Belgian Royal Family
King Leopold I (1790–1865) became Belgium’s first monarch on July 21, 1831. The following year, he married the daughter of French King Louis Philippe I to strengthen ties between the newly independent Belgium and its southern neighbor. The union between Louise-Marie of Orléans (1812–1850) and King Leopold I resulted in four children: Louis Philippe (1833–1834), who died as a baby; Leopold (1835–1909), who later became King Leopold II; Philippe (1837–1905), Count of Flanders; and Charlotte (1840–1927), who later married Maximilian of Austria, becoming Archduchess of Austria in 1857 and Empress of Mexico in 1864. King Leopold I ruled until his death in 1865.
His son, King Leopold II, followed him in the line of succession and ruled from 1865 until his death in 1909. On August 22, 1853, Leopold II married Marie Henriette of Austria (1836–1902). The couple had four children, but their only son, Leopold (1859–1869), died of pneumonia at age ten. Their three daughters, Louise-Marie (1858–1924), Stephanie (1864–1954), and Clementine (1872–1955), married different European royals. The most famous was Stephanie's husband, Prince Rudolf, the crown prince of Austria (1858–1889) and heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. King Leopold II is best known for acquiring the Congo as his personal property in 1885. He ruled the Congo independently from Belgium. He wanted Belgium to become a colonial power. During this time, he exploited natural resources, such as rubber, and used brutal methods that led to the widespread abuse and death of millions of Congolese people. In 1908, the Belgian government took control of the Congo, which gained independence in 1960. During his reign, Leopold II also modernized Belgium by investing in infrastructure, public works, and urban development.
Following King Leopold II's death in 1909, his nephew, King Albert I (1875–1934), the son of Philippe and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, was crowned king. Before ascending to the throne, Albert married Elisabeth of Bavaria (1876–1965) in 1900. The marriage resulted in three children: Leopold (1901–1983), who was crowned king in 1934; Charles (1903–1983), Count of Flanders and regent of Belgium from 1944 to 1950; and Marie José (1906–2001), who became the last queen of Italy by marrying Umberto II of Italy (1904–1983) in 1930. King Albert I ascended the throne on December 23, 1909. During World War I, he became known as "The Soldier King" because he took personal command when German troops invaded Belgium. After the war, he rebuilt and modernized his country, supporting industrial expansion and social reforms.
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Written by Wiebke Werther