Belgium's independence (1830 - present time) | Belgium.be Belgium's independence (1830 - present time) Revolution and independence At the Congress of Vienna, in 1815, Belgium (The Southern Netherlands) and the Northern Netherlands (Holland) were united to form one State. This new state was ruled by King William I. Although his policy was beneficial to the Belgian bourgeoisie, there was protest. The Catholics objected against the interference of the protestant king in clerical matters. The Liberals demanded more freedom. In 1828 Catholics and Liberals drew up a concerted programme of demands. The association between Catholics and Liberals was called unionism. After a series of incidents, the revolution erupted in Brussels in 1830. William I sent in his troops, but they were expelled on September 27th, 1830. The rebels received support from volunteers outside the city. Following this rising Belgium separated from the Northern Netherlands. A provisional government declared independence on October 4th, 1830.

On November 3th of the same year, a National Congress was elected by an electorate of 30,000 men, who paid a given level of taxes or who had special qualifications. On February 7th, 1831 the national congress adopted a constitution which, for its time, was very progressive. 1830 to 1908 A diplomatic conference on the future of Belgium opened in London on the November 4th. The great powers of the time recognised the secession of Belgium from the (Northern) Netherlands. Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg became the first King of the Belgians (1831 - 1865). In 1865 he was succeeded by his son Leopold II (1865 - 1909). Under their reign Belgium became the second most important industrial power. Both kings wanted to secure Belgium's economic independence by promoting colonial expeditions, but they were not successful in this until the end of the 19th century. It was at this time that Leopold II backed expeditions by Henry Stanley to the Congo basin. He entered into agreements with local chiefs which resulted in a confederation of states.

At first the Belgian government and parliament had no hand in the king's operations. Since Leopold II had been the first occupant of areas in Central Africa, he held a strong position at the Conference of Berlin in 1884. His demands were met. In 1885 the Belgian parliament agreed that Leopold II should become the head of state of the Congo. In 1908 control of Congo was transferred to the Belgian state. World Wars Although the great powers forced Belgium to remain neutral when it became independent, it couldn't escape World War I. The Belgian army under the command of King Albert I (1909 - 1934) was too small a match for the Germans, it nevertheless could managed to halt the enemy at the river Yser. Belgium suffered greatly during the war. The Yser region was laid waste. The years after the war were very difficult. The international economic crisis affected the country. When Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, the dangers posed by that country rose again.

From 1936 onwards Belgium took a neutral stance, just as it had done before the 1914 - 1918 war, but Germany invaded again on May 10th, 1940. After 18 days king Leopold III (1934 - 1951) decided to capitulate. This decision provoked a rupture with the government. After the war the royal question dominated politics. In 1951 Leopold III abdicated in favour of his son Baudouin I. This king reigned until his death in 1993. On August 9th, 1993 his brother Albert II became the sixth King of the Belgians. A federal state The question of relations between the communities has played a highly important part in recent Belgian history. Following four state reforms Belgium was transformed into a federal state. The political scene is also dominated by economic problems and increased internationalisation. Belgium played an important role in the creation of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union, the Benelux and the European Union.

As a member of the United Nations, and in the service of world peace, Belgium often sends its troops on peace missions or sends its observers to areas over the world. Belgium: A Brief History Of How It All Began Belgium: A Brief History Of How It All Began Bogdan Hristov Updated: 25 November 2016 Nowadays when people talk about Belgium, the first thoughts that come to their mind are Bruges, chocolate, waffles, fries, beer, and Brussels as the center of the EU. While these stereotypes are well-known around the world, few are familiar with the history of Belgium and the origins of its name. We present to you a brief look into Belgium’s history and the events that shaped its cultural identity as a nation and people. Belgium | © jucanils/Flickr Origins of the name: It is believed that Belgium derives its name from the Belgae tribes which lived in the northern part of what was then Gaul around the third century BC. But what does Belgae stand for and where did these tribes come from? According to linguistic experts, the name has its roots from the proto-celtic words ‘belg’ and ‘bolg,’ which mean to swell with anger.

