Before revision: The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly: in the present-day Grand Duchy of Luxembourg historically by the sovereigns of former independent countries, such as Tuscany (from 1569 to 1860, now part of Italy) in Baden, Hesse, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Saxe-Weimar – grand duchies from 1815 to 1918, and all now part of present-day Germany formerly also in some countries in Northern Europe, such as the Grand Duchy of Finland or the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Western and Central European The term grand duke as a monarch reigning over an independent state was a later invention (in Western Europe at first in 1569 for the ruler of Tuscany) to denote either a particularly mighty duke or a monarchy playing an important political, military and/or economic role, but not large enough to be a kingdom.
After revision: The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly: in the present-day Grand Duchy of Luxembourg historically by the sovereigns of former independent countries, such as Tuscany (from 1569 to 1860, now part of Italy) in Baden, Hesse, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (officially simply the Grand Duchy of Saxony) – grand duchies from 1815 to 1918, and all now part of present-day Germany formerly also in some countries in Northern Europe, such as the Grand Duchy of Finland or the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Western and Central European The term grand duke as a monarch reigning over an independent state was a later invention (in Western Europe at first in 1569 for the ruler of Tuscany) to denote either a particularly mighty duke or a monarchy playing an important political, military and/or economic role, but not large enough to be a kingdom.