List of rulers of Mecklenburg
Table of rulers
Table:
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-Rinchenberg
Unmarried
Son of Henry Borwin II. Received the land of Parchim-Rinchenberg, buthe hadn't the capacity for rule, and was depose 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. During his absence, Mecklenburg was ruled by his brothers John II and Nicholas IV, after a fight between his brothers and cousins about the regency and the guardianship of his children. After John II died in 1283, Nicholas IV ruled with his nephew John III until the latter's death in 1289. Nicholas died that year. Henry I returned to Mecklenburg via Morea and Rome in 1298. In 1299, he formally resumed his reign, although he probably left the business of government mostly to his son Henry IV.

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. Bernard left no descendants, and his lands were divided between Parchim and Güstrow.

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. In 1298, he returned and Henry IV became co-ruler. Ruled alone from 1302.

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. Since 1451 he also associated his son John XVI to rule, and together they reunited Mecklenburg. However John XV didn't survive to replace his father.

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. In 1520 a new division was made: Henry kept Schwerin and Albert Güstrow.

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

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. In 1695, with the end of the Gustrow line, Mecklenburg was reunited again. However, in 1701 was again divided between Frederick William and his uncle, Adolf Frederick, son of Adolf Frederick I and brother of Christian Louis I.

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

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

17 October 1819
1860-1904
30 May 1904
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Augusta of the United Kingdom
28 June 1843
London
two children

Frederick Francis III

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.

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