Misplaced Pages

#135864

22-774: The abbey was founded during the Christianisation of Germany in about 1220 by Prince Heinrich Borwin II of Mecklenburg and was the first field monastery in Mecklenburg. The founder gave it to the Benedictines for a community of monks. 15 years later it was turned into a Benedictine nunnery. In 1549 the Landtag at Sagsdorf Bridge near Sternberg resolved to introduce the Lutheran Reformation into Mecklenburg. Despite violent resistance

44-611: A time. The antagonists in long run were finally the House of Sverker in Östergötland and the House of Eric in Västergötland and Uppland ( Saint Eric was killed and buried in the latter province, others in the dynasty were buried in Varnhem Abbey in the former province as later also Birger Jarl was, a relative to the dynasty), which alternated on the throne for several generations, until in

66-454: Is a protected historical monument. 53°36′54″N 12°04′39″E  /  53.615°N 12.0775°E  / 53.615; 12.0775 House of Mecklenburg The House of Mecklenburg , also known as Nikloting, is a North German dynasty of Polabian origin that ruled until 1918 in the Mecklenburg region, being among the longest-ruling families of Europe. Queen Juliana of

88-639: Is possible to visit them, to take part in tours and to buy items made by residents. There is also a café with a view over the Dobbertiner See, and regular concerts are held. The former abbey also offers help for the aged, and counselling on debt and addiction. Since 1991 the grounds, buildings and church have been refurbished, with help from the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz and the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt . The abbey

110-573: The 1220s the Eric dynasty got the upper hand, and the Sverker dynasty became extinct (at least in the male line). As usual in medieval succession rivalries, the outcome combined the blood of rival lines, as in 1250 Valdemar of the Folkungs (then a minor, his father Birger Jarl acting as regent) ascended the throne, having inherited the Eric dynasty claim from Valdemar's mother (who was sister of Eric XI of Sweden ,

132-560: The 14th century a claim to inheritance in Sweden. The Duke of Mecklenburg was a descendant and the heir of two women whom legends tied to Scandinavian royal houses: The Sverker dynasty had long been extinct, having lost the throne ultimately to Eric XI. The male dynasty of Eric X was already extinct, and issue of his other daughters had been sidestepped by Birger Jarl , the husband of his daughter (the only one still alive in 1250), Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden . Birger took great care to secure

154-553: The Duchesses Elisabeth Christine (born 1947), Marie Catherine (born 1949) and Irene (born 1952). Sverker dynasty The House of Sverker were a powerful political force in medieval Sweden, contesting for royal power. Their origins were in Östergötland. After the extinction of the House of Stenkil and the ascension of Sverker I of Sweden in 1130, a civil war commenced. In the beginning, there were several pretenders, of whom Sverker I emerged as victorious, for

176-529: The House of Mecklenburg and started to use its titles, e.g. Duke of Mecklenburg, among their own titulary. The legality of that treaty concession has been, and still is under discussion, because not all of the then agnates of the House participated in the deed, and at least one of them was then underage. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the duchy was divided several times between agnates of the ducal house. Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Mecklenburg-Strelitz were typical partition principalities. Until

198-629: The Netherlands (1909–2004), former Queen of the Netherlands (1948–1980), was an agnatic member of this house. The family was established by Pribislav , an Obotrite prince who converted to Christianity and accepted the suzerainty of Saxon Duke Henry the Lion (r. 1142–1180), his fallen father's enemy, and became the Lord of Mecklenburg (derived from Mikla Burg , "big fortress", their main fortress). The Obotrites were subsequently Germanized . The main branch of

220-501: The abbey was secularised and in 1572 converted into a Lutheran collegiate foundation for noblewomen ( Damenstift ). In the middle of the 19th century the church was restored by Georg Adolf Demmler to plans by Karl Friedrich Schinkel . The work was completed in 1857. In 1918 the abbey premises became the property of the state and were converted into a youth hostel . After World War II Soviet troops were stationed here, and destroyed much of historical interest. From 1947 to 1991

242-585: The buildings were used as an old people's residential and care home. Then they were transferred to the responsibility of the charitable organisation of the German Evangelical Church (the Diakonisches Werk der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland e. V , or Diakoniewerk for short), who set up a care home for the severely physically handicapped. Workshops for the handicapped are still located here. It

