List of rulers of Mecklenburg
Table of rulers
(Note: Here the numbering of the princes is the same for all duchies, as all were titled Dukes of Mecklenburg, despite of the different parts of land and its particular numbering of the rulers.

List of rulers of Mecklenburg

Section Title: Table of rulers
Table Section Text: (Note: Here the numbering of the princes is the same for all duchies, as all were titled Dukes of Mecklenburg, despite of the different parts of land and its particular numbering of the rulers.

Ruler	Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes

Pribislaus I	-	?	1167-1178	30 December 1178	Mecklenburg	Woizlava of Pomerania before 1178 at least one child	First lord of Mecklenburg. (Son of Niklot), Prince of the Obotrites, Lord of Mecklenburg

Henry Borwin I	-	?	1178-1227	28 January 1227	Mecklenburg	Matilda of Saxony c.1170 two children Adelaide before 1227 one child	Henry Borwin ruled jointly with his cousin Nicholas I (son of Warcislaus of Rostock) and his own sons Nicholas II and Henry Borwin II.

Nicholas I	-	1164	1178-1200	25 May 1200	Mecklenburg	Unmarried

Henry Borwin II	-	1170	1219-1226	5 June 1226	Mecklenburg	Christina of Sweden c.1200 six children

Nicholas II	1180	1219-1225	28 September 1225	Mecklenburg	Unmarried

John I the Theologian	c.1211	1227-1264	1 August 1264	Mecklenburg	Luitgard of Henneberg c.1230 seven children	Son of Henry Borwin II. Received the land of Mecklenburg.

Nicholas III	c. 1210	1227-1277	14 May 1277	Werle	Judith of Anhalt 1231 seven children	Son of Henry Borwin II. Received the land of Werle.

Henry Borwin III	c. 1220	1227-1278	1 August 1278	Rostock	Sophia of Sweden 1237 four children	Son of Henry Borwin II. Received the land of Rostock.

Pribislaus II	1224	1227-1256	after 12 February 1275	Parchim-Richenberg	Unmarried	Son of Henry Borwin II. Received the land of Parchim-Richenberg, but he hadn't the capacity for rule, and was deposed by his brothers, who divided his land between them.

Henry I the Pilgrim	c.1230	1264-1271 (1299-1302 probably only titular)	2 January 1302	Mecklenburg	Anastasia of Pomerania c.1259 three children	In 1271, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Along the way, he was taken prisoner and deported to Cairo, where he was held in captivity by the Arabs for 27 years.

Albert I	c.1230	1264-1265	15 May or 17 May 1265	Mecklenburg	Unknown

Nicholas IV	c.1230	1264-1289	8 June 1289 or 1290	Mecklenburg	Unknown

John II	c.1250	1264-1299	12 October 1299	Mecklenburg	Unknown

John III	c.1250	1287-1289	27 May 1289	Mecklenburg	Helena of Rügen 3 November 1288 one child

Henry II	c. 1245	1277-1291	8 October 1291	Werle (until 1281) Werle-Güstrow (from 1281)	Richeza of Sweden 1262 three children Matilda of Brunswick-Lüneburg I 1291 no children	Henry II, John IV and Bernard I were sons of Nicholas III, and ruled jointly until 1281. Henry kept Güstrow, John Parchim and Bernard Prisannewitz.

John IV	c. 1245	1277-1283	15 October 1283	Werle (until 1281) Werle-Parchim (from 1281)	Sophia of Lindow-Ruppin before 1275 six children

Bernard I	c. 1245	1277-1286	c.1286	Werle(until 1281) Werle-Prisannewitz (from 1281)	Unmarried

Valdemar	before 1241	1278-1282	9 November 1282	Rostock	Agnes of Holstein-Kiel before 1262 three children

Agnes of Holstein-Kiel (regent)	before 1241	1282-1284	9 November 1282	Rostock	Valdemar before 1262 three children	Regent in name of her minor sons.

Nicholas V the Child	before 1262	1284-1314	25 November 1314	Rostock	Margaret of Pomerania-Wolgast 1299 one child	Died without male heirs. His inheritance went to Henry IV of Mecklenburg-Mecklenburg.

