Frederick Francis I

Frederick Francis I (10 December 1756 – 1 February 1837) ruled over the German state of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, first as duke (1785–1815), and then as grand duke (1815–1837).

Frederick Francis I
Frederick Francis I, as Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in swedish uniform with the Royal Order of the Seraphim. Painted by Wilhelm August Christian Abel 1803.
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Reign	14 June 1815 – 1 February 1837
Predecessor	Himself as Duke
Successor	Paul Frederick
Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Reign	21 April 1785 – 14 June 1815
Predecessor	Frederick II
Successor	Himself as Grand Duke
Born	(1756-12-10)10 December 1756 Schwerin, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Died	1 February 1837(1837-02-01) (aged 80) Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Burial	Doberan Minster
Spouse	Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Issue Among others	Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Louise Charlotte, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg Duke Gustav Wilhelm Charlotte Frederica, Hereditary Princess of Denmark
House	Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Father	Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mother	Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Religion	Lutheranism

Biography

Fredrick Francis I, in uniform, wearing the Star and Sasch of the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle and the Order of the Red Eagle around the neck. Portrait by Rudolph Suhrlandt (1817).

He was born in Schwerin, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, to Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Friedrich Franz succeeded his uncle Friedrich as duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1785.

Following the Napoleonic Wars, Friedrich Franz was raised to the dignity of grand duke at the Congress of Vienna.^[1] Along with his cousin in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, he was known as one of the most reactionary German rulers. On his death in 1837 he was succeeded by his grandson, Grand Duke Paul Friedrich.

Marriage and children

On 1 June 1775 in Gotha, Friedrich Franz married Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.^{[citation needed]} They had eight children:

• Daughter (stillborn 7 May 1776), buried in the Schelfkirche St. Nikolai of Schwerin.^[2]
• Son (stillborn 11 May 1777), buried in the Schelfkirche St. Nikolai of Schwerin.^[2]
• Friedrich Ludwig (13 June 1778 – 29 November 1819). He married Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, a daughter of Paul I of Russia and Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg
• Louise Charlotte (19 November 1779 – 4 January 1801). Married Emil Leopold August, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
• Gustav Wilhelm (31 January 1781 – 10 January 1851).
• Karl (2 July 1782 – 22 May 1833).
• Charlotte Frederica (4 December 1784 – 13 July 1840). Married Christian VIII of Denmark. They were parents to Frederick VII of Denmark.
• Adolf (18 December 1785 – 8 May 1821).

References

1. Haydn, Joseph (1855). History of the Wars of the French Revolution. Bangs. p. 555.
2. Schelfkirche St. Nikolai zu Schwerin in: worldhistory.de [retrieved 2 March 2017].

Frederick Francis I House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Cadet branch of the House of Mecklenburg Born: 10 December 1756 Died: 1 February 1837
Regnal titles
Preceded by Frederick II	Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1785–1815	Became Grand Duke
New title Previously duke	Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1815–1837	Succeeded by Paul Frederick