What about their origin? As far as origin is concerned, there were huge debates among scholars, historians and researchers on whether Belgaes were really Celtic, Germanic or mixed tribes. Interestingly, some sources suggest that Belgaes themselves were also not sure to which group they belonged. When Julius Caesar conquered their lands, he observed that their language and traditions were quite different from those of the other tribes in Gaul. During his conquests, Caesar drew his attention particularly on the Belgaes. Why were the Belgaes so unique? Of all the tribes in Gaul, they were described as the bravest of them all, and this belief was supported by the fact that they were the hardest to conquer. Caesar faced a strong resistance and it took him four years until he finally conquered the Belgae tribes in 53 BC. Moreover, during Roman times, Belgaes could not accept the fact that their lands were part of the Empire and revolted. Their leader Ambiorix was in charge of a revolt, but was eventually defeated Map of Gaul, The Department of History, United States Military Academy |©Wiki Commons What happened to these lands after the Roman period?

After the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages, the territories which presently form Belgium became part of the Holy Roman Empire and would remain as such until the 11th and 12th centuries. The influence and control of the Holy Roman Empire over these territories would gradually decrease over the centuries. As a result, these lands were left isolated and the lack of protection was a good opportunity for the English and French to take control over the region. The next centuries: Over the centuries these territories were divided into small feudal states. The most famous ones that emerged were the counties of Flanders and Hainaut, Duchies of Limburg and Brabant and the Prince-Bishopric of Liege. Of all these feudal states the wealthiest was the County of Flanders. The region became a center of trade and where English wool was imported and converted into fine cloth. The wealth of the region led to the emergence of cities such as Bruges, Gent and Ypres. Until the 19th century, the territories of present-day Belgium were controlled by French, Dutch and Spanish and would remain until a series of events which would led to the creation of the Belgian state.

Map of Flanders, Sir Iain |©Wiki Commons The Vienna Congress: Beginning for Belgium? The year 1815 was without doubt of significant importance. Following Napoleon’s defeat in Waterloo, the victorious powers of Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia met in Vienna to redistribute influence and negotiate the jurisdiction of territories for years to come. One of the most significant decisions was the creation of the United Kingdom of Netherlands. The main idea was to create a state which would serve as a buffer territory against any future French intervention. During the Vienna Congress, the creation of a Belgian state was suggested, but this option did not get enough support. Instead it was decided that territories which were once part of France should be now attached to the United Kingdom of Netherlands. Vienna Congress as depicted by Édouard-Louis Dubufe |© Wiki Commons Did it really work? This was not really the best decision as it caused problems which would create a period of unrest and what would eventually lead to the Belgian Revolution 15 years later. The United Kingdom of Netherlands was hugely divided due to the fact that people in the north were mainly Protestant, while individuals in the south were Catholic.

Further, there was also a linguistic division between the Walloons, whose language is French, as opposed to the Flemish, whose mother tongue is Dutch. In the years to come this linguistic division will be one of the main reasons for unrest in the southern provinces. The Dutch king Willem I favored the Protestants and thus he became unpopular in the south. Moreover, the people in the south of the Kingdom were believed to be less represented. Willem even tried to make Dutch the universal language, but in turn he faced a serious opposition from the French-speaking communities. The order which was established by the Dutch dominance was clearly unacceptable for the southern communities and this led to the beginning of the Belgian revolution. Act of the Congress, JoJan| © Wiki Commons The Revolution and its consequences: On 25 August 1830, the Dutch king Willem I was celebrating the 15th year of his reign. As part of his celebrations, he attended the Auber’s opera La Muette de Portici at the Brussels opera house; interestingly, the same opera influenced nationalist movements during the revolution in France, which took place a month earlier with many patriotic disturbances.