Rostock was definitely annexed to Mecklenburg

Nicholas VI	before 1283	1283-1316	15 October 1283	Werle-Parchim (until 1294) Werle (from 1294)	Richeza of Denmark 1292 two children Matilda of Brunswick-Lüneburg II after 1308 no children

Henry III the Lion	after 14 April 1266	1290-1329 (with his father as titular duke 1299-1302)	21 January 1329	Mecklenburg	Beatrix of Brandenburg c.1290 one child Anna of Saxe-Wittenberg after 6 July 1315 seven children Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin After 1324 no children	Son of Henry I, ruled from 1287 under regency of his uncles Nicholas III and John II, as his father Henry I was taken prisoner in the Holy Land.

Henry IV	before 1283	1291-1294	1307	Werle-Güstrow	Beatrice of Pomerania before 1290 two children	After his death with no descendants, Güstrow was annexed to Parchim.

Werle-Güstrow was definitely annexed to Werle-Parchim, which became Werle (1294-1316)

John V the Bald	after 1250	1316-1337	27 August 1337	Werle-Güstrow	Matilda of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 1311 four children	Brother of Nicholas VI. In 1316 there was a new subdivision of Werle in Goldberg and Güstrow, this last subdivided again in -Gustrow and -Waren in 1337.

John VI Ruoden	before 1300	1316-1350	1352	Werle-Goldberg	Richeza of Denmark 1292 two children Matilda of Pomerania 1317 three children Richardis before 1350 two children	In 1316 there was a subdivision of Werle in two districts, Goldberg and Güstrow

Albert II the Great	-	c.1318	1329-1379	18 February 1379	Mecklenburg Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Euphemia of Sweden 10 April 1336 five children Adelheid of Hohenstein after 1370 no children	Was raised to duke in 1348. In that year he moved the seat of government to Schwerin, and his branch took the name Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Nicholas VII Staveleke	after 1311	1337-1360	1360/1361	Werle-Güstrow	Agnes of Mecklenburg-Mecklenburg 6 January 1338 two children Matilda of Holstein-Plön after 1341 one child	In 1337 Werle-Gustrow was subdivided again in -Gustrow and -Waren in 1337.

Bernard II	c.1320	1337-1382	between 16 January and 13 April 1382	Werle-Güstrow-Waren	Elisabeth of Holstein-Plön 1341 three children

Nicholas VIII the Pig-Eyed	after 1311	1350-1354	1360/1361	Werle-Goldberg	Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin before 1350 three children

John VII	c.1326	1352-1392/93	9 August 1392/9 February 1393	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Rixa no children Anna of Holstein-Pinneberg before 1358 one child Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin 1358 five children	First of his line in a duchy that split off from Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

John VIII	before 1350	1354-1374	1374	Werle-Goldberg	Unmarried	Under regency of Albert II and Nicholas VII until 1360. His part of Goldberg went to Werle-Gustrow after his death.

Werle-Goldberg was definitely annexed to Werle-Güstrow

Lorenz	between 1338 and 1340	1360-1393/94	between 24 February 1393 and 6 May 1394	Werle-Güstrow	Matilda of Mecklenburg-Werle-Goldberg c.1375 three children	Ruled in Werle-Gustrow with his brother John V.

John IX	between 1338 and 1340	1360-1378	before 9 September 1378	Werle-Güstrow	Euphemia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin before 1378 no children	Ruled in Werle-Gustrow with his brother Lorenz.

Henry V	c.1337	1379-1383	24 April 1383	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Ingeborg of Denmark 1362 four children Matilda of Mecklenburg-Werle 26 February 1377 no children

Magnus I	-	c.1345	1379-1384	1 September 1384	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Elizabeth of Pomerania-Wolgast after 1362 two children	Ruled jointly with his brother Henry III.

John X	c.1320	1382-1395	c. 1395	Werle-Güstrow-Waren	Agnes of Mecklenburg-Werle-Goldberg before 1395 four children

John XI	-	before 1370	1384-1422	16 October 1422	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Jutta von Hoya before 1415 no children Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg 1416 two children	Ruled jointly with Albert III, Albert IV, Eric I and Albert V.

