Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

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Grand Duchy of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Großherzogtum Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1815–1918
Flag of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Flag
Coat of arms of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Coat of arms
Adolphus Frederick VI
History 
• Raised to Grand Duchy
1815
• 
German Revolution
1918
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Today part ofGermany

The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a territory in

German Revolution of 1918–19 it was succeeded by the Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
.

Geography

Map of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, with territories in yellow

It consisted of two detached parts of the

commandries of the Knights Hospitaller in Mirow and Nemerow
.

History

The

Frederick Francis I of Mecklenburg-Schwerin both assumed the title of grand duke (Großherzog von Mecklenburg). The Congress of Vienna further recognized that the grand duke and four other princes should receive special compensation totaling 69,000 "souls" in the Saar region. However, the grand duke exchanged title to his land to Prussia for a monetary payment.[2]

Neustrelitz Palace in 1900

In 1866, Grand Duke Frederick William openly rebuked the Prussian annexation of the Kingdom of Hanover, even though the Prussian Army had been aided by soldiers from Mecklenburg-Strelitz in the Austro-Prussian War. Thereupon, the grand duchy joined the North German Confederation and the reconstituted Zollverein. Also in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71, the Kingdom of Prussia received valuable assistance from Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

In 1871, both Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz became States of the German Empire. Mecklenburg-Strelitz returned one member to the Bundesrat chamber of states. However, the grand duke was still styled Prince of the Wends and the internal government of Mecklenburg-Strelitz remained unmodernized. Mocked by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck as a safe haven in the face of threatening apocalypse "as everything there happens 50 years later", the grand duchy had always been a government of feudal character. The grand dukes exercised power only through their ministers via an antiquated type of diet representing social classes. It met for a short session each year, and at other times was represented by a committee consisting of the proprietors of knights' estates (Rittergüter), known as the Ritterschaft, and of the Landschaft, which was composed of burgomasters of selected towns. These feudal arrangements meant that the grand dukes of Mecklenburg had among the least power of any sovereign princes in Germany.[3]

There was now a renewal of agitation for a more democratic constitution, and the German

Adolphus Frederick V, a son of Grand Duke Frederick William and his wife Princess Augusta of Cambridge, daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
, became grand duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In 1907, the grand duke promised a constitution to the duchy's subjects, but this was met with opposition from the nobility.

Aftermath

The Mecklenburg-Strelitz dynasty ended just prior to the loss of the monarchy in developments associated with

Frederick Francis IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, who was acting as regent in Strelitz, stating that he wished to renounce his rights of succession to Strelitz, though the letter was only received by Frederick Francis in 1919 after the end of the German monarchies, so the issue of succession could not be resolved at the time.

The House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz survives to this day, descending from Duke

style of "Highness" by the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. George's grandson Borwin
is the present head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

The county of Mecklenburg in the U.S. state of North Carolina, which includes the city of Charlotte, is named after the duchy. The City of Charlotte, known as "The Queen City" was named for Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of Great Britain. Queen Charlotte was Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, born on 19 May 1744. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg, Prince of Mirow and his wife Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen.

References

  1. ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 1020.
  2. ^ Treitschke, Heinrich. The History of Germany in the Nineteenth Century, Eng. Trans. 1915. Vol. 3, Page 121.
  3. ^ Treitschke, Heinrich. The History of Germany in the Nineteenth Century, Eng. Trans. 1918. Vol. 4, Pages 393-405.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Mecklenburg". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 1018–20.

External links