It was for this reason the opera was initially banned, but subsequently lifted for its premiere on the 25th of August. During the performance, there were many patriotic posters inside the opera that called for a revolution. From the moment when the second act begun with the duet ‘Amour sacré de la patrie,’ an uprising began among the attendees and the revolt quickly moved to the streets of Brussels. The inspiration for a revolution began to pick up pace in other cities; and the people’s demands were simple – independence and an end to the Dutch dominance. The Belgian Revolution was a moment which not only was of huge importance for Belgium, but it also shaped the rest of Europe, and created a new country. Belgian Revolution| ©GustafWappers/Wiki Commons The Creation of Belgium: Following these events, the great powers from the Vienna Congress gathered once again in London on 20 December 1830. This time they had no choice but to recognize the success of the Belgian revolution and to guarantee its independence. However, the powers insisted that the future king should come from the Saxe-Coburg dynasty. Why was that” The reason is simple – avoid any French interests in the future Belgian territories.

That is why Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg was invited to become the first King of Belgium and his inauguration was on 21 July 1831. The date of his inauguration became the national day of Belgium. Since then the Dutch and French speaking communities have their own country and king, and sealed the year 1831 as the true beginning for modern day Belgium. Belgium Stamps Custom Search Belgium Stamps Kingdom of Belgium stamps were first issued in 1849. Belgium has the distinction of being the 9th country in the World to issue adhesive stamps for the prepayment of letter postage. Belgium, Gallia Belgica during the Roman Empire, has been around for over 2,000 years, but for much of that time, it was controlled by France and then by the Netherlands. The Belgians gained their independence from the Netherlands during the Belgian Revolution of 1830. The provisional government then invited Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the Duke of Saxony (1790-1865) to become their first constitutional monarch.

The prince was installed as Leopold I, King of the Belgians, in July 1831. With the selection of King Leopold I, the Belgian monarchy in the 19th Century became very closely intertwined with the monarchy of Great Britain. In 1816, still being a Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Leopold married Princess Charlotte, the only child of King George IV (1762-1830) of Great Britain. Charlotte died the day after giving birth to a stillborn child in 1817. Had she lived, she would have become Queen Charlotte I of Great Britain upon the death of her father in 1830, and Prince Leopold would have become the Prince Consort of Great Britain! King Leopold's sister, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1786-1861), was married to Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent (1767-1820), who was one of the three children of King George III (1738-1820) of Great Britain.

They had a daughter, Princess Alexandrina Victoria (1819-1901), who WOULD BECOME the Queen of Great Britain in 1837. King Leopold's youngest nephew on his brother's side, was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1819-1861). In 1840, Prince Albert married Leopold's niece, and his first cousin, Queen Victoria. Thus by 1840, King Leopold I of Belgium was the brother of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the uncle of the Queen of Great Britain, and the uncle of the Prince Consort of Great Britain. Leopold's family connections would enable the young Kingdom of Belgium to have a lot of leverage with its less-than-friendly European neighbors! Belgium stamps from 1849 through 1891 were inscribed in French, the official government language. Since 1893, all the stamps of Belgium have been inscribed in both French and Dutch, the two official languages of the country.

Dutch is spoken in the Northern Flemish Region of the country, whereas French is spoken in Brussels and in the Southern Walloon Region of the country. Like most other countries, most of the Belgium stamps of the 19th Century and early 20th Century are regular definitive postage stamps. If collected in used condition, most of them are not terribly expensive, and they can form a very attractive looking classical collection. One interesting feature of the Belgium stamps issued between 1893 and 1914, is the addition of a perforated tab at the bottom of each of the postage stamps. The tab reads "NE PAS LIVRER LE DIMANCHE" in French, with the same phrase repeated in Dutch. This means "DO NOT DELIVER ON SUNDAY". The sender would leave the tab attached to the stamp, if they objected to their letter being delivered on Sunday. If the sender did not object to Sunday delivery, they could indicate their preference by removing the tab from the stamp. With the exception of some special issues for national exhibitions and of various high-denomination pictorial definitive stamps, commemorative Belgian stamps were not issued with any regularity until the 1930's.