Albert III	-	c.1338	1384-1412	March 1412	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Richardis of Schwerin 1365 two children Agnes of Brunswick-Lüneburg 12/13 February 1396 Schwerin one child	His maternal Swedish descendance allowed him to succeed as King of Sweden between 1364 and 1389.

Albert IV	-	before 1363	1384-1388	between 24 and 31 December 1388	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Elisabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg before 1388 no children	Ruled jointly with his uncle Albert III.

Eric I	after 1359	1396-1397	16 July 1397	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast 12/13 February 1396 Schwerin no children	Ruled jointly with his father Albert III.

Albert V	1397	1412-1423	between 1 June and 6 December 1423	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Margaret of Brandenburg 1423 no children	Ruled jointly with his father Albert III.

John XII	before 1370	1392/93-1416	6 July/9 October 1416	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Wilheida-Catherine of Lithuania 1388 three children	Ruled jointly with his brothers, Ulrich I and Albert I.

Ulrich I	before 1382	1392/93-1417	8 April 1417	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Margaret of Pomerania-Stettin before 1400 three children	Ruled jointly with his brothers, John II and Albert I.

Albert VI	before 1377	1392/93-1397	between 11 February and 15 July 1397	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Unmarried	Ruled jointly with his brothers, John II and Ulrich I.

Nicholas IX	between 1341 and 1385	1395-1408	after 21 January 1408	Werle-Güstrow-Waren(-Güstrow-Waren)	Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast after 1397 no children	Sons of John X, ruled jointly. After Christopher's death, Wele-Gustrow-Waren went to Werle-Gustrow.

Christopher	before 1385	1385 1395-1425	25 August 1425	Mecklenburg-Werle (-Güstrow-Waren)	Unmarried

Werle-Güstrow-Waren was definitely annexed to Werle-Güstrow

Balthasar I	c.1375	1393/4-1421	5 April 1421	Werle-Güstrow	Euphemia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 18 October 1397 no children Helvig of Holstein-Rendsburg 18 April 1417 no children	Ruled in Werle-Gustrow with his brothers William and John VII.

John XIII	ca. 1375	1393/4-1414	between 14 August and 17 December 1414	Werle-Güstrow	Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg before 1414 no children	Ruled in Werle-Gustrow with his brothers William and Balthasar.

William	before 1398	1401-1436	8 September 1436	Werle-Güstrow (until 1425) Werle (from 1425)	Anna of Anhalt 1422 no children Sophia of Pomerania after 1426 one child	Ruled in Werle-Gustrow with his brothers Balthasar and John VII. Reunited Werle, but left no descendants. Werle went to Mecklenburg.

Werle was definitely annexed to Mecklenburg

John XIV	1389	1416-1438	after 11 November 1438	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Luttrud of Anhalt-Köthen before 1438 no children	Son of John II. Ruled jointly with his cousins, Albert II and Henry.

Albert VII	before 1400	1417-1421/23	between 11 February 1421 and 4 October 1423	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Unmarried	Son of Ulrich I. Ruled jointly with his brother Henry and cousin John III.

Henry VI Gaunt	before 1412	1417-1466	between 26 May and 20 August 1466	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Judith of Mecklenburg-Werle-Gustrow-Waren before 1427 no children Ingeborg of Pomerania-Stolp after 1427 two children Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1452 two children	Son of Ulrich I. Ruled jointly with his brother Albert II and cousin John III.

Ulrich II	before 1428	1466-1471	13 July 1471	Mecklenburg-Stargard	Catherine of Mecklenburg-Werle-Gustrow between 24 February and 15 September 1454 no children	Son of Henry I. After his death Stargard was reunited to Mecklenburg.

Stargard was definitely annexed to Mecklenburg

Henry VII the Fat	-	before 1417	1423-1471	9 March 1477	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Dorothea of Brandenburg May 1432 seven children	Sons of John XI, Henry VII and John XV ruled jointly. Henry survived to reunite Mecklenburg in 1471.

