Adolf Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Encyclopedia
Adolf Friedrich II was the first Duke of Mecklenburg
reigning from 1701 to his death. His state was part of the Holy Roman Empire
.
as the posthumous son
of Duke Adolf Frederick I of Mecklenburg (1588–1658) and his second wife Maria Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg (1616–1665).
In 1695 the Mecklenburg-Güstrow
branch of the House of Mecklenburg
became extinct and Adolf Friedrich's nephew Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] laid claim to the inheritance a move which Adolf Friedrich opposed.
The dispute was settled in 1701 when Adolf Friedrich reached an agreement with his nephew Duke Friedrich Wilhelm to take as his inheritance the Principality of Ratzeburg
and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Following his death he was succeeded as Duke by his son Adolf Friedrich.
On 20 June 1702, Adolf Friedrich II married secondly to Princess Johanna of Saxe-Gotha (1680–1704). Johanna was a daughter of Friedrich I, Prince of Saxe-Gotha (1646–1691) and Princess Magdalen Sybille of Saxe-Weissenfels
(1648–1681). There were no children from this marriage.
Adolf Friedrich was married on 10 June 1705 at Strelitz
for a third and last time to Princess Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
(1681-1751]. She was a daughter of Christian Wilhelm, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1647–1721) and Countess Antonie Sybille of Barby-Muhlingen (1641–1684). They were parents to two children:
Margareta Leijonhufvud through their second child and first daughter Katharina of Sweden (1539–1610). Katharina was consort to Edzard II
, Count of East Frisia
(1532–1599). East Frisia played a prominent role at the spreading of Protestant Reformation
in the Holy Roman Empire
of the 16th century and was thus a natural ally for Protestant Sweden
.
Their daughter Maria, Princess of East Frisia (1582–1616) became consort to Julius-Ernst, Duke of Brunswick
-Wolfenbüttel
(1571–1636). They were the maternal grandparents of Adolf Friedrich II. He is a distant relative of Lord Mountbatten of Burma
, the last Viceroy of India.
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a duchy and later grand duchy in northern Germany, consisting of the eastern fifth of the historic Mecklenburg region, roughly corresponding with the present-day Mecklenburg-Strelitz district , and the western exclave of the former Bishopric of Ratzeburg in modern...
reigning from 1701 to his death. His state was part of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
Biography
He was born in GrabowGrabow
Grabow is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Elde, 7 km southeast of Ludwigslust, and 34 km northwest of Wittenberge.-History:...
as the posthumous son
Posthumous birth
A posthumous birth is a birth of a child after the death of a parent. A person born in these circumstances is called a posthumous child or a posthumously born person...
of Duke Adolf Frederick I of Mecklenburg (1588–1658) and his second wife Maria Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg (1616–1665).
In 1695 the Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Mecklenburg-Güstrow was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in Northern Germany, that existed on three separate occasions ruled by the House of Mecklenburg at Güstrow.-History:...
branch of the House of Mecklenburg
House of Mecklenburg
The House of Mecklenburg is a North German dynasty of West Slavic origin that ruled until 1918.- Origins :Niklot was a lord of the Wendish tribe of Obotrites. When the Holy Roman Empire expanded eastwards, notably to the coast of Baltic in 13th century, a portion of Obotrite lords allied with...
became extinct and Adolf Friedrich's nephew Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] laid claim to the inheritance a move which Adolf Friedrich opposed.
The dispute was settled in 1701 when Adolf Friedrich reached an agreement with his nephew Duke Friedrich Wilhelm to take as his inheritance the Principality of Ratzeburg
Ratzeburg
Ratzeburg is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is surrounded by four lakes—the resulting isthmuses between the lakes form the access lanes to the town. Ratzeburg is the capital of the Kreis of Lauenburg.-History:...
and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Following his death he was succeeded as Duke by his son Adolf Friedrich.
Marriages and children
Adolf Friedrich II was first married to Princess Maria of Mecklenburg [-Gustrow] (19 July 1659 - 16 January 1701). They were parents to five children:- Adolf Friedrich III (1686–1752)
- Magdalena (1689-1689)
- Maria (1690-1690)
- Eleonore (1691-1691)
- Gustave Caroline (1694–1748) she married Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg
On 20 June 1702, Adolf Friedrich II married secondly to Princess Johanna of Saxe-Gotha (1680–1704). Johanna was a daughter of Friedrich I, Prince of Saxe-Gotha (1646–1691) and Princess Magdalen Sybille of Saxe-Weissenfels
Saxe-Weissenfels
Saxe-Weissenfels was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire from 1656/7 until 1746 with its residence at Weißenfels. Ruled by a cadet branch of the Albertine House of Wettin, the duchy passed to the Electorate of Saxony upon the extinction of the line....
(1648–1681). There were no children from this marriage.
Adolf Friedrich was married on 10 June 1705 at Strelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz 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 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
for a third and last time to Princess Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
(1681-1751]. She was a daughter of Christian Wilhelm, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1647–1721) and Countess Antonie Sybille of Barby-Muhlingen (1641–1684). They were parents to two children:
- Sophia (1706–1708)
- Charles Louis Frederick, (1707–1752). He was the father of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-StrelitzCharlotte of Mecklenburg-StrelitzCharlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
, Queen consortQueen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of George III of the United KingdomGeorge III of the United KingdomGeorge III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
.
Ancestry
Adolf Friedrich was a fourth-generation descendant of Gustav Vasa, King of Sweden and his second Queen consortQueen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
Margareta Leijonhufvud through their second child and first daughter Katharina of Sweden (1539–1610). Katharina was consort to Edzard II
Edzard II, Count of East Frisia
Edzard II, Count of East Frisia was count of East Frisia, and the son of Enno II of East Frisia and Anna of Oldenburg....
, Count of East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
(1532–1599). East Frisia played a prominent role at the spreading of Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
of the 16th century and was thus a natural ally for Protestant Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Their daughter Maria, Princess of East Frisia (1582–1616) became consort to Julius-Ernst, Duke of Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
-Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
(1571–1636). They were the maternal grandparents of Adolf Friedrich II. He is a distant relative of Lord Mountbatten of Burma
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, the last Viceroy of India.