Belgian stamps issued for charitable purposes (semi-postal stamps) first appeared in 1910. The majority of the earlier issues were issued to raise money for the National Tuberculosis Foundation, the Red Cross, or to fund post-war reconstruction programs. Belgium is also famous, among stamp collectors, for its extensive series of Railroad Parcel Post Stamps. These were first issued in 1879, and they continue to this day. If collected in used condition, most of the stamps are not unreasonably expensive. As of 2005, almost 500 of these stamps have been issued. These could be a specialty in themselves, and they form the basis for many Trains on Stamps thematic collections, as well. Historical articles and reviews of the postage stamp issues of Belgium will appear in the link section at the top of the third column of this page. eBay Auction and Store Links Belgium Postage Stamps The following links feature category-focused affiliated seller listings on various eBay sites worldwide. They may enable visitors to shop for and to buy specific items for the particular collecting subject they've just read about. The affiliated eBay seller auction lots provided by eBay, Inc. are not the responsibility of the management of this website.

On high priced material, make sure the lots you are buying are properly authenticated. Remember that the lots on European eBay sites are usually priced in EUROS. Shipping charges may be more, and the lots may take longer to arrive. Also, make sure the foreign seller ships to your country, before bidding on or buying his lot. Leopold I, King of the Belgians | Unofficial Royalty Leopold I, King of the Belgians by Susan Flantzer Credit – Wikipedia Leopold I, King of the Belgians was born a Prince of the German Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld on December 16, 1790 at Ehrenburg Palace in Coburg (now in Bavaria, Germany). He was the youngest surviving son of Franz Friedrich Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf . Among his siblings was the mother of Queen Victoria and the father of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband.

In 1826, during the reign of his brother Ernst I, Saxe-Coburg acquired the city of Gotha from the neighboring Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and gave up Saalfeld to Saxe-Meiningen, thereby becoming Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

Leopold had nine siblings and seven of them survived childhood: Sophie (1778 – 1835), married 1804 Emmanuel, Count von Mensdorff-Pouilly , had six sons Antoinette (1779 – 1824), married 1798 Alexander of Württemberg , had four sons and one daughter Juliane (Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna after marriage) (1781 – 1860), married 1796 to Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia , no issue, marriage annulled in 1820; had two illegitimate children Stillborn son 1782 Victoria (1786 – 1861), married 1818 to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent , had one child Queen Victoria Marianne Charlotte (1788 – 1794) Franz Maximilian Ludwig (1792 – 1793) Due to the marriage of his sister Juliane to Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia, Leopold, at the age of five, received the honorary rank of Colonel of the Izmaylovsky Regiment

, part of the Imperial Guard of the Imperial Russian Army.

When the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was conquered in 1806 by Napoleon’s troops, Leopold went to Paris and became part of Napoleon’s court. He was offered the position of Adjutant by Emperor Napoleon, but he refused. In 1812, Leopold joined the Russian Imperial Army and was assigned to the staff of his brother-in-law Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich. At the time, Russia was at war with France and Leopold fought against Napoleon’s army and distinguished himself at the Battle of Kulm leading the cuirassier division. In 1815, by the time of the final defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, Leopold was 25 and had reached the rank of Lieutenant General in the Imperial Russian Army. In 1814, at a party at the Pulteney Hotel in London, Leopold met Princess Charlotte of Wales , the only child of George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV ). Charlotte was second in the line of succession to the British throne and assuredly would succeed her father on the throne.