1471-1477	Mecklenburg

John XV	1418	1423-1442/43	1 November 1442/13 January 1443	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Anna of Pomerania-Stettin 17 September 1436 no children

John XVI	1439	1451-1471	1472	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Unmarried

1471-1472	Mecklenburg

Magnus II	-	before 1417	1477-1503	20 November 1503	Mecklenburg	Sophia of Pomerania-Stettin 29 May 1478 seven children	Magnus II, Albert VIII and Balthasar, as sons of Henry VII, ruled jointly. Balthasar was also Bishop of Schwerin in 1479-1482, and ruled with his nephews Albert IX and Henry VIII from 1503.

Albert VIII	1438	1477-1483	before 27 April 1483	Mecklenburg	Catherine of Lindow-Ruppin 1466 or 1468 no children

Balthasar II	1451	1477-1507	16 March 1507	Mecklenburg	Unmarried

Eric II	3 September 1483	1503-1508	22 December 1508	Mecklenburg	Unmarried

Henry VIII the Peaceful	-	3 May 1479	1503-1520	6 February 1552	Mecklenburg	Sophia of Pomerania-Stettin 29 May 1478 seven children

1520-1552	Mecklenburg-Schwerin II

Albert IX the Handsome	-	25 July 1486	1503-1520	7 January 1547	Mecklenburg	Anna of Brandenburg 17 January 1524 Berlin ten children

1520-1547	Mecklenburg-Güstrow

John Albert I	-	23 December 1525	1547-1552	12 February 1576	Mecklenburg-Güstrow	Anna Sophia of Prussia 24 February 1555 Wismar three children	Son of Albert IX, left Güstrow to his brother Ulrich, to rule in Schwerin with his cousin Philip. His son inherited Schwerin., as Philip died without heirs.

1552-1576	Mecklenburg-Schwerin II

Philip I	12 September 1514	1552-1557	4 January 1557	Mecklenburg-Schwerin I	Unmarried

Ulrich III	-	5 March 1527	1555-1603	14 March 1603	Mecklenburg-Güstrow	Elizabeth of Denmark 14 February 1556 one child Anna of Pomerania-Wolgast 9 December 1588 no children

John XVII	7 March 1558	1576-1592	22 March 1592	Mecklenburg-Schwerin II	Sophia of Holstein-Gottorp 17 February 1588 three children

Adolf Frederick I	AdolfFriedrichI.JPG	15 December 1588	1592-1658	27 February 1658	Mecklenburg-Schwerin II	Anna Maria of East Frisia 4 September 1622 eight children Maria Katharine of Brunswick-Dannenberg 1635 eleven children	In 1628, the Emperor Ferdinand II deposed him and took his fiefs from him, but he was reinstated in 1631. In the period 1628-1631 the duchy was ruled by Albrecht von Wallenstein.

Charles I	28 December 1540	1603-1610	22 July 1610	Mecklenburg-Güstrow	Unmarried	Brother of Ulrich and John Albert I.

John Albert II	-	5 May 1590	1610-1636	23 April 1636	Mecklenburg-Güstrow	Margaret Elizabeth of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 9 October 1608 four children Elizabeth of Hesse Kassel 25 March 1618 Kassel no children Eleonore Marie of Anhalt-Bernburg 7 May 1626 Güstrow five children	In 1628, the Emperor Ferdinand II deposed him and took his fiefs from him, but he was reinstated in 1631. In the period 1628-1631 the duchy was ruled by Albrecht von Wallenstein.

Gustav Adolph I	-	26 February 1633	1636-1695	6 October 1695	Mecklenburg-Güstrow	Magdalene Sibylle of Holstein-Gottorp 28 December 1654 eleven children	Until 1654, under regendy of Adolf Frederick I of Mecklenburg. His male heirs predeceased him, and his lands rejoined Mecklenburg.

Christian Louis I	-	1 December 1623	1658-1692	21 June 1692	Mecklenburg-Schwerin II	Christine Margaret of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 21 February 1640 no children Elisabeth Angelique de Montmorency 3 March 1664 no children	Left no heirs.

