Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

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Charles II
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Reign 2 June 1794 – 6 November 1816
Born October 10, 1741(1741-10-10)
Birthplace Mirow
Died November 6, 1816 (aged 75)
Place of death Neustrelitz
Predecessor Adolf Friedrich IV
Successor Georg
Wives Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt
Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt
Royal House Mecklenburg
Father Charles Louis Frederick
Mother Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen

Charles II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (German: Karl II. von Mecklenburg-Strelitz) (October 10, 1741 - November 6, 1816) was first duke, then grand duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Born in Mirow, he was the son of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Charles served as a General in the Hanoverian army.[1] He later became governor of Hanover under his brother-in-law George III.

After his uncle Adolf Friedrich III died without any male descendants in 1752, Karl's older brother Adolf Friedrich IV became Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. After he died childless in 1794, Karl II inherited the post.[2]

[edit] Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Karl II encouraged new agricultural trends, established a new police force, and implemented compulsory education. In 1806, his duchy joined the Confederation of the Rhine. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815 his title was elevated, making him a grand duke.[3]

Karl died on November 6, 1816 in Neustrelitz and was succeeded by his son Georg.[2]

[edit] Marriage and children

Karl married twice: first, to Landgravine Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt (1752-1782), daughter of Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hesse-Darmstadt. They had ten children together. Two of them become German queen consorts. Louise would marry Frederick William III of Prussia and Frederica would marry Ernest Augustus I of Hanover.

After Friederike's death in 1782, he married her sister Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1784.[4] She died in the following year, whilst giving birth to their son, Duke Karl Friedrich August (1785-1837).

[edit] References

  • This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.
  1. ^ Beatson, Robert (1788). A political index to the histories of great britain and ireland. Bangs, 335. 
  2. ^ a b Baines, Edward (1851). The Book of Dignities. Longmans, 52. 
  3. ^ Haydn, Joseph (1855). History of the Wars of the French Revolution. Bangs, 555. 
  4. ^ Online Gotha
Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Born: 10 October 1741 Died: 6 November 1816
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Adolf Friedrich IV		 Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1794–1815		 Raised to Grand Duke
New title Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1815–1816		 Succeeded by
Georg