Charlotte invited Leopold to call on her, and he did, remaining for 45 minutes, and then writing a letter to Charlotte’s father apologizing for any indiscretion. This letter impressed George very much, although he did not consider the impoverished Leopold as a possible husband for his daughter. Charlotte’s father and his advisers had selected William, Hereditary Prince of Orange , son and heir-apparent of Prince William VI of Orange, as her future husband. Charlotte was not impressed with William at all and now had in her mind that Leopold would be her husband. Her father refused to give up hope that Charlotte would agree to marry the Dutch Prince. However, Charlotte wrote, “No arguments, no threats, shall ever bend me to marry this detested Dutchman.” In January of 1816, Charlotte made a desperate plea to her father to allow her to marry Leopold. Leopold came to England in February of 1816 to be interviewed by the Prince of Wales, who was impressed with Leopold and agreed to the marriage. On March 14, 1816, an announcement was made in the House of Commons that Charlotte and Leopold were to marry.

Parliament voted Leopold £50,000 per year, purchased Claremont House for the couple, and allowed them a generous single payment to set up house. Charlotte and Leopold were married on May 2, 1816 in the Crimson Drawing Room at Carlton House , the Prince of Wales’ London home. Oatlands in Surrey, the country home of Charlotte’s uncle Prince Frederick, Duke of York, was the site of the honeymoon. After the honeymoon, the newlywed couple settled at Claremont House near Esher, England which British nation had purchased by an Act of Parliament as a wedding gift for Charlotte and Leopold. Leopold was made a British citizen, received the honorary rank of Field Marshal and was created a Knight of the Order of the Garter The marriage was deemed to be a success and the couple was blissfully happy. Engraving of the wedding of Charlotte and Leopold in 1816; Credit – Wikipedia Charlotte suffered two miscarriages in the early months of her first two pregnancies, but a third pregnancy in 1817 gave Charlotte and Leopold hope.

Charlotte was second in the line of succession and she would have succeeded her father, the future George IV, as queen but on November 6, 1817, a great tragedy struck the British Royal Family. After a labor of over 50 hours, Charlotte delivered a stillborn son. Several hours later, twenty-one-year-old Princess Charlotte, the only child of George, Prince of Wales, and King George III’s only legitimate grandchild, died of postpartum hemorrhage. Charlotte was mourned by the British people in a manner similar to the mourning of Diana, Princess of Wales. She was buried in the Royal Tomb House at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle with her stillborn son at her feet. Charlotte’s pregnancy and delivery had been grossly mismanaged and the doctor in charge later committed suicide. Unofficial Royalty: Death of Princess Charlotte of Wales in childbirth and its impact on the succession to the British throne After Charlotte’s death, Leopold continued to live at Claremont House and was granted British style of Royal Highness. In 1828-1829, Leopold had an affair with actress Karoline Bauer, a cousin of his adviser Baron Christian Friedrich von Stockmar.

Karoline came to England with her mother and took up residence at Longwood House, a few miles from Claremont House. In 1830, after the Greeks rebelled against the Ottoman Empire, Leopold was offered the Greek throne. He refused because he considered the country to be too unstable, and Otto of Bavaria became King of Greece. In August of 1830, the southern provinces (modern-day Belgium) of the Netherlands rebelled against Dutch rule. International powers meeting in London agreed to support the independence of Belgium, despite the fact that the Dutch refused to recognize the new country. On April 22, 1831, Leopold was asked by the Belgian National Congress if he wanted to be King of the Belgians. Leopold swore allegiance to the new Belgian constitution on July 21, 1831 and became the first King of the Belgians. Each year July 21 is celebrated as Belgian National Day . Leopold taking the constitutional oath by Gustaf Wappers; Credit – Wikipedia Less than two weeks after Leopold became King of the Belgians, the Netherlands invaded Belgium. The small Belgian army was overwhelmed by the Dutch attack.

