LEOPOLD I,, GEORGE CHRISTIAN FREDERICK, King of the Belgians, son of Francis duke of Saxe-Coburg, was b. Dee. 10, 1790. Ile received an excellent literary and scientific education, and at the conclusion of his studies had the reputation of being one of the best informed princes in Europe. The marriage of his sister Juliana with the grand duke Constantine having closely allied the house of Saxe-Coburg with the imperial family of Russia, he became a gen. in the Russian army; but the nienneea of Napoleon compelled him, in 1810, to resign his commission. He afterwards again joined the Rus sian army, and was present at the battles of Littzen, Bautzen, teipsic, and Kuhn. Having visited England after the peace of 1815, lie IVOR the affections of the princess GharlUtte, the heiress of the throne. Leopold was now naturalized by act of parlia ment in 1816, and received an annual pension of -250,000. The marriage took Place on May 2, 1816; but the princess died in child-bed on Nov. 5, 1817, and her child did not survive. Prince Leopold now lived in complete retirement, sometimes in London, and
sometimes at his seat of Claremont. He received, in Feb., 1830, the offer of the crown of Greece, and at first favorably entertained the proposal, but afterwards rejected it, because of the dissatisfaction of the Greeks with the arrangements determined upon by the great powers. In June, 1831, he was elected, by a national congress, king of the Belgians, and on July 21 of that year his inauguration took place at Brussels. In 1832 he married the princess Louise, claughter of Louis Philippe, king of the French, who died in Oct., 1850, by whom lie had issue the crown prince Leopold, duke of Brabant, another son and a daughter. As a monarch, lie conducted himself with great prudence, firmness. and moderation, with constant regard to the principles of the Belgian constitu tion. He died Dec., 1865, and was succeeded by his son, Leopold II.