Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Infobox Monarch
name =Friedrich Wilhelm
title =Grand Duke of Mecklenburg [-Strelitz]


reign =6 September 1860 - 30 May 1904
predecessor =Georg
successor =Adolf Friedrich V
consort =Augusta of Cambridge
royal house =Mecklenburg
father =Georg
mother =Marie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel)
date of birth =Birth date|1819|10|17
place of birth =Neustrelitz
date of death =Death date and age|1904|5|30|1819|10|17
place of death =Neustrelitz|

Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Georg Ernst Adolf Gustav (17 October 1819 - 30 May 1904) was a Grand Duke of Mecklenburg [-Strelitz] .

Biography

He was born in Neustrelitz the son of Grand Duke Georg of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (1796-1880). He spent his youth in Neustrelitz and later went to study history in Bonn. After finishing his studies he went travelling visiting Italy and Switzerland.

Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded as Grand Duke on the death of his father on the 6 September 1860. During his reign Mecklenburg-Strelitz became members of firstly the North German Confederation and then the German Empire. Friedrich Wilhelm was a large land owner with more than half of the whole Grand Duchy his personal property. [cite news | title =Wealthiest Grand Duke dead| publisher =New York Times| date =1904-05-31| url =http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A07E6DE113DE633A25752C3A9639C946597D6CF| accessdate = 2007-10-23 ]

On August 12, 1862 Friedrich Wilhelm was made a knight of the Order of the Garter by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. [cite news | title =The Gentleman's Magazine | publisher =F. Jefferies| date =1862| pages =350]

He died at Neustrelitz on the 30 May 1904 and was succeeded by his only son who became Adolf Friedrich V.

Marriage and children

Friedrich Wilhelm was married on the 28 June 1843 at Buckingham Palace to Princess Augusta of Cambridge, a member of the British Royal Family, and a granddaughter of King George III. They had three sons. [ [http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/mecklenburg.html Online Gotha] ]

* Son, born dead (*/† 1843)
* Friedrich Wilhelm (*/† 1845)
*Duke Adolf Friedrich (1848-1914)

Friedrich Wilhelm and his wife Augusta celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary by distributing 25 Pfennig to every citizen of the Grand Duchy from the public treasury. [cite news | title =Six Cents to Every Subject.| publisher =New York Times| date =1903-07-05| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E06EFDF1F3BEE33A25756C0A9619C946297D6CF| accessdate = 2007-11-08 ]

Ancestry

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1= Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
2= Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
3= Marie of Hesse-Kassel
4= Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
5= Friederike Caroline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt
6= Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel
7= Princess Caroline Polyxene of Nassau-Usingen
8= Charles Louis Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Mirow
9= Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen
10=Georg Wilhelm of Hesse-Darmstadt
11=Luise of Leiningen-Heidesheim
12=Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse
13=Princess Mary of Great Britain
14=Prince Karl Wilhelm of Nassau-Usingen
15=Countess Karoline Felizitas of Leiningen-Heidesheim

References