Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Encyclopedia
George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg (12 August 1779 – 6 September 1860) ruled the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
from 1816 until his death.
the eighth child of Duke Charles of Mecklenburg
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
.
where he studied until 1799. After leaving University George went to Berlin
where he lived at the Prussian court, his sister Louise
was married to the Prussian King, Frederick William III
. In 1802 he went to Italy
where he lived until 1804 when he returned to Germany and settled in Darmstadt.
Following the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
George travelled to Paris
where he negotiated Mecklenburg-Strelitz's entry into the Confederation of the Rhine
. He also attended the Congress of Vienna
in 1814 where Mecklenburg-Strelitz was raised to a grand duchy
.
.
George died on 6 September 1860 at Neustrelitz
and was succeeded by his eldest son Friedrich Wilhelm
.
George married Princess Marie of Hesse-Cassel (1796–1880) the daughter of Prince Frederick of Hesse
. Together they had four children.
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...
from 1816 until his death.
Early life
Duke George Frederick Charles Joseph of Mecklenburg was born in HanoverHanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
the eighth child of Duke Charles of Mecklenburg
Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg was ruler of the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1794 until his death. Originally ruling as duke he was raised to the title grand duke in 1815...
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
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
. George remained in Darmstadt until 1794 when his father succeeded as the ruling Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and George accompanied his father to Neustrelitz
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...
.
Heir apparent
Soon after arriving in Neustrelitz George enrolled at the University of RostockUniversity of Rostock
The University of Rostock is the university of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Founded in 1419, it is the oldest and largest university in continental northern Europe and the Baltic Sea area...
where he studied until 1799. After leaving University George went to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he lived at the Prussian court, his sister Louise
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
was married to the Prussian King, Frederick William III
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
. In 1802 he went to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he lived until 1804 when he returned to Germany and settled in Darmstadt.
Following the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt were fought on 14 October 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale in today's Germany, between the forces of Napoleon I of France and Frederick William III of Prussia...
George travelled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he negotiated Mecklenburg-Strelitz's entry into the Confederation of the Rhine
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
. He also attended the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
in 1814 where Mecklenburg-Strelitz was raised to a grand duchy
Grand duchy
A grand duchy, sometimes referred to as a grand dukedom, is a territory whose head of state is a monarch, either a grand duke or grand duchess.Today Luxembourg is the only remaining grand duchy...
.
Grand Duke
When George succeeded his father on 6 November 1816 he found the Grand Duchy in a bad state. He set about raising the standard of education of his subjects by building schools where by at the end of his reign the majority of his subjects could read and write. Also during his reign he improved agriculture in the grand duchy and abolished serfdomSerfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
.
George died on 6 September 1860 at Neustrelitz
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...
and was succeeded by his eldest son Friedrich Wilhelm
Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, KG was a German sovereign who ruled over the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1860 until his death.-Biography:...
.
Marriage and children
On 12 August 1817 in KasselKassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
George married Princess Marie of Hesse-Cassel (1796–1880) the daughter of Prince Frederick of Hesse
Prince Frederick of Hesse
Landgrave Frederick III of Hesse-Kassel , born Prince Frederick of Hesse, was a younger member of the dynasty that ruled the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel and a Danish general....
. Together they had four children.
- Duchess Luise of Mecklenburg (1818–1842)
- Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzFriedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzFrederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, KG was a German sovereign who ruled over the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1860 until his death.-Biography:...
(1819–1904), married Princess Augusta of Cambridge - Duchess Caroline of MecklenburgDuchess Caroline of MecklenburgDuchess Caroline Mariane of Mecklenburg was a member of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who became The Crown Princess of Denmark as the second spouse of the future king Frederick VII of Denmark.- Biography :...
(1821–1876) married Frederick VII of DenmarkFrederick VII of DenmarkFrederick VII was a King of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch... - Duke George of Mecklenburg (1824–1876) married Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of RussiaGrand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of RussiaGrand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia , , was the third of five daughters of Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia, youngest son of Tsar Paul I, and Princess Charlotte of Württemberg.-Biography:She was born in St. Petersburg...
father of Duke Charles Michael of Mecklenburg
Titles and styles
- 12 August 1779 2 June 1794: His Serene Highness Duke George of Mecklenburg, Prince of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 2 June 1794 28 June 1815: His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 28 June 1815 6 November 1816: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- 6 November 1816 6 September 1860: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg