Karl Leopold, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Karl Leopold of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (26 November 1678 – 28 November 1747) was Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1713 to 1747.

Karl Leopold
Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Reign	31 July 1713 – 28 November 1747
Predecessor	Frederick William
Successor	Christian Ludwig II
Born	(1678-11-26)26 November 1678
Died	28 November 1747(1747-11-28) (aged 69)
Spouse	Sophia Hedwig of Nassau-Dietz ​ ​ (m. 1709; div. 1710)​ Christine von Lepel ​ ​ (m. 1710; div. 1711)​ Tsarevna Catherine Ivanovna of Russia ​ ​ (m. 1716; died 1733)​
Issue	Grand Duchess Anna Leopoldovna of Russia
House	Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Father	Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow
Mother	Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg

Early life

He was the second son of Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow (1638–1688), and his wife, Landgravine Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg (1653–1722). He succeeded his brother Frederick William, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in 1713.

Biography

Mecklenburg-Schwerin began its existence during a series of constitutional struggles between the duke and the nobles. The heavy debt incurred by Charles Leopold, who had joined Russian Empire in a war against Sweden, brought matters to a head; Charles VI interfered, and in 1728 the imperial court of justice declared the duke incapable of governing. His brother, Christian Ludwig II, was appointed administrator of the duchy.

Personal life

Karl Leopold married three times. His first wife was Princess Sophia Hedwig of Nassau-Dietz (1690–1734), daughter of Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, and his wife Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau. They married on 27 May 1709 in Leeuwarden and divorced in 1710. There were no children from this marriage.

His second wife was Christine von Lepel (1692–1728), daughter of Nicolaus Friedrich von Lepel (1633-1705) and his wife, Leveka von Plessen (1664-1732). They married on 7 June 1710 at Doberau and divorced on 2 October 1711. There were no children from this marriage, either.

His third wife was the Grand Duchess Catherine Ivanovna of Russia, daughter of Tsar Ivan V of Russia and his wife Praskovia Saltykova. They married on 19 April 1716 in Danzig. There was one daughter born of this marriage, the Grand Duchess Anna Leopoldovna of Russia. She married Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick and had 5 children. She served as Regent of Russia for her son Ivan VI from 1740 to 1741.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Karl Leopold, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

8. John VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 4. Adolphus Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 9. Sophia of Holstein-Gottorp 2. Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow 10. Julius Ernst, Duke of Brunswick-Dannenberg 5. Marie Katharina of Brunswick-Dannenberg 11. Maria of Ostfriesland 1. Karl Leopold, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 12. Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 6. William Christoph, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 13. Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg 3. Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg 14. George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt 7. Sophia Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt 15. Sophia Eleonore of Saxony

References

• Ludwig Fromm (1882), "Karl Leopold, Herzog von Mecklenburg-Schwerin", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 15, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 308–310
• Gerhard Heitz (1991) (in German). Herzog Carl Leopold von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In Kaiser. König. Kardinal – Deutsche Fürsten 1500–1800, edited by Rolf Straubel and Ulman Weiss. Leipzig-Jena-Berlin: Urania-Verlag. ISBN 3-332-00386-0.
• Valentina Grijorian (1987) (in German). Zarenschicksale – Glanz und Skandale am Hofe der Zarendynastie Romanow/Holstein-Gottorp, 1st edition. Leipzig: LeiV Buchhandels- und Verlagsanstalt GmbH. ISBN 3-89603-988-1.
• Henry Vallotton (1978) (in German). Peter der Große – Russlands Aufstieg zur Großmacht, 2nd edition. Munich: Callwey Verlag. ISBN 3-7667-0430-3.