Belgium

Belgium, 1830 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed

An independent Belgium was established in 1830 following the Belgian Revolution. Since the installation of Leopold I as king on 21 July 1831, now celebrated as Belgium's National Day, Belgium has been a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. In the 19th century Belgium was one of the earliest participants in the Industrial Revolution, and the first country in continental Europe to become industrialised. Belgium became one of the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 and of the European Atomic Energy Community and European Economic Community, established in 1957.

Seat of power: Brussels

Rulers

Leopold I of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 1831–1865

Leopold was considered a liberal Protestant ruler and encouraged economic modernisation, playing an important role in funding the creation of Belgium's first railway in 1835 and subsequent industrialisation. As a result of the ambiguities in the Belgian Constitution, Leopold was able to slightly expand the monarch's powers during his reign and assumed multiple ministries. He also played an important role in stopping the spread of the Revolutions of 1848 into Belgium.

Portrait of Leopold I of Belgium: Nicaise de Keyser, Public domain, file

Érasme-Louis Surlet de Chokier

Head of state, 1831–1831

He was subsequently chosen as chairman of the Congress and participated in the drafting of the Belgian Constitution. After Prince Louis, Duke of Nemours declined the Belgian crown, the National Congress appointed Surlet de Chokier as Regent of Belgium on 24 February 1831. He exercised the functions of head of state until Leopold I formally took the constitutional oath as King of the Belgians on 21 July 1831.

Portrait of Érasme-Louis Surlet de Chokier: Albert Roberti, Public domain, file

Leopold II of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 1865–1909

Leopold succeeded his father to the Belgian throne in 1865 and reigned for 44 years until his death, the longest reign of a Belgian monarch to date. Leopold was the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State, a private colonial project undertaken on his own behalf as a personal union with Belgium. Leopold's administration was characterised by systematic brutality and atrocities in the Congo Free State, including forced labour, torture, murder, kidnapping, along with the amputation of the hands and sometimes feet of men, women, and children when the quota of rubber was not met.

Portrait of Leopold II of Belgium: Alexander Bassano, Public domain, file

Albert I of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 1909–1934

Albert ruled during an eventful period in the history of Belgium, which included the period of World War I (1914-1918), when most of Belgium was occupied by German forces. Shortly before his accession to the throne in 1909, Albert undertook an extensive tour of the Belgian Congo, which had been annexed by Belgium in 1908, finding the country in poor condition. Upon his return to Belgium, he recommended reforms to protect the native population and further technological progress in the colony.

Portrait of Albert I of Belgium: Richard Speaight, Public domain, file

Leopold III of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 1934–1951

At the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the German invasion in May 1940, he surrendered his country, earning him much hostility, both at home and abroad. Leopold's act was declared unconstitutional by Prime Minister Hubert Pierlot and his cabinet, who moved to London to form a government-in-exile, while Leopold and his family were placed under house arrest by the Germans. Under pressure from the government, he abdicated in favour of his son Baudouin in July 1951.

Portrait of Leopold III of Belgium: Willem van de Poll, CC BY-SA 3.0, file

Prince Charles, Count of Flanders

Head of state, 1944–1950

Prince Charles was appointed Regent of Belgium when the German occupation of his country ended in 1944. Belgium managed to jump-start its national economy with the aid of American assistance provided under the Marshall Plan. Also during his regency the Benelux customs union was formed, Belgium became a member state of the United Nations, and the North Atlantic Treaty was signed.

Portrait of Prince Charles, Count of Flanders: Unknown Belgian photographer, Public domain, file

Baudouin I of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 1950–1993

Parliamentary dissent and public protests forced Leopold to delegate his powers to Baudouin on 11 August 1950, and finally to abdicate in favour of Baudouin, who took the oath of office as King of the Belgians on 17 July 1951. In 1960, Baudouin declared the Belgian colony of Congo independent. In 2001, a parliamentary investigation set up by the Belgian government concluded that Baudouin, amongst others, was informed of the assassination scheme developed by Mobutu and Tshombé.

Portrait of Baudouin I of Belgium: Anefo, CC0, file

Albert II of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 1993–2013

As King, Albert's duties included representing Belgium at home and abroad on state visits, trade missions, and at high level international meetings as well as taking an interest in Belgian society, culture and enterprise. The King had a constitutional role which came into play in 2010-2011 when Belgium's parliament was unable to agree on a government. When the crisis was resolved, Albert swore in the new government.

Portrait of Albert II of Belgium: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY 4.0, file

Philippe of Belgium

King of the Belgians, 2013 to today

Approximately one hour after King Albert II's abdication, Prince Philippe was sworn in as King of the Belgians. Philippe played a role in forming a coalition government after the 2014 Belgian federal election. In 2020, Philippe announced regret for the "acts of violence and cruelty" committed in the Congo Free State.

Portrait of Philippe of Belgium: Laurie DIEFFEMBACQ, European Parliament, file

Culture

During the 19th and 20th centuries many original romantic, expressionist and surrealist Belgian painters emerged, including James Ensor, Constant Permeke, Paul Delvaux and René Magritte.
The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé is the best known of Franco-Belgian comics. Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone in 1846.
Folklore plays a major role in Belgium's cultural life; the country has a comparatively high number of processions, cavalcades, parades, ommegangs, ducasses, kermesses, and other local festivals, nearly always with an originally religious or mythological background. The three-day Carnival of Binche, near Mons, with its Gilles (men dressed in high, plumed hats and bright costumes) is held just before Lent.
Belgium is famous for beer, chocolate, waffles and French fries.

Picture

The Royal Palace of Brussels is the official palace of the King and Queen of the Belgians in the centre of the nation's capital, Brussels.

Image: Sally V, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.