Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg

Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was born on April 9, 1882, in the city of Schwerin, Germany. He was the eldest son of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and his wife, Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia.

Frederick Francis IV succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1897, at the age of 15. During his reign, he oversaw the modernization of his country and the development of its infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and ports.

In 1904, Frederick Francis IV married Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. The couple had three children together: Alexandrine, Marie, and Christian Ludwig.

During World War I, Frederick Francis IV served as a general in the German army. After the war, he was forced to abdicate from the throne of Mecklenburg due to the abolishment of his royal status and the establishment of the Weimar Republic.

Frederick Francis IV and his family lived in exile for many years, first in Denmark, and later in Bavaria. He died on November 17, 1945, in Flensburg, Germany, at the age of 63.