Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz

Princess Augusta Reuss, Junior Line (Auguste Mathilde Wilhelmine Reuß; 26 May 1822 – 3 March 1862), was Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin as the first spouse of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Princess Augusta
Portrait by Friedrich Kaulbach, 1856
Grand Duchess consort of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Tenure	3 November 1849 – 3 March 1862
Born	(1822-05-26)26 May 1822 Klipphausen, Kingdom of Saxony
Died	3 March 1862(1862-03-03) (aged 39) Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Burial	Schwerin Castle
Spouse	Frederick Francis II ​ ​ (m. 1849)​
Issue	Frederick Francis III Duke Paul Frederick Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia Duke Nikolaus Duke John Albert Duke Alexander
House	Reuss Junior Line
Father	Heinrich LXIII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz
Mother	Countess Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode

Early life

Princess Augusta, third child and second daughter of Prince Heinrich LXIII Reuss of Köstritz, and his first wife, Countess Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode, was born at Klipphausen, Kingdom of Saxony.^[1]

Reuss zu Köstritz branch belonged to the Junior line of the House of Reuss.

Marriage

On 3 November 1849 in Ludwigslust, Augusta married Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin son of Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.^[1] Together they had six children.^[2]

• Frederick Francis III (1851–1897) father of Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark and Cecile, last Crown Princess of Prussia.
• Paul Friedrich (1852–1923) married Princess Marie of Windisch-Grätz.
• Marie (1854–1920) married Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia. Their son Cyril became pretender to the Russian throne after the assassination of his cousin Nicholas II of Russia.
• Nikolaus (1855–1856).
• John Albert (1857–1920) Imperial regent of the Duchy of Brunswick; married firstly to Princess Elisabeth Sybille of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; second marriage to Princess Elisabeth of Stolberg-Rossla.
• Duke Alexander (1859–1859).

Death

Augusta Memorial at Schwerin.

Augusta's early death raised some questions in the court. It was said that Augusta died of "bronchial problems associated with heart disease".^[3] One biographer said she died of a type of fever.^[4]

Augusta was buried in the gardens of Schwerin Castle and by 1905, a memorial portrait was built by sculptor Wilhelm Wandschneider.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz

8. Heinrich IX, Count Reuss of Köstritz 4. Heinrich XLIV, Prince Reuss of Köstritz 9. Countess Amalie von Wartensleben und Flodroff 2. Heinrich LXIII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz 10. Baron Friedrich Christian von Geuder genannt Rabensteiner 5. Baroness Wilhelmine von Geuder genannt Rabensteiner 11. Johanna von Bredow 1. Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz 12. Count Christian Frederick of Stolberg-Wernigerode 6. Count Heinrich of Stolberg-Wernigerode 13. Countess Auguste of Stolberg-Stolberg 3. Countess Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode 14. Prince Otto Karl Friedrich of Schonburg-Waldenburg 7. Princess Johanna of Schonburg-Waldenburg 15. Countess Henriette Eleonore Elisabeth Reuss-Köstritz