Belgium

Abstract

Leopold I., King of the Belgians, born Dec. 16, 1790, the son of Duke Francis of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg; educated for the military career; general in the Russian army, 1808–10, and again, 1813–15. Married, May 2, 1816, to Princess Charlotte, daughter of the late King George IV. of Great Britain, who died Nov. 6, 1817; naturalised by Act of Parliament of May 27, 1816; nominated in the same year Duke of Kendal, field-marshal in the army of Great Britain, a member of the Privy Council, and a Knight of the Order of the Garter. Refused the crown of Greece, February 1830. Elected King of the Belgians by the National Congress of Belgium, June 4, 1831; accepted the offer, July 12, and ascended the throne, July 21, 1831. Married to Princess Louise, daughter of King Louis Philippe of the French, Aug. 9, 1832, and widower, a second time, Oct. 11, 1850. Issue of the second marriage: — 1. Leopold, Duke of Brabant, and heir-apparent of Belgium, born April 9, 1835; married Aug. 22, 1853, to Archduchess Marie of Austria, born Aug. 23, 1836, the daughter of the late Archduke Joseph of Austria. Offspring of the union are three children, Princess Louise, born Feb. 18, 1858, Prince Leopold, Count of Ilainault, born June 12, 1859, and Princess Marie, born May 21, 1864. 2. Philip, Count of Flanders, born March 24, 1837, major-general in the service of Belgium; 3. Princess Charlotte, born June 7, 1840; married July 27, 1857, to Archduke Maximilian of Austria, brother of the reigning emperor, Francis Joseph I.