Frederick Francis II


Frederick Francis II was a Prussian officer and Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 7 March 1842 until 15 April 1883.

Biography

He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the eldest son of Hereditary Grand Duke Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Alexandrine of Prussia. He became heir apparent to the grand duchy following the death of his great-grandfather Frederick Francis I on 1 February 1837. Frederick Francis was privately educated until 1838. He then attended the Blochmann institute in Dresden before going to the University of Bonn. Frederick Francis succeeded his father as Grand Duke on 7 March 1842.
During the Second Schleswig War, Frederick Francis served on the staff of Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Graf von Wrangel, having refused a command in the fight against Denmark since Christian IX of Denmark was a close friend. During the Austro-Prussian War he commanded the forces that occupied Leipzig and lay siege to Nuremberg. He also took part in the Franco-Prussian War, during which he was made Governor-General of Reims and commanded the German forces laying siege to Toul. He defended the Prussian forces during the Siege of Paris from attack by the Army of the Loire. He defeated French forces at the battles of Beaune-La-Rolande and Beaugency. He was the maternal first cousin of both German Emperor Frederick III and Russian Tsar Alexander II. He held the rank of Prussian general and was also a Russian General Field Marshal.
Frederick Francis died on 15 April 1883 in Schwerin and was succeeded as Grand Duke by his eldest son, Frederick Francis III.

Marriages and children

Frederick Francis was first married to Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz on 3 November 1849 in Ludwigslust. They had six children:
Frederick Francis married for a second time in Darmstadt to Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine on 4 July 1864. They had one daughter:
  • Duchess Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin died at the age of 16.
His third wife was Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt on 4 July 1868. They had four children:
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