Naturally the support of the French and English brought about a deep and lasting feeling of gratitude on the part of the Belgians. Louis Philippe said, "Belgium owes her independence and the recovery of her territory to the union of France and England in her cause."
Her independence thus gained and recognised, Belgium turned her attention to the development of the country and its rich natural resources. The Manufactures flourished, her mines of coal and iron became famous throughout the world, and she trod the peaceful path of strict neutrality among the great nations. Passing over the all familiar history of Waterloo, one may quote the saying of M. Northomb: "The Battle of Waterloo opened a new era for Europe, the era of representative government." And this new era was enjoyed by Belgium until the Franco-Prussian War confronted the little country with a fresh crisis, and one fraught with danger. Although her absolute neutrality had been earnestly proclaimed and presented to the powers, it was feared that she might be invaded and be unable to maintain her integrity by her military force.
Leopold promptly mobilized the army and massed it upon the frontier. During and after the battle of Sedan, a large number of both French and German soldiers crossed the border and were interned until the close of the war.... Once more peace descended upon the Belgians, for a fresh treaty prepared by England and signed by both France and Prussia engaged the British Government to declare war upon the power violating its provisions.
After his acceptance of the Crown of Belgium, the Constitution declared the monarchy hereditary in the male line of the family of Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, which consisted of two sons and one daughter. The elder of the sons was born in 1835, and succeeded his father as Leopold II, in 1865. The Austrian Archduchess Marie Henriette became his wife in 1853, and their descendants were one son and three daughters, none of whom is now living. The Salic Law prevailing in Belgium, the history of the female descendants is not of political importance. The only son of Leopold II dying in 1869, the succession passed to the brother of the King, the Count of Flanders, who married Mary, Princess of Hohenzollern, a sister of the King of Roumania.
The death of their son Prince Baldwin in 1891 was held to be a national calamity. This left the nephew of Leopold II, Prince Albert (the present King of Belgium), the heir presumptive to the throne. He married in 1900 the Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria; to them have been born three children, two boys and a girl. Both the King and Queen, the objects of intense devotion on the part of the Belgians, are very simple and democratic in their bearing toward the people. The Queen is a very beautiful woman, and a most devoted wife and mother.... Since the seat of government has been removed to Havre, the Queen divides her time between the little hamlet of La Panne, headquarters of the Belgian army, near the town of Furnes on the dunes of the north sea, and London, where the children are being cared for and educated.... May not one hope that brighter days are in store for this devoted and heroic King and Queen, for the once smiling and fertile land, and for the kindly, gentle, and law abiding Belgian people?[5]
THE END
INDEX
Albert, King of Belgium, [102], [207]
Alost, church of St. Martin's, [113], [114]
Hôtel de Ville, [111]
Antwerp, carillon of, [52]
cathedral of, [41], [44], [143]
Archers of St. Sebastian, [66]
Artists of Malines, list of the, [183–195]
Aymon, legend of the four sons of, [133–136]
Baldwin Bras-de-Fer, [55], [171]
Baldwin the Ninth, Count of Flanders, [72], [121]
Battle of the Dunes, the, [101]
Battle of the Spurs, the, [120], [172]
Battle of Waterloo, the, [206]
Bayard, the horse, [133–138]
Beguinage, the, Courtrai, [121]
" " Malines, [23–24]
" " Ypres, [82]
Bell-founding, process of, [45–48]
Berincx, Grégoire, [186]
" Grégoire le Jeune, [186], [191]
Bethune, Robert of, Count of Flanders, [75], [79]
Biset, Charles Emmanuel, [191]
" George, [191]
Bol, Jean, [188]
Bouts, Dierick, [48], [149]
Broël Towers, the, Courtrai, [119], [123]
Bruges, cathedral of, [41]
library, [171]
Brussels, cathedral of, [41]
Museum of Decorative Arts, [76], [149]
Burgundy, House of, [68]
" Mary of, [165]
Carillons of Antwerp, [52]
" of Bruges, [52]
" of Ghent, [52]
" of Louvain, [52]
" of Malines, [52]
" of Tournai, [52]
Carpreau, Jean, [187]
Cathedral of Antwerp, [41]
" of Bruges, [41]
" of Brussels, [41]
" of Ghent, [41]
" of Malines, [18–19], [41], [42]
" of Ypres, [69], [73]
Charlemagne, [134–136]
Charles the Bold, [25], [76], [81]
Charles the Eleventh, [119]
Charles the Fifth, [18], [130], [165]
Cloth Hall, the, Ypres, [69], [72–75], [78], [80], [81]
Commines, Philip of, [86]
Cossiers, I., [24]
Coxie, Jean, [185]
" Jean Michel, [185]
" Michel, [184]
" Michel le Jeune, [184]
" Michel the Third, [185]
" Michel the Fourth, [185]
" Raphaël, [185]
Counts' Chapel, the, Courtrai, [121]
Courtrai, the Counts' Chapel, [121]
the Hall of the Magistrates, [129]
the Town Hall, [129]
Cuyp, [36], [102]
De Gruyter, Jean, [185]
De Hornes, Jacