Frederick Francis I

Frederick Francis I (10 December 1756 – 1 February 1837) ruled over the German state of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, first as Duke from 1785 to 1815, and then as Grand Duke from 1815 until his death in 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 ​ ​ (m. 1775; died 1808)​
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

Early life

Fredrick Francis I, wearing the Star and Sasch of the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle and the Order of the Red Eagle, by Rudolph Suhrlandt, 1817

Frederick Francis I was born in Schwerin, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, on 10 December 1756. He was the son of Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

His paternal grandparents were Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (son of Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow) and Duchess Gustave Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (daughter of Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz). His maternal grandparents were Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Princess Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Career

In 1785, Friedrich Franz succeeded his uncle Frederick II as Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

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.

Personal life

On 1 June 1775 in Gotha, Friedrich Franz married Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, the fourth and youngest child of Prince John August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Countess Louise Reuss of Schleiz.^{[citation needed]} Together, they had eight children,^[a] including:

• Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1778–1819), who married Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, a daughter of Paul I of Russia and Duchess Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg.
• Duchess Louise Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1779–1801), who married Emil Leopold August, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, the second son of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen.^[3]
• Duke Gustav Wilhelm of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1781–1851), who never married.^[b]
• Duke Karl of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1782–1833).
• Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1784–1840), who married Christian VIII of Denmark. They were parents to Frederick VII of Denmark.
• Duke Adolf of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1785–1821).

On his death in 1837 he was succeeded by his grandson, Grand Duke Paul Friedrich.

Notes

1. His eldest daughter, stillborn on 7 May 1776, was buried in the Schelfkirche St. Nikolai of Schwerin.^[2] His eldest son, stillborn on 11 May 1777, was also buried in the Schelfkirche St. Nikolai of Schwerin.^[2]
2. Karl Heinrich Ulrichs mentions Duke Gustav Wilhelm as a homosexual.^[4]