Mecklenburgian Germany

The house of Mecklenburg, which is of Slavic origin, dates from the early 12th century. It became a stable principality when it became a Saxon fief (after losing a war) in 1167. The Principality was first partitioned into four lordships in 1229. The territory of the main Mecklenburg lordship (elevated to a duchy in 1348) was further partitioned in 1352 and was enhanced by the acquisition of the County of Schwerin (where one of the partitioned countries immediately moved) in 1358. The remaining entities from the first partition rejoined the main line by 1436 and the 1352 partition was reversed in 1471, resulting in a unified country.

 

In 1520, Mecklenburg was divided into two Landesteile based in Schwerin and Güstrow. I start the database at that point. In 1621, the two Landesteile became distinct countries. In 1648, two secularized bishoprics were acquired by Mecklenburg with one (Schwerin—unrelated to the aforementioned county) assigned to Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the other (Ratzeburg) assigned to Mecklenburg-Güstrow. The Güstrow line died out in 1695, but I continue to recognize the country until the subsequent territorial dispute was resolved in 1701. That resolution created the Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, both of which survived until 1918, having been elevated to Grand Duchies in 1815. The Lordship of Wismar, Swedish since 1627, was returned to Schwerin in 1803 and fully reincorporated into it 100 years later.

 

In the following list of countries in Hessian Germany, countries and dates outside the chronological scope of the database are shown in italics.

 

  • Principality of Mecklenburg (1167-1229)
    • Lordship of Parchim (1229-1255)
    • Lordship of Rostock (1229-1314)
    • Lordship of Werle (1229-1282; 1292-1316)
      • Lordship of Werle-Güstrow (1282-1292; 1316-1436)
      • Lordship of Werle-Goldberg (1316-1374)
        • Lordship of Werle-Waren (1337-1425)
    • Lordship/Duchy of Mecklenburg (1229-1352; 1471-1520-1621)
      • Duchy/Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Wismar/Schwerin (1352-1471; 1621-1806-1918)
        • in personal union with Sweden (1364-1389)
        • Landesteil of Mecklenburg (1520-1621)
      • Duchy of Mecklenburg-Stargard (1352-1471)
      • Duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (1621-1701)
        • Landesteil of Mecklenburg (1520-1621)
      • Duchy/Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1701-1806-1918)
  • County of Schwerin (in personal union with Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1358-1471)
  • Principality of Schwerin (in personal union with Mecklenburg-Schwerin) (1648-1806-1918)
  • Principality of Ratzeburg (1648-1806-1918)
    • in personal union with Mecklenburg-Güstrow (1648-1701)
    • in personal union with Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1701-1806-1918)
  • Lordship of Wismar (in personal union with Mecklenburg-Schwerin) (1803-1806-1903)