Franz Frederick Anton
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
(Coburg, 15 July 1750 – Coburg, 9 December 1806)
was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He is a patrilineal ancestor of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Albert II of Belgium and Simeon B. Sakskoburggotski, former tsar (Simeon II) and prime minister of Bulgaria.
Augusta Caroline Sophie Reuss
Countess of Ebersdorf
(19 January 1757 – 16 November 1831)
was by marriage a duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. She was born in Saalburg-Ebersdorf. She was the maternal grandmother of Queen Victoria and the paternal grandmother of Albert, Prince Consort.
Leopold I, Georg Christian Friedrich
King of the Belgians
(16 December 1790 – 10 December 1865)
was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium’s independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. His children included Leopold II of Belgium and Empress Carlota of Mexico. He was a maternal uncle and adviser of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
KINGDOM OF BELGIUM - HOUSE OF SACHSEN-COBURG AND GOTHA
When Belgium became independent in 1830 the National Congress chose a constitutional monarchy as the form of government. The Congress voted on the question on 22 November 1830, supporting monarchy by 174 votes to 13. In February 1831, the Congress nominated Louis, Duke of Nemours, the son of the French king Louis-Philippe, but international considerations deterred Louis-Philippe from accepting the honour for his son.
Following this refusal, the National Congress appointed Erasme-Louis, Baron Surlet de Chokier to be the Regent of Belgium on 25 February 1831, thus becoming the first head of state of independent Belgium. Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was designated as King of the Belgians by the National Congress [1] and swore allegiance to the Belgian constitution in front of Saint Jacobs Church at Coudenberg Palace in Brussels on 21 July. This day has since become a national holiday for Belgium and its citizens.
This is a list of Belgian monarchs since 1831, when the first Belgian king Leopold I ascended the throne, after Belgium declared independence from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Belgian Revolution of 1830.
| # | Name | Portrait | Birth and death | Reign started | Reign ended | Marriages | Succession right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leopold I |
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16 December 1790 Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (Holy Roman Empire) – 10 December 1865 Laeken (aged 74) |
21 July 1831 | 10 December 1865 (34 years, 142 days) |
(1) Charlotte of Wales 2 May 1816 [1 child (stillborn)] (2) Louise of Orléans 9 August 1832 [4 children] |
Elected by the National Congress |
| 2 | Leopold II |
 |
9 April 1835 Brussels – 17 December 1909 Laeken (aged 74) |
17 December 1865 | 17 December 1909 (44 years, 0 days) |
Marie-Henriette of Austria 22 August 1853 [4 children] |
Son of Leopold I |
| 3 | Albert I |
 |
8 April 1875 Brussels – 17 February 1934 Marche-les-Dames (aged 58) |
23 December 1909 | 17 February 1934 (24 years, 56 days) |
Elisabeth of Bavaria 2 October 1900 [3 children] |
Nephew of Leopold II |
| 4 | Leopold III |
 |
3 November 1901 Brussels – 25 September 1983 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (aged 81) |
23 February 1934 | 16 July 1951 (abdicated) (17 years, 143 days) |
(1) Astrid of Sweden 4 November 1926 [3 children] (2) Lilian Baels 6 December 1941 [3 children] |
Son of Albert I |
| 5 | Baudouin |
 |
7 September 1930 Laeken – 31 July 1993 Motril (Spain) (aged 62) |
17 July 1951 | 31 July 1993 (42 years, 13 days) |
Fabiola of Mora and Aragón 15 December 1960 [childless] |
Son of Leopold III |
| 6 | Albert II |
 |
6 June 1934 Laeken |
9 August 1993 | 21 July 2013 (abdicated) (19 years, 346 days) |
Paola of Calabria 2 July 1959 [3 children] |
Son of Leopold III / Brother of Baudouin |
| 7 | Philippe |
 |
15 April 1960 Laeken |
21 July 2013 | Incumbent (0 years, 53 days) |
Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz 4 December 1999 [4 children] |
Son of Albert II |
