Frederick William, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Encyclopedia
Frederick William I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (28 March 1675, Grabow
– 31 July 1713) was the reigning Duke in the Mecklenburg-Schwerin
part of the territory from 1692 until 1713.
Frederick William was the eldest son of Prince Frederick
(1638–1688) and Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg (1653–1722) and was a nephew of the childless Duke Christian Louis I. Frederick Wiliam succeeded his uncle on 21 June 1692 as regent of the Schwerin part of Mecklenburg. After the extinction of the Mecklenburg-Güstrow line of the dynasty he fought a violent succession dispute with his uncle Adolf Frederick II, that escalated quickly, bringing the country to the brink of civil war and settled only by the intervention of foreign powers. The dispute was ended in 1701 by the Hamburg Compromise. Mecklenburg was again split into two parts with limited autonomy. The two sub-principalities, Mecklenburg-Strelitz
and Mecklenburg-Schwerin, existed until 1918. The Compromise also introduced the right of succession of the first-born to the dynasty.
In 1708, Frederick William, introduced the "Consumption and Tax Statute" to overcome the consequences of the Thirty Years' War
and the Great Northern War
. In addition to the taxation of knights and the clergy, this law included the abolition of serfdom, freeing farmers from dependence on their landlords. The former peasants could lease their land and forced labor was to be replaced by working for a salary. This created a sharp conflict between the duke and the landed estates.
Frederick William married Sophie Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel
on 2 January 1704, in Kassel. She was born July 16, 1678 and died May 30, 1749 in Bützow. She was a daughter of Count Charles I of Hesse-Kassel
. The couple had no children.
Frederick William had numerous mistresses, with whom he had at least nine children, including:
A lady named Frederika Wilhelmina was born 1702 in Boitzenburg
and died 1748 in Schwerin
. In 1719, she married 1719 Hermann Christian von Wolffradt (died in 1723 in Dömitz
)). She was a mistress
of Duke Karl Leopold of Mecklenburg. Whether she was an illegitimate daughter of Frederick William, is highly controversial in the literature.
Frederick William died in on July 31, 1713, on his return from Schlangenbad
. His wife, Sofia Charlotte took her dower in Bützow
, where she died. She was buried beside her husband in the crypt of the newly-built Schelfkirche St. Nikolai
in Schwerin.
Grabow
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:...
– 31 July 1713) was the reigning Duke in the Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
part of the territory from 1692 until 1713.
Frederick William was the eldest son of Prince Frederick
Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow
Frederick I of Mecklenburg-Grabow, Duke of Mecklenburg [-Grabow] - Life :He was the son of Adolf Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his second wife Marie Katharina , daughter of Julius Ernst, Duke of Braunschweig-Dannenberg .Through his late birth, he was excluded from active government...
(1638–1688) and Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg (1653–1722) and was a nephew of the childless Duke Christian Louis I. Frederick Wiliam succeeded his uncle on 21 June 1692 as regent of the Schwerin part of Mecklenburg. After the extinction of the Mecklenburg-Güstrow line of the dynasty he fought a violent succession dispute with his uncle Adolf Frederick II, that escalated quickly, bringing the country to the brink of civil war and settled only by the intervention of foreign powers. The dispute was ended in 1701 by the Hamburg Compromise. Mecklenburg was again split into two parts with limited autonomy. The two sub-principalities, Mecklenburg-Strelitz
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...
and Mecklenburg-Schwerin, existed until 1918. The Compromise also introduced the right of succession of the first-born to the dynasty.
In 1708, Frederick William, introduced the "Consumption and Tax Statute" to overcome the consequences of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
and the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
. In addition to the taxation of knights and the clergy, this law included the abolition of serfdom, freeing farmers from dependence on their landlords. The former peasants could lease their land and forced labor was to be replaced by working for a salary. This created a sharp conflict between the duke and the landed estates.
Frederick William married Sophie Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel
Sophie Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel
Sophie Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel was a princess of Hesse-Kassel and by marriage Duchess of Mecklenburg.- Life :...
on 2 January 1704, in Kassel. She was born July 16, 1678 and died May 30, 1749 in Bützow. She was a daughter of Count Charles I of Hesse-Kassel
Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Karl I was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1670 till his death.Born at Kassel, he was the son of Wilhelm VI of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg, daughter of Georg Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg. After the early death of his father, his mother ruled as regent until 1675...
. The couple had no children.
Frederick William had numerous mistresses, with whom he had at least nine children, including:
- Charles Louis von Mecklenburg auf Zibühl, Lübzin and Karcheez (son with Sophie Magdalene of Plüskow, died 1703)
- Margaretha Dorothea Gredler (died 1744 in DömitzDömitzDömitz is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, 25 km southwest of Ludwigslust, and 37 km northwest of Wittenberge....
)
A lady named Frederika Wilhelmina was born 1702 in Boitzenburg
Boitzenburger Land
Boitzenburger Land is a municipality in the Uckermark district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
and died 1748 in Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
. In 1719, she married 1719 Hermann Christian von Wolffradt (died in 1723 in Dömitz
Dömitz
Dömitz is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, 25 km southwest of Ludwigslust, and 37 km northwest of Wittenberge....
)). She was a mistress
Mistress
Mistress may refer to:* Mistress , a woman, other than the spouse, with whom a married individual has a continuing sexual relationship* Schoolmistress, or female school teacher...
of Duke Karl Leopold of Mecklenburg. Whether she was an illegitimate daughter of Frederick William, is highly controversial in the literature.
Frederick William died in on July 31, 1713, on his return from Schlangenbad
Schlangenbad
Schlangenbad is a community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Location :The community, which is a health resort , lies above sea level in a sheltered location on a valley slope on the southern slope of the Taunus from Wiesbaden, from Eltville...
. His wife, Sofia Charlotte took her dower in Bützow
Bützow
Bützow is a town in the district of Rostock in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Germany, with a population of 8,122 .The town was first mentioned in 1171....
, where she died. She was buried beside her husband in the crypt of the newly-built Schelfkirche St. Nikolai
Schelfkirche
The Schelfkirche St. Nikolai is an Evangelical Lutheran church dedicated to Saint Nicholas in the Schelfstadt quarter of Schwerin in Germany. It was originally built in 1238, but was rebuilt in 1713 in the Baroque style after destruction by a storm...
in Schwerin.