German Awards - German States - Mecklenburg-Schwerin - Grand Duchy

At the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz were elevated to the status of grand duchies. The first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was Frederick Franz I. The first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Charles II (only 1 year old), followed by George. They were part of the entire Mecklenburg state, had a common constitution and a common landtag. In the war of 1866, both duchies acted as allies of Prussia and joined the North German Union. Since 1871, both Grand Duchies were part of the German Empire.
In 1918, the last Grand Duke Frederick Franz IV, like many other rulers, was forced to abdicate.
After the November Revolution, both grand duchies first existed independently as free states of the Weimar Republic until 1934, when the state of Mecklenburg arose.