Frederick Francis IV

Cecilie, Alexandrine and Frederick Francis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin with their mother Grand Duchess Anastasia.

Frederick Francis IV (Friedrich Franz Michael; 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.

Early life Born on 9 April 1882, Duke Frederick Francis IV was the son of Frederick Francis, then the hereditary grand duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia. He was born in Palermo, Sicily at Villa Belmonte where his parents were staying to alleviate the faltering health of the hereditary Grand duke. There, the family led the simple life they preferred. On their journey back to Germany they stopped in Paris.

Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis IV succeeded his father as Grand Duke upon his death on 10 April 1897. He had just turned fifteen the day before. As he was a teenager, due to his minority, the grand duchy was governed by his uncle Duke Johann Albrecht as regent. Frederick Francis's mother, Grand Duchess Anastasia preferred to remain in France while he continued the long preparation to eventually assume the throne. The following year, his older sister, Alexandrine married the Danish Crown Prince (future King Christian X in 1912). His mother and younger sister Cecile visited him frequently in Dresden and during their stays, they would go out for long drives in a carriage and horses bought for him from Schwerin. In 1903, the young Grand Duke moved to Bonn, where he attended university and studied administration and law. Adolf Langfeld was appointed as his study advisor.

On 9 April 1901 Frederick Francis came of age, ending the regency and beginning his reign in Schwerin. He immediately began working on a reform of the constitution, but it failed in the face of opposition from parliament.

Marriage and issue On 7 June 1904, Frederick Francis married Princess Alexandra of Hanover 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 King Christian IX.

They had five children:

Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (22 April 1910 – 31 July 2001) Duke Christian Louis (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 Imperial Russian Army at the time and had indicated that he wished to renounce his succession rights. Frederick Francis abdicated the grand ducal throne on 14 November 1918 following the German Empire's defeat in World War I; the regency over the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz ended at the same time.

Honours German decorations

Foreign decorations Knight of the Elephant, 3 August 1897 Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog, 4 February 1906 King Christian IX Centenary Medal Siam: Knight of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri, with Collar, 2 April 1902 Grand Cross of St. Stephen, 1904 Grand Cross of St. Alexander Knight of Saints Cyril and Methodius