Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (21 August 1709, in Schwedt – 12 December 1788, in Schwedt) was the last owner of the Prussian secundogeniture of Brandenburg-Schwedt.
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Early life
His was the son of Margrave Philip William, son of Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt and his wife Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. His mother was Princess Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau, daughter of Prince John George II of Anhalt-Dessau and Princess Henriette Catherine of Nassau.
Life
After his father's death in 1711, his mother put Frederick Henry under the guardianship of his uncle Frederick I, and after Frederick I's death in 1713, under the guardianship of his cousin Frederick William I. In 1711, Frederick Henry was made the chief of the Infantry Regiment No. 12. However, he showed little interest in military affairs. In 1733, King Frederick William I was so incensed with the disorder in Frederick Henry's regiment that he was jailed for several weeks. Frederick the Great held little respect for Frederick Henry's abilities and did not employ him. In 1741, Frederick Henry traded the Infantry Regiment No. 12 for the Infantry Regiment No. 42, but again, he cared little for his duties, and he left its business to the respective commanders.
When his brother Frederick William died in 1771, Frederick Henry inherited the Lordship of Schwedt-Wildenbruch. As "Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt", he was a patron of the arts, especially theater. In 1755 he acquired the Prinzessinnenpalais in Berlin and in 1785, he contracted the actress Henriette Hendel-Schutz to perform in his Court Theater.