The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-17
Born in 1875.

Leopold the Second Of Belgium was
born on April 9. 1885. the son Of King
Leopold First, former Prince OF SAKE
Coburg Gotha, and Of Princess Louise,
daughter Of the late King Louis
Philippe OF the French He was thirty
years old when. on the death Of his
father. he assembled the Belgian throne
on December 10, 1865. Twelve years be
fore that time he had married Queen
Maria Henrietta. who died on Septem-
her 1s, 1902. She was the daughter Of
the Archdul1e Joseph of Austria His
heir is Prince Albert, son OF Prince
Philip, Count Of Flanders, his brother.
50 shrewd has Leopold been, so
thoroughly cOnversant with the details
Of international politics, that he main
tanned the unity of the Belgium king
dom and fostered its prosperity through
periods Of turmoil as well as through
The times Of peace.
Boy Died at Ten.
The ono great disappointment Of Leo
pold's life was the death Of the only
male offspring Of his marriage, Prince
Leopold. Count of Hainault, who at
the age of ten was seized with a fatal
sllness. From that time King Leopold
seemed to take less interest IN life, but
NE amassed a princely private fortune.
and u Is estimated he was worth half
n billion dollars when stricken with his
last illness.
King Leopold always prided himself on
the fact that he adhered TO a promise
made his mother and refused TO sign a
death warrant. His enormous interests
an the Congo, so long held as a personal
possession, are to revert 70 the Belgian
IA ston-
VIXEN years younger Leopold was
known as the best horseman IN Europe.
he was mOsl ardent politician, an eN-
pert linguist and clever public
speaker.
ambitious to WELD an influence beyond
the borders Of his little kingdom, and
50 ne set about the colonization Of the
Congo state when reports Of its nstuT-
Al resources were brought 10 Europe by
explorers
He established an empire there. He
invested millions and he drew from his
speculation, it was said, 100000 a
In the highlands Of Congo, he set out
10 develop the gold mining industry
through the operations Of 7. +. Walsh,
OF Colorado. who was practically the
Kings business manager and silent
partner.
In 1853. when he was but eighteen
years Of age. Leopold married Maria
Henrietta OF Austria, daughter Of
Emperor Joseph. But the match was
an unhappy one
Had Three Daughters.
Princess Stephanfe. who married
Count LonyaNs following the tragic
death Of her first husband. Crown
Prince Rudolph of Austria. was dis
owned by her father Louise. his
second daughter. who had been
shamefully treated by her husband,
Prince Philip Of SaEe-COburg. ran
away with a Hungarian officer. and
was later incarcerated in a lunatiC
asylum.
Princess C1ementine, the Youngest,
was her fathers favOrite. She is an
extremely pioUs girl, and was her
mothers constant companion. When
Leopold, after Queen Maria's death
Inarried the Baroness de Vaughan, 10
proved too much for the princess. She
left home and went TO live with
friends at Spa
After the accession 10 the throne of
leopold III his political saEaCity and
recognized business ability soon
placed Belgium far ahead Of any
other nation Of fits size, financially.
Left comparatively poor, and re-
sIiEing the limitations OF a consti-
tutional government, Leopold II con-
ceived the idea Of establishing an
empire in central Africa. where his
word would be law.
At the conference Of the world's
powers, held in Berlin in 1884. the
charter Of the Congo Free state was