Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
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.
Biography
Early life
He was born in Palermo the son of Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia.
Following in the footsteps of his father he studied at the Vitzthumsche Gymnasium in Dresden.
He succeeded his father as Grand Duke upon his death on 10 April 1897, but due to his minority the grand duchy was governed by his uncle Duke Johann Albrecht as regent until Friedrich Franz came of age on 9 April 1901.[1]
In the autumn of 1900, Friedrich Franz began studying law at the University of Bonn Adolf Langfeld was appointed study advisor. [2] Since 1901, Friedrich Franz was a member of the Corps Borussia Bonn.
Marriage and issue
On 7 June 1904, Frederick Francis married Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland 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 Christian IX of Denmark.
They had five children:[2]
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 Russian Army at the time and had indicated that he wished to renounce his succession rights. Friedrich Franz abdicated the grand ducal throne on 14 November 1918 following the German Empire's defeat in World War I; the regency ended at the same time.[3]
After his abdication, he was initially not allowed to live in Mecklenburg and had to move to Denmark. A year later, he was permitted to return. He recovered some of his former properties and occupied some of his former homes. Frederick Francis died on 17 November 1945 in Flensburg after being arrested by No6 RAF Security section on 9 November 1945. He was succeeded as head of the grand ducal house by his son Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz.[3] However, his former states became part of East Germany. His widow and children were forced to move to the West.