SECTION 10

#1732863117136

264-578: The daughters of Duke Christian Ludwig , the second son of Frederick Francis IV, the Duchesses Donata (born 1956) and Edwina (born 1960). With the extinction of Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz is now the only surviving branch of the Grand Ducal house in the male line. The current head of this house is Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg . His grandfather was Count Georg of Carlow , the morganatic son of Duke George Alexander of Mecklenburg (1859–1909). Georg

286-457: The death of the deposed Eric III of Norway ), after some hiatus another magnate, Christian VIII of Oldenburg, descended in the female line from Euphemia and the Mecklenburg family (Euphemia's daughter's great-grandson), was chosen as king of Norway in 1450, this time passing over his cousin and male-line rival, Duke Henry the Fat of Mecklenburg. The Dukes of Mecklenburg continued to regard themselves as

308-528: The elder brother of Albert III. Monarchs of the Kalmar union were all cognatic descendants of the House of Mecklenburg. The agnatic House of Mecklenburg, descended from Euphemia's youngest son Magnus I, Duke of Mecklenburg , continued to keep their claim to the throne, and occasionally stirred the situation in Scandinavia. The Kingdom of Norway (872–1397) was the only medieval Scandinavian realm whose kingship

330-461: The house on 6 December 1934 and was granted the style of Highness on 18 December 1950. In addition to Duke Borwin, the current members of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz are his wife Duchess Alice (née Wagner; born 1959); their children Duchess Olga (born 1988), the Dukes Alexander (born 1991) and Michael (born 1994); Duke Alexander's son, Duke Leopold (born 2023); and Duke Borwin's sisters,

352-540: The house was elevated in 1347 to ducal rank . Each field in the coat of arm symbolizes one of the seven high lordly dominions of the state of Mecklenburg: upper-left quarter: Duchy of Mecklenburg , upper-right quarter: Lordship of Rostock , middle-left quarter divided in two: Principality of Schwerin , middle inescutcheon: County of Schwerin , middle-right quarter: Principality of Ratzeburg , lower-left quarter: Lordship of Stargard , and lower-right quarter: Principality of Wenden . The Dukes of Mecklenburg pursued from

374-534: The kingship for his own sons. The Dukes of Mecklenburg's claim to the Swedish throne became reality during a brief reign: Henry II's son Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg (1318–79), married a kinswoman, a Scandinavian heiress named Euphemia of Sweden and Norway (born 1317 and died 1370). The couple's second son duke Albert III deposed his uncle from the Swedish throne, and ascended as king. Margaret I of Denmark chose Eric of Pomerania as her heir. Eric descended from

396-573: The late 18th century, most parts had returned to the senior branch (Schwerin), after which the patrimony was divided in two states until the very end of monarchy in Germany: These were elevated to grand duchies by recognition of the Congress of Vienna . In 1918, less than a year before the elimination of the monarchy, the main line of Strelitz became extinct and the then Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin stepped in as regent, but succession questions (there

418-584: The rightful heirs to the throne of Norway but they were unable to gain the kingdom from the Oldenburgs. Around 1711, a treaty was signed between the Dukes of Mecklenburg and the Elector of Brandenburg through which the elector was recognized as the next heir of Mecklenburg after the male lines of the genealogical house of Mecklenburg. Thereby the electors, later kings of Prussia, regarded themselves as having become members of

440-478: Was a junior Strelitz branch living in Russia) were not solved until the small monarchies both were dissolved to republics. The House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin became extinct in the male line on 31 July 2001 with the death of Hereditary Grand Duke Frederick Francis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin , the eldest son and heir of the last grand duke, Frederick Francis IV . The remaining members of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin are

462-503: Was adopted in 1928 by his uncle Duke Charles Michael of Mecklenburg , the head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He then assumed the title and style of " His Serene Highness The Duke of Mecklenburg", which was confirmed by the head of the Imperial House of Russia , Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich on 18 July 1929 and recognised on 23 December by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He succeeded his uncle as head of

SECTION 20

#1732863117136

484-625: Was hereditary, not elective. Already when Olav IV of Norway was young and his mother Margaret was regent, the Dukes of Mecklenburg advanced their claims. The Dukes of Mecklenburg's claim to the Norwegian throne was based on their descent from Euphemia of Sweden , granddaughter of Haakon V of Norway . When Olav IV died in 1387, Norway was without a monarch but under the regency of Margaret. She soon chose an heir, Eric of Pomerania , whose mother Maria of Mecklenburg had been Euphemia's eldest granddaughter. When Eric's nephew king Christopher died (before

#135864