Frederick Francis II | |
---|---|
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin | |
Reign | 7 March 1842 – 15 April 1883 |
Predecessor | Paul Frederick |
Successor | Frederick Francis III |
Born |
28 February 1823 Ludwigslust |
Died |
15 April 1883 (aged 60) Schwerin |
Spouse |
Augusta of Reuss-Köstritz Anne of Hesse and by Rhine Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt |
Issue |
Frederick Francis III Duke Paul Frederick Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia Duke Nikolaus Duke John Albert Duke Alexander Duchess Anne Elizabeth, Grand Duchess of Oldenburg Duke Friedrich William Duke Adolf Friedrich Hendrick, Prince consort of the Netherlands |
House | Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
Father | Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
Mother | Alexandrine of Prussia |
Religion | Lutheran |
Frederick Francis 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.
He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the eldest son of Hereditary Grand Duke Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg and his wife 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.
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 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 a 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.