Léopold Ier of Belgium

Léopold - Georges - Christian - Frederic of Saxony-Cobourg and Gotha (born Léopold of Saxony-Cobourg-Saalfeld), Duke of Saxony, Prince of Saxony-Cobourg-Gotha, first king of the Belgians under the name of Léopold 1st was born the December 16th 1790 with Cobourg in Bavaria and died the December 10th 1865 with Laeken in Belgium.

He is youngest wire of the sovereign duke François {{Ier}} of Saxony-Cobourg-Saalfeld (1750-1806) and of its second marries the countess Augusta Reuss d' Ebersdorf (1757-1831).

He is elected first king of the Belgians the June 4th 1831 and lends oath on the constitution the July 21st 1831.

Colonel of the Russian army

At 5 years, it is made colonel of the imperial Régiment Izmailovski in Russia, and at 12 years, he becomes general.

In 1806, it briefly remains at the court of Napoleon {{Ier}} after the conquest of the Duché of Saxony-Cobourg-Saalfeld by the Napoleonean troops. He refuses the rank of adjudant offered by the emperor of the French and goes in the Russia of Alexandre {{Ier}}. He takes part then, as a colonel of a Russian regiment of cavalry, in the countryside of 1813 and the battles of Lützen, Bautzen and Leipzig against the troops of Bonaparte. These battles are worth to him the title of marshal of Russia.

Stories of family

Returned peace, it marries the May 2nd 1816 the princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, the only legitimate child of the Prince regent, the future George {{IV}} of the United Kingdom. She is then the heiress of the crown of the the United Kingdom. But, after having given birth the November 5th to a son still-born child, it dies the November 6th 1817.

The duke helps then of the members of his relationship in their rise with the thrones of the the United Kingdom and the Portugal. He is thus one of the principal advisers of his niece, the queen Victoria, in the United Kingdom.

Elected official king of the Belgians

He refuses in 1830 the crown of Greece. The National congress, in this country independent of the Netherlands since the October 4th 1830, elects initially king of the Belgians Louis of Orleans (1814-1896), duke of Nemours, second wire of Louis-Philippe {{Ier}} (this last has just been elected king of the Belgians by the Parliament), but Louis-Philippe refuses the title in the name of his son to calm inclinations of England.

The Belgian Congress then proposes in Léopold to become king of the Belgians, who know it for his military past (it fought against Napoleon). It accepts in the condition that the problem of the borders and the debts of the Belgium is regulated. It obtains Conférence of London the treated {{XVIII}} articles, accepted by the congress the July 9th 1831. King officially since June 26th, it is crowned with Brussels the July 21st according to.

The August 2nd 1831, whereas it carries out its Joyeuse Entry with Liege, it learns that the Netherlands take again the war against the Belgium. Léopold calls upon Joseph Lebeau to ask for the assistance of Paris and London, because the constitution prohibits to him to call upon foreign forces without the authorization of the Parliament (which is then not elected yet). It defends the road of Brussels in person. The Belgian army is in rout, but, thanks to the French assistance, the Dutch advance is stopped. To defend its new royal title, and in gratitude in France, he will marry the girl of Louis-Philippe, Louise of Orleans.

It is only in 1839 that Belgian independence will be definitively guaranteed thanks to the ratification by the Netherlands of the treated {{XXIV}} articles establishing the independence of the new Belgian kingdom, so much vis-a-vis the Netherlands than vis-a-vis in France.

One second family

He makes break his marriage with the actress Karoline Bauer, who had taken place the July 2nd 1829 without religious ceremony, nor public.

The August 9th 1832, it thus marries Louise-Marie of Orleans, the girl of the king of the French Louis-Philippe {{Ier}} who gave him four enfants :

With a mistress, Arcadie Claret de Viescourt, then Meyer (1826-1897), the king had two others fils : the baron Georges-Frederic von Eppinghoven (1849-1904) and the baron Arthur von Eppinghoven (1852-1940), according to the title granted to their mother.

The reign of Léopold

Outside, Léopold can make use of its family relations to protect the young kingdom from Belgium vis-a-vis the Prussian ambitions and French, in particular of the threats of annexation under the reign of Napoleon {{III}}. There helps to maintain peace in Europe, in particular while remaining neutral during the French events of February 1848.

It arranges the marriage of his niece the queen Victoria with her nephew the prince Albert of Saxony-Cobourg in 1840.

In the kingdom, it helps with the opening of the first railway line in Europe continentale : the first Belgian train runs between Brussels and Malines the May 5th 1835. It is the subject of the first postal Timbre of Belgium, called the Épaulettes.

It fails to make pass from the laws to control the Travail of the children and the women.

Deceased the December 10th 1865 with Brussels in the palate of Laeken, it is buried in the royal crypt with the church Notre-Dame de Laeken.

Decorations

Knight of the Miliatire Order of Marie-Therese of Austria, Knight about the Fidelity of Bade, Knight about Saint-Hubert, Commander about Maximilien-Joseph and Grand Cross about the Civil of the Crown of Bavaria, Large Merit Cross of the Order Imperial of the Cross of the South of Brazil, Knight about the Elephant of Deanemark, Knight of about Saint-January and Large Cross of the Military of Saint-Ferdinand and the Merit of Deux-Siciles, Knight about Golden Fleece of Spain, Large Order Cross of the Order Royal of the Legion of Honor of France, Knight about the Jumper and Large Cross of the Military of Bath of Great Britain, Large Cross about Saver of Greece, Large Order Cross about Guelfes and Chevalier about Saint-Georges of Hanover, Large Cross of the Gold Lion of Hesse, Large Cross about Saint-Etienne of Hungary, Large Cross of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau of Luxembourg, Collar of the Imperial Order of the Mexican and Large Cross about the House of the Large-Duke of Oldenbourg and the Merit of the Duke Pierre-Frederic-Louis, Large Eagle Cross about the Dutch, Large Cross about the Lion and Sun of Persia, Large Cross of Ordem Militar de Cristo , Large Lion Cross of Ordem Militar da Torre E da Espada and Grand Cross of the Ordens Reunidas de Cristo, of São Bento de Aviz E of São Tiago da Espada of Portugal, Knight about the Black, Large Eagle Cross of the Red Eagle, Iron Cross of First Class and Knight of the Order Prussian of Midsummer's Day of Prussia, Knight about Saint-Andrew, Knight about Saint-Alexandre Newski, Large Cross about Holy-Anne and Knight of the Military Order of Third of Russia, Knight Large Cross about Annonciade of Sardinia, Knight about the Crown of Street of Saxony, Large Cross about White Ernestine of Saxony, Knight about the Seraphes of Sweden, Large Cross about the Merit of Tuscany, Husseinite Order with Brilliants de Tunesie and First Class of the Imperial Order of Medjidié of Turkey.

See too


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