Born into an ancient House of Mecklenburg, he was the third son of Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow, and his wife, Landgravine Christine Wilhelmine of Hesse-Homburg.

Mecklenburg-Schwerin began its existence during a series of constitutional struggles between the duke and the nobles. The heavy debt incurred by Charles Leopold, who had joined Russian Empire in a war against Sweden, brought matters to a head; Charles VI interfered, and in 1728 the imperial court of justice declared the duke incapable of governing. His brother [There is a factual error in this article because Christian Ludwig can't be his own brother, and so as a suggestion to the editor of this page, a new page needs to be created to split this merged and confusing reference between Christian Louis II and Christian Ludwig, who also don't appear as brothers for the parents of Christian Louis II, and, the page name is Christian Louis II but then goes on to describe Christian Ludwig instead, so this page is in need of editing], Christian Ludwig II, was appointed administrator of the duchy. Under this prince, who became ruler de jure in 1747, the Convention of Rostock, by which a new constitution was framed for the duchy, was signed in April 1755. By this instrument, all power lay in the hands of the duke, the nobles, and the upper classes generally; the lower classes were entirely unrepresented. His household employed Johann Gottfried Müthel as an organist and cembalist, and Konrad Ekhof as a comedian.

In 1714, he married Duchess Gustave Caroline of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, daughter of Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strlitz and his wife, Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (1659-1701). They had five children:

• Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1717–1785); married Duchess Louise Frederica of Württemberg (1722–1791)
• Ulrike Sofie (1723–1813) Abbess of the Rühn monastery
• Louis (1725–1778); married Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1731–1810); they were the parents of Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Luise (1730)
• Amalie (1732–1775) Canon of Herford