Leopold appealed to the French for support and after the arrival of the French Armée du Nord in Belgium, the Dutch were forced to accept a diplomatic intervention and retreat back to the pre-war border. Skirmishes continued for eight years, and finally in 1839, Belgium and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of London establishing Belgium’s independence. Leopold had to marry to provide for the Belgian succession. On August 9, 1832, Leopold married Princess Louise-Marie of Orléans , daughter of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French and Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies , at the Château de Compiègne , in France. Since Leopold was Protestant and Louise-Marie was Catholic, they had both a Catholic and a Protestant ceremony. Although Leopold remained Protestant, his children were raised as Catholics because the vast majority of Belgians were Catholic. Louise-Marie died on October 11, 1850 at the age of 38 from tuberculosis. She had expressed a desire to be buried in Laeken in Brussels, Belgium. Leopold had the Church of Our Lady of Laeken built in her memory.

Louise-Marie was buried there and the crypt there has become the burial site for the Belgian royal family . Wedding of Leopold and Marie Louise of Orleans in the chapel of the Château de Compiègne; Credit – Wikipedia Leopold and Louise-Marie had four children: Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders (1837 – 1905), married Marie of Hohenzollern, had five children including King Albert I who succeeded King Leopold II Princess Charlotte of Belgium, (1840 – 1927), married Archduke Maximilian of Austria, later Emperor of Mexico until his assassination, no issue Drawing of King Leopold I and his family; Credit – Wikipedia In 1840, Leopold arranged the marriage of his niece, Queen Victoria , the daughter of his sister, to his nephew, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , son of his brother. Even before she succeeded to the throne, Leopold had been advising Victoria by letter, and after her accession, continued to influence her.

Leopold (right), with Queen Victoria and the British royal family, in an early photograph of 1859; Photo Credit – Wikipedia In foreign policy, Leopold’s principle objective was to maintain Belgium’s neutrality. Because of his family connections and position at the head of a neutral and non-threatening power, Leopold acted as an important intermediary in European politics during his reign. Leopold played a particularly important role in moderating relations between the Great Powers and in particular between Great Britain and the French Empire under Napoleon III. Leopold had a twenty-year relationship with Arcadie Claret (1826-1897). Arcadie was from Brussels and was the daughter of Major Charles-Joseph Claret (1789-1867), a veteran of Napoleon’s army and the treasurer of the Ministry of War’s Fund for Widows and Orphans of the Belgian Army. Leopold met Arcadie sometime between 1842-1844. She was only in her late teens, and almost immediately became his mistress. Leopold installed her in a luxurious house in Saint-Josse-ten-Node near Brussels.

Because the affair did not go unnoticed and was discussed in detail in the press, Leopold arranged a marriage in 1845 between Arcadie Claret and his servant and friend, Ferdinand Meyer, originally from Coburg. Arcadie Claret; Credit – Wikipedia Leopold and Arcadie had two sons: George (1849-1904), who was born a few day before the death of Queen Marie-Louise, and Arthur (1852-1940). The boys were recognized as the sons of Ferdinand Meyer. After Queen Marie-Louise’s death, with financial and political support from Leopold, Arcadie bought Castle Stuyvenberg in Laeken, and she lived there with her children until the death of Leopold in 1865. Her second son was born there, and her mother, sisters and brothers were also able to live there. In 1862, at Leopold’s request, his sons were created Freiherr von Eppinghoven (Baron of Eppinghoven) by his nephew, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

In 1863, Arcadie was created Freifrau von Eppinghoven (Baroness of Eppinghoven). Once George and Arthur were living at Castle Stuyvenberg, they had a princely upbringing and were privately taught by tutors. Leopold spent much of his afternoons, and sometimes whole days with Arcadie and the children. She often accompanied him on his frequent trips or stayed with him in spas, such as Wiesbaden. In Leopold’s old age, Arcadie was his nurse and she was with him during his last illness. Prior to his death, Leopold had secured the futures of both Arcadie and their sons. After Leopold’s death, Castle Stuyvenberg was secretly sold to his son and successor, King Leopold II. In 1900, the castle became part of the Royal Trust . After Leopold’s death, George was placed under the protection of his cousin, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Later he became an officer in the Prussian army. Arthur became the Grand Marshal of the Ducal Court of Coburg.