Frederick William I	-	28 March 1675	1692-1695	31 July 1713	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Sophie Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel 2 January 1704 Kassel no children	Son of Frederick, brother of Christian Louis I. Founded the 3rd line of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

1695-1701	Mecklenburg

1701-1713	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III

Adolf Frederick II	-	19 October 1658	1701-1708	12 May 1708	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Maria of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 1684 five children Joanna of Saxe.Gotha-Altenburg 20 June 1702 no children Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen 10 June 1705 Neustrelitz two children	Son of Adolf Frederick I. First of the line of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Adolf Frederick III	-	7 June 1686	1708-1752	11 December 1752	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön 16 April 1709 Reinfeld two children	Left no male heirs.

Charles Leopold I	-	26 November 1678	1713-1728	28 November 1747	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Sophia Hedwig of Nassau-Dietz 27 May 1709 Leeuwarden no children Christine von Lepel 7 June 1710 Doberau (annulled 2 October 1711) no children Catherine Ivanovna of Russia 19 April 1716 Danzig one child	Brother of Frederick William I, was deposed in 1728 by the Aulic Council in Vienna in favour of his brother Christian Louis II.

Christian Louis II	-	15 November 1683	1728-1756	30 May 1756	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Gustave Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 13 November 1714 five children

Adolf Frederick IV	-	5 May 1738	1752-1794	2 June 1794	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Unmarried	Son of Charles Frederick, son of Adolf Frederick II. Left no heirs.

Frederick I the Pious	-	9 November 1717	1756-1785	24 April 1785	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Louise Frederica of Württemberg 2 March 1746 Schwedt four children	His heirs died in infancy and was succeeded by his nephew.

Frederick Francis I	-	10 December 1756	1785-1837	1 February 1837	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg 1 June 1775 Gotha six children	Son of Louis, brother of Frederick I. In 1815 was raised to Grand Duke.

Charles II	-	10 October 1741	1794-1816	6 November 1816	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt 18 September 1768 Darmstadt ten children Charlotte of Hesse-Darmstadt 28 September 1784 Darmstadt one child	Brother of Adolf Frederick IV.

George I	-	12 August 1779	1816-1860	6 September 1860	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Marie of Hesse-Kassel 12 August 1817 Kassel four children

Paul Frederick	-	15 September 1800	1837-1842	7 March 1842	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Alexandrine of Prussia 25 May 1822 Berlin no children	Grandson of Frederick Francis I.

Frederick Francis II	FriedrichFranzIIMecklenburg.JPG	28 February 1823	1842-1883	15 April 1883	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Augusta Reuss of Köstritz 3 November 1849 Ludwigslust six children Anne of Hesse and by Rhine 4 July 1864 Darmstadt one child Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt 4 July 1868 Rudolstadt four children

Frederick William II	1819 Friedrich Wilhelm.JPG	17 October 1819	1860-1904	30 May 1904	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Augusta of the United Kingdom 28 June 1843 London two children

Frederick Francis III	1851 Friedrich Franz.JPG	19 March 1851	1883-1897	10 April 1897	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia 24 January 1879 Saint Petersburg three children

John Albert of Mecklenburg (regent)	-	8 December 1857	1897-1901	16 February 1920	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Elisabeth Sybille of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 6 November 1886 Weimar no children Elisabeth of Stolberg-Rossla 15 December 1909 Brunswick no children

Frederick Francis IV	-	9 April 1882	1901-1918	17 November 1945	Mecklenburg-Schwerin III	Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland 7 June 1904 Gmunden five children	Forced to abdicate in 1918, after the end of World War I

Adolf Frederick V	-	22 July 1848	1904-1914	11 June 1914	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Elisabeth of Anhalt 17 April 1877 Dessau four children

Adolf Frederick VI	-	17 June 1882	1914-1918	23 February 1918	Mecklenburg-Strelitz	Unmarried	Committed suicide in 1918, before the end of World War I.

Sentence(s)

Frederick Francis IV (9 April 1882 – 17 November 1945) was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

final_sentence: Frederick Francis IV (9 April 1882 – 17 November 1945) was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.