gates, a medieval defense tower, the Gothic town church of St. Johannis ...
on 5 October 1928. Charles Michael died unmarried in Remplin
Remplin is a village and a former municipality in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Since 7 June 2009, it is part of the municipality Malchin.
Palace Complex
The town includes the remains of a once l ...
, Germany and was succeeded as head of the Grand Ducal house by his nephew and adopted son the former Count of Carlow, Duke Georg of Mecklenburg
George, Duke of Mecklenburg (german: Georg Herzog zu Mecklenburg; – 6 July 1963) was the head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1934 until his death. Through his father, he was a descendant of Emperor Paul I of Russia.
Early life
He w ...
.
Honours
He received the following awards:[Russian Imperial Army - Duke Karl Michale of Mecklenburg-Strelitz](_blank)
(In Russian)
Grossherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinscher Staatskalendar
', 1908, p. 8
* Mecklenburg: Grand Cross of the House Order of the Wendish Crown
The House Order of the Wendish Crown (german: Hausorden der Wendischen Krone) was an Order of the House of Mecklenburg, jointly instituted on 12 May 1864 by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duke Friedrich Wilhelm o ...
, with Crown in Ore, ''17 June 1880''
* : Grand Cross of the Order of the White Falcon
Order of the White Falcon (german: Hausorden vom Weißen Falken) is a grand-ducal order of Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, founded by Duke Ernest Augustus on 2 August 1732, and renewed in 1815 by Charles Augustus.
Description
In the early 2 ...
, ''1884''
Staatshandbuch für das Großherzogtum Sachsen / Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach
' (1891), "Großherzogliche Hausorden" p. 16
* :
** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir, 4th Class, ''1890''; 3rd Class, ''1898''; 2nd Class, ''1911''
** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-called, ''1904''
** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky
The Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire first awarded on by Empress Catherine I of Russia.
History
The introduction of the Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was envisioned by Emperor ...
, ''1904''
** Knight of the Imperial Order of the White Eagle, ''1904''
** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Anna, 1st Class, ''1904''
** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Stanislaus
The Order of Saint Stanislaus ( pl, Order Św. Stanisława Biskupa Męczennika, russian: Орден Святого Станислава), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Ponia ...
, 1st Class, ''1904''
** Knight of the Order of Saint George
The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) ...
, 4th Class, ''1914''
** St. George's Sword, ''1915''
* Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order
Ancestry
References
*
*
Literature
* ''Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Beiträge zur Geschichte einer Region.'' Friedland i. Meckl.: Steffen, 22001
*
External links
Duke Carl Michael , House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles Michael Of Mecklenburg, Duke
1863 births
1934 deaths
People from Lomonosov
People from Petergofsky Uyezd
House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Pretenders to the Mecklenburg thrones
Military personnel of the Russian Empire
University of Strasbourg alumni
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to France
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Denmark