Frederick Francis II (German: Friedrich Franz II; 28 February 1823 – 15 April 1883) 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 (26 May 1822 – 3 March 1862) 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 (25 May 1843 – 16 April 1865) on 4 July 1864. They had one daughter: His third wife was Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt on 4 July 1868. They had four children:

Honours

• Mecklenburg: • * Grand Cross of the Wendish Crown, with Crown in Ore and Collar • * Founder of the Military Merit Cross, 5 August 1848 (Schwerin) • Anhalt: Grand Cross of the Order of Albert the Bear, with Swords, 19 September 1864 • Baden: • * Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, 1844 • * Grand Cross of the Zähringer Lion, 1844 • * Grand Cross of the Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order, 1871 • undefined: • * Knight of St. Hubert, 1856 • * Grand Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph • Brunswick: Grand Cross of the Order of Henry the Lion • Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order, May 1840 • undefined: • * Knight of St. George, 1842 • * Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order, 1842 • Hesse-Darmstadt: Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, 25 December 1843 • Hesse-Kassel: Knight of the Golden Lion, 14 March 1864 • Nassau: Knight of the Gold Lion of Nassau, July 1858 • Oldenburg: Grand Cross of the Order of Duke Peter Friedrich Ludwig, with Golden Crown, 8 October 1843; with Swords, 31 December 1870 • Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Grand Cross of the White Falcon, 16 February 1840; with Swords, 1871 • undefined: Knight of the Rue Crown, 1842 • Prussia: • * Knight of the Black Eagle, 9 January 1840; with Collar, 1851 • * Knight of the Red Eagle, 1st Class, 9 January 1840; with Swords, 1864 • * Commander of Honour of the Johanniter Order, 1863 • * Grand Commander's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, 9 December 1865; with Swords, 1871 • * Pour le Mérite (military), 9 August 1866; with Oak Leaves, 5 December 1870 • * Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, 4 December 1871 • Württemberg: • * Grand Cross of the Military Merit Order, 30 December 1870 • * Grand Cross of the Württemberg Crown, 1871

Ancestors