Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg

Frederick Francis II (28 February 1823 – 15 April 1883) was a Prussian officer and the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin,, reigning from 7 March 1842 until 15 April 1883.

Biography

He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the eldest son of the then Hereditary Grand Duke Paul Friedrich and his wife Princess Alexandrine of Prussia. He became the 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.

Frederick Francis served on the general staff of Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Graf von Wrangel during the Second Schleswig War. 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 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 held the rank of Prussian general and was also a Russian General Field Marshal.

Frederick Francis died on 15 April 1883 in Schwerin. He was succeeded as Grand Duke by his...
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