, image = Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1819-1904).jpg , caption = The Grand Duke , succession =

Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a territory in Northern Germany, held by the younger line of the House of Mecklenburg residing in Neustrelitz. Like the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, it was a sovereign member stat ...

, predecessor =

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...

, successor = Adolf Frederick V , reign =6 September 1860 – 30 May 1904 , house =

Mecklenburg-Strelitz The Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a duchy in northern Germany consisting of the eastern fifth of the historic Mecklenburg region, roughly corresponding with the present-day Mecklenburg-Strelitz district (the former Lordship of Stargard), ...

, spouse = , issue =Duke Frederick William

Adolphus Frederick V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , spouse = , issue = Marie, Princess Julius Ernst of Lippe Jutta, Crown Princess of Montenegro Adolphus Frederick VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzDuke Karl Borwin , father = Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklen ...

, father =

George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz George (german: Georg; 12 August 1779 – 6 September 1860) ruled the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg from 1816 until his death. Early life Duke George Frederick Charles Joseph of Mecklenburg was born in Hanover, the eig ...

, mother =

Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel (german: Marie Wilhelmine Friederike von Hessen-Kassel; 21 January 1796 – 30 December 1880) was the consort of George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Early life Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel, second dau ...

, birth_date = , birth_place =

Neustrelitz Neustrelitz (; East Low German: ''Niegenstrelitz'') is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 17 ...

German Confederation The German Confederation (german: Deutscher Bund, ) was an association of 39 predominantly German-speaking sovereign states in Central Europe. It was created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 as a replacement of the former Holy Roman Empire, w ...

, death_date = , death_place =

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, burial_date =6 June 1904 , burial_place =

Mirow Mirow () is a town in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte in southern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Name (Etymology) "Mir" in Slavonic languages means "peace" or "glory". The name "Mirow" was derived from "villa mirowe", translating ...

Frederick William (17 October 1819 – 30 May 1904) was a German sovereign who ruled over the state of

as Grand Duke from 1860 until his death.

Biography

He was born in

, the son of Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and

. He spent his youth in Neustrelitz and later went to study history and jurisprudence in

University of Bonn The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine ...

where he befriended

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel; 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the consort of Queen Victoria from their marriage on 10 February 1840 until his death in 1861. Albert was born in the Saxon duch ...

. After finishing his studies, he went travelling to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

and

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. 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 The North German Confederation (german: Norddeutscher Bund) was initially a German military alliance established in August 1866 under the leadership of the Kingdom of Prussia, which was transformed in the subsequent year into a confederated st ...

and then the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

. Friedrich Wilhelm was a large land owner with more than half of the entire grand duchy, his personal property. 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 Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

to his first cousin,

Princess Augusta of Cambridge Princess Augusta of Cambridge (19 July 1822 – 5 December 1916) was a member of the British royal family, a granddaughter of George III. She married into the Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and became the Grand Duchess of Mecklenbu ...

, a member of the British Royal Family and a granddaughter of

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

. 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 A wedding anniversary is the anniversary of the date a wedding took place. Couples may take the occasion to celebrate their relationship, either privately or with a larger party. Special celebrations and gifts are often given for particular ann ...

anniversary by distributing 25

Pfennig The 'pfennig' (; . 'pfennigs' or ; symbol pf or ₰) or penny is a former German coin or note, which was the official currency from the 9th century until the introduction of the euro in 2002. While a valuable coin during the Middle Ages, ...

from the public treasury to every citizen of the grand duchy.

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

*17 October 1819 – 6 September 1860: ''His Royal Highness'' The Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz *6 September 1860 – 30 May 1904: ''His Royal Highness'' The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Honours

;German honours
Grossherzoglich Mecklenburg-Schwerinscher Staatskalendar
', 1902, p. 6 ;Foreign honours

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frederick William Of Mecklenburg, Grand Duke 1819 births 1904 deaths Protestant monarchs Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz People from Neustrelitz Hereditary Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Recipients of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia) Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 1st class Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania Extra Knights Companion of the Garter Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath