|
|
Albert I, King of The Belgians
1909-1934, (1875-1934)
son of Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders
and Princess Marie von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Born 8 April 1875 Bruxelles
Died 17 February 1934 Marche-les-Dames
Married 2 October 1900 Muenchen
Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria
Born 25 July 1876 Possenhofen
Died 23 November 1965 Chateau Stuyvenberg, Belgium
|
His father was the younger brother of King Leopold II, while Albert
I was his father's fifth child and second son. At the age of twenty-one
his elder brother, Prince Baudouin, died and Albert became heir to his
uncle. In 1900 he married the cultivated Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria,
and they became the parents of three children.
When his uncle died in 1909, Albert became King of The Belgians. At
the beginning of World War I he was requested to allow the German troops
passage through Belgium, but he refused. After heroic resistance he had
to lead the Belgian army into retreat to Flanders.
He commanded the Belgian and French armies in the final offensive on
the Belgian coast in 1918.
After the war he took an active part in the industrial reconstruction
of his country. However, he died in an accident while mountaineering at
Marche-les-Dames on 17 February 1934.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
|
|
|