As a representative of Coburg in 1909, he was present at the funeral of his half-brother King Leopold II. However, he did not remain unnoticed. Because of his height and his lush, square-cut beard, he closely resembled his deceased half-brother. King Leopold I of the Belgians; Photo Credit – Wikipedia King Leopold I of the Belgians died on December 10, 1865 at the age of 74 at the Royal Palace in Laeken, Belgium. Among his last words were “Charlotte…Charlotte.” Was he calling to his daughter or to his beloved first wife Princess Charlotte of Wales? King Leopold was buried in the Royal Crypt in the Church of Our Lady in Laeken, in Brussels, Belgium with his wife Queen Marie-Louise. Funeral of Leopold in Brussels; Credit – Wikipedia Tomb of Leopold and Louise-Marie; Photo Credit – Wikipedia Settler International - Belgium - History History of Belgium Roman Period ( 57 B.C. to 455 A.D) : Between 57 and 50 B.C.

Julius Cesar conquered the northern part of Gaul, the area lying roughly in the basins of the Scheldt and the Meuse. The land was inhabited then by Gallo-Celtic tribes, including the BELGAE. Between 15 B.C. and the fifth century it was under Roman occupation as Gallia Belgica until Rome weakened and the Francs began to penetrate the region. Frankish Empire (455-843) : As a result of the advance of the Franks, a Germanic people, in the 5th century, the Flemings prevailed in the north (an area stretching from the lower Scheldt to the Ardennes) , separating them from the WALA (Walloons or Romanized Celts), whose Latin influence underlies the French language of the region. And so, the ethnic and linguistic frontiers of today had their beginning. Upon Charlemagne's death, the area later known as Belgium, was among the first objectives of invaders and remained a battlefield for hundreds of years. The Treaty of Verdun in 843, divided the area we know as Belgium between Charles the Bald and Lothair.

Charles, King of West Francia (more or less France as we know it), received a narrow strip of land west of the Scheldt. Lothair received the remainder, which was to become the Duchy of Lower Lotharingia. Feudal Period and The Communes (9th to 14th centuries) : While Flanders, through marriage between dynasties, became strong and unified, Lotharingia broke up into a number of minor courts and principalities. Through several treaties, which allied Flandres, Brabant, Hainaut, Zeeland and Holland, Flanders was reduced to being virtually a French province. Burgundian Period (1384 - 1555) : In the 15th century, an influential and powerful Burgundian duke, Philip the Good, united the communities, dutchies and principalities that would later form the Belgium of today.The long reign of Philip the Good was Belgiums cultural highpoint, with the cities of Ghent and Bruges flourishing as centers of art and culture. Philips descendants, through marriage into the house of Habsburg, became sovereigns of the low countries and much of the continent as well, including Spain.

Revolt of the Netherlands (1555 - 1585) : During the reign of Philip II of Spain, controle of the Netherlands began to dwindle. Revolts broke out and the Catholics in the south (Spanish Netherlands) remained faithful to Spain while in the north the "United Provinces" broke away from Spain and were called the Kingdom of Holland or the Netherlands. Habsburg Rule (1585 - 1792) : After thirty years of war between the Habsburg and the Bourbons, the independence of the United Provinces was acknowledged. The Spanish Netherlands passed from the Spanish to the Austrian Habsburgs in 1715. French Domination (1792 - 1814) : In 1792 war broke out between revolutionary France and Austria and Belgium was occupied by the French till 1814. The foreign regime, distasteful as it was, did transform the country into a modern state. The "Napoleonic Code of Law", the basis of the Belgian juidicial system, was then introduced.

