Albert I

Albert I is the King of the Kingdom of Belgium and the King who played Neutral to protect his people, but ended up betraying the protectors of his Kingdom to German aggression.

## History

### Early Life

**Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad** was born in Brussels, the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Prince Philippe was the third (second surviving) son of Leopold I (r. 1831–1865), the first King of the Belgians, and his wife, Louise-Marie of France, and the younger brother of King Leopold II of Belgium (r. 1865–1909). Princess Marie was a relative of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany (r. 1888–1918), and a member of the non-reigning, Catholic branch of the Hohenzollern family. Albert grew up in the Palace of the Count of Flanders, initially as third in the line of succession to the Belgian throne as his reigning uncle Leopold II's son had already died. When, however, Albert's older brother, Prince Baudouin of Belgium, who had been subsequently prepared for the throne, also died young, Albert, at the age of 16, unexpectedly became second in line (after his father) to the Belgian Crown.

Retiring and studious, Albert prepared himself strenuously for the task of kingship. In his youth, Albert was seriously concerned with the situation of the working classes in Belgium, and personally travelled around working class districts incognito, to observe the living conditions of the people. 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 to further technological progress in the colony.

### World War I

Germany invaded France through the Ardines region and Luxembourg, despite this Albert agreed with his ministers that they should play neutral as they feared German aggression against their small nation if they ever dared to resist the Germans. The British were critical of his decision as he was considered cowardly to the eyes of the British, Albert told them that his ministers honored the Treaty of London (1839) and Belgium will always be neutral and Belgium will not go to war with Germany all because they invaded a region that is scarcely inhabited. The British got mad because they have no way of declaring war on Germany and to appease their populace who wants war with Germany to stop German aggression against Russia and France.

### After World War I

Albert I instantly regretted he and his ministers deciding to be neutral as the British were wiped out, he lost the Congo which Belgium under his rule had gained from his uncle and being a Kingdom stuck in a German dominated Europe.

His Nation was in turmoil due to chaos and total destruction in all of the cities in the country being daily due to his decision. The government under Albert tried it's best to put down the people causing the chaos and total destruction in Belgian cities. Half the time the quelling of the riots was a success as half of the time it was a failure. The failure of quelling half of the riots caused the rise of two Nationalist Military Parties, known as the Authority Leadership League (ALL) and the The Forces of the Prophesied Greater Belgium (FOTPGB).

The two parties had an election and the winner was the Pro-German Authority Leadership League as Albert desires them to be in power to prevent the FOTPGB from waging war against Germany for some lunatic cause. This only angered the FOTPGB who then decided to wage war on the government to take power.

## Marriage

Albert was married in Munich on 2 October 1900 to Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth Gabrielle Valérie Marie, a Wittelsbach princess whom he had met at a family funeral. A daughter of Bavarian Duke Karl-Theodor, and his second wife, the Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal, she was born at Possenhofen Castle, Bavaria, Germany, on 25 July 1876, and died on 23 November 1965.

The civil wedding was conducted by Friedrich Krafft Graf von Crailsheim in the Throne Hall, and the religious wedding was conducted by Cardinal von Stein, assisted by Jakob von Türk, Confessionar of the King of Bavaria.

Based on the letters written during their engagement and marriage (cited extensively in the memoirs of their daughter, Marie-José) the young couple appear to have been deeply in love. The letters express a deep mutual affection based on a rare affinity of spirit. They also make clear that Albert and Elisabeth continually supported and encouraged each other in their challenging roles as king and queen. The spouses shared an intense commitment to their country and family and a keen interest in human progress of all kinds. Together, they cultivated the friendship of prominent scientists, artists, mathematicians, musicians, and philosophers, turning their court at Laeken into a kind of cultural salon.

They have three children

* Léopold Philippe Charles Albert Meinrad Hubert Marie Miguel, Duke of Brabant, Crown Prince of Belgium (3 November 1901). He married Princess Astrid of Sweden in which the marriage produced 2 children with her.
	+ Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (b. 1927)
	+ Prince Baudouin of Belgium, Duke of Brabant, Count of Hainaut (b. 1930)
* Charles Théodore Henri Antoine Meinrad, Count of Flanders, Prince of Belgium (10 October 1903) married Dorothy Mackaill (b. 1903) and had two children
	+ Prince Albert (b. 1928)
* Marie-José Charlotte Sophie Amélie Henriette Gabrielle, Princess of Belgium (4 August 1906). She was married at Rome, Italy on 8 January 1930 to Prince Umberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria, Prince of Piemonte (born 15 September 1904).