George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

George (; 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 eighth child of Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and his first wife, Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. Following the death of his mother in 1782 his father married her sister Charlotte two years later in 1784 and the family moved from Hanover to Darmstadt. George remained in Darmstadt until 1794, when his father succeeded as the ruling Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and George accompanied his father to Neustrelitz.

Heir apparent

Soon after arriving in Neustrelitz, George enrolled at the University of Rostock, where he studied until 1799. After leaving university, George went to Berlin, where he lived at the Prussian court. George's sister Louise was married to the Prussian king, Frederick William III.

Following the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806, George travelled to Paris, where he negotiated the entry of Mecklenburg-Strelitz into the Confederation of the Rhine. He also attended the Congress of Vienna in 1814, where Mecklenburg-Strelitz was raised to the status of a grand duchy. Together they had four children:

Duchess Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1818–1842) Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1819–1904) married Princess Augusta of Cambridge Duchess Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1821–1876) married Frederick VII of Denmark Duke Georg August of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1824–1876) married Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia.

Death George died on 6 September 1860 at Neustrelitz, aged 81, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Friedrich Wilhelm. His body was buried in the New Mausoleum in the Johanniterkirche, Mirow, Mecklenburg.

Ancestry