United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 - 1831) : Upon Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815, the allies amalgamated Belgium and Holland into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands under Prince William of Orange. Religious, financial and political differences between the Dutch and the Belgians caused 15 years of controversy. King of the Belgians (1831) : In 1830, the people of Brussels rebelled, gained their country's independence from Holland, and, after a few months as a republic, established a constitutional monarchy. Prince Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg, an uncle of Queen Victoria, was elected king on July 21, 1831. His son, Leopold II ascended the throne in 1865. It was during his reign that Belgium's rich central African landholdings were acquired. King Albert I succeeded him till he died in 1934 after a fall whilst rock climbing. Leopold III reigned till 1951, when he was forced to abdicate because of political problems.

The fifth king in the Coburg line Baudouin I, began his reign in 1951. He died in 1993 of a heart attack in Spain and is succeeded by his brother, King Albert II (Queen Paola). The king rules without governing, although his role is of vital importance. The person of the king has immunity, his ministers are liable for him. Not a single deed can have any consequence without its being countersigned by a minister. Belgian Revolution, Independence - Timeline Index Timeline Index Belgian Revolution, Independence The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium. The people of the south were nearly all Catholics; half were French-speaking. Many outspoken liberals regarded King William I's rule as despotic. There were high levels of unemployment and industrial unrest among the working classes. On 25 August 1830 riots erupted in Brussels and shops were looted. Theatergoers who had just watched a nationalistic opera joined the mob. Uprisings followed elsewhere in the country. Factories were occupied and machinery destroyed.

Order was restored briefly after William committed troops to the Southern Provinces but rioting continued and leadership was taken up by radicals, who started talking of secession. Dutch units saw the mass desertion of recruits from the southern provinces, and pulled out. The States-General in Brussels voted in favour of secession and declared independence. In the aftermath, a National Congress was assembled. King William refrained from future military action and appealed to the Great Powers. The resulting 1830 London Conference of major European powers recognized Belgian independence. Following the installation of Leopold I as "King of the Belgians" in 1831, King William made a belated military attempt to reconquer Belgium and restore his position through a military campaign. This "Ten Days' Campaign" failed because of French military intervention. Not until 1839 did the Dutch accept the decision of the London conference and Belgian independence by signing the Treaty of London.

More on this Website Belgium's King Albert II to announce abdication Belgium's King Albert II to announce abdication World | Agence France-Presse | Updated: July 03, 2013 21:38 IST EMAIL PRINT COMMENTS Brussels: Belgium's King Albert II is to announce he will abdicate on July 21, the country's national day, in a speech to the nation Wednesday, a Belgian government source told AFP. The palace said "the king will address the people" in a speech to be broadcast live on radio and television at 2130 IST, and the source said the monarch would announce his abdication for July 21 - confirming Belgian press reports. The speech is to be followed 15 minutes later by a statement from Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo. Di Rupo's office said that a "restricted cabinet meeting" had taken place earlier in the day "in the presence of the king." Albert, who has reigned for 20 years and who turned 79 last month, has played a key role in the political life of the small language-divided nation.

It was Albert who steered the country's divided politicians to a deal in late 2011 after the country spent a record-breaking 541 days without a government. With the country heading to new potentially dangerous elections next year, there have been persistent rumours that the increasingly frail monarch might follow in the footsteps of Dutch Queen Beatrix, who abdicated in January. Albert's heir is his eldest son Philippe, aged 53. The RTBF TV network said it would be the first abdication in the history of Belgium. The country gained independence from the Netherlands in 1831. Albert is the second son of King Leopold III (1901-1983) and Astrid of Sweden (1905-1935), and ascended to the throne in 1993 after the death of his older brother King Baudouin, who died without an heir. Six kings from the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha - now known simply as the royal house of Belgium - have headed the constitutional monarchy since independence.

As monarch, Albert's duties include 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.

Question: Leopold of Saxe-Coburg was invited to be the first king of what country in 1831 after it gained independence from the Dutch?
Answer: Belgium