Adolphus Frederick II (German: Adolf Friedrich II; 19 October 1658 – 12 May 1708), Duke of Mecklenburg, was the first Duke of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz, reigning from 1701 until his death. Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Adolphus Frederick II
Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Reign8 March 1701 – 12 May 1708
PredecessorFriedrich Wilhelm
SuccessorAdolf Friedrich III
Born(1658-10-19)19 October 1658
Grabow
Died12 May 1708(1708-05-12) (aged 49)
Spouse
(m. 1684; died 1701)
(m. 1702; died 1704)
Issue
Detail
HouseMecklenburg-Strelitz
FatherAdolf Frederick I
MotherMaria Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg
ReligionLutheranism

Biography

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He was born in Grabow as the posthumous son of Duke Adolf Frederick I of Mecklenburg and his second wife, Maria Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg (1616–1665).[1]

In 1695, the Mecklenburg-Güstrow branch of the House of Mecklenburg became extinct and Adolphus Frederick's nephew, Frederick William, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, laid claim to the inheritance, a move which Adolphus Frederick opposed.[2]

The dispute was settled in 1701 by dividing Mecklenburg-Güstrow between the two claimants. Frederick William took the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Adolphus obtained the Principality of Ratzeburg and the Lordship of Stargard with the commanderies of Mirow and Nemerow, of which he formed the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.[3][1]

Following his death in 1708, Adolphus Frederick was succeeded as Duke by his son, Adolphus Frederick III.

Marriages and children

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In 1684 Adolphus Frederick II married firstly to Marie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (19 July 1659 – 16 January 1701), daughter of Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. They had five children:[4]

On 20 June 1702, Adolphus Frederick II married secondly to Princess Johanna of Saxe-Gotha (1 October 1680 – 9 July 1704), a daughter of Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, and Magdalena Sybille of Saxe-Weissenfels, who was his half-niece. There were no children from this marriage.[4]

 
Adolphus Frederick's third wife, Princess Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

On 10 June 1705 at Neustrelitz, Adolphus Frederick II married thirdly to Princess Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (13 March 1681 – 1 November 1751), a daughter of Christian William I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and Countess Antonie Sybille of Barby-Mühlingen (1641–1684). They had two children:[4]

Through his granddaughter Charlotte, Adolphus Frederick is the ancestor of every British monarch beginning with George IV, who ascended the throne of the United Kingdom in 1820.

Ancestry

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References

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  1. ^ a b Fromm (1875). "Adolf Friedrich II". Deutsche Biografie (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  2. ^ Moore, John (1803). View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland and Germany. A. Strahan and T. Cadell. p. 191.
  3. ^ Ungewitter, Franz Heinrich (1850). Europe, Past and Present. Putnam. p. 411.
  4. ^ a b c Marek, Miroslav. "House of Mecklenburg genealogy". Genealogy.EU.
Adolphus Frederick II
Cadet branch of the House of Mecklenburg
Born: 19 October 1658 Died: 12 May 1708
Regnal titles
New title Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1701–1708
Succeeded by