The duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz is established in…

The duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz is established in the territory of the former duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow in 1701 after more than five years of dispute over succession to the House of Mecklenburg.

The Güstrow branch of the House of Mecklenburg had died out with the death of Duke Gustav Adolph in 1695.

Duke Frederick William of Mecklenburg-Schwerin had claimed heirship, but he has had to deal with the demands of his uncle Adolphus Frederick, husband of Mary of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, the daughter of Gustav Adolph.

The emissaries of the Lower Saxon Circle on March 8, 1701, finally negotiate a compromise.

The agreement creates the final, definitive division of Mecklenburg and is sealed with the 1701 Treaty of Hamburg.

Section 2 of the treaty establishes Mecklenburg-Strelitz as a duchy in its own right and assigns it to Adolphus Frederick, together with the Principality of Ratzeburg on the western border of Mecklenburg south of Lübeck, the Herrschaft Stargard in the southeast of Mecklenburg, with the cities of Neubrandenburg, Friedland, Woldegk, Strelitz, Burg Stargard, Fürstenberg/Havel and Wesenberg, and the commandries of Mirow and Nemerow.

At the same time, the principle of primogeniture is reasserted, and the right to summon the joint Landtag is reserved to the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

The 1701 provisions will be maintained with minor changes until the end of the monarchy.

Both parties continue to call themselves Dukes of Mecklenburg; Adolphus Frederick takes his residence at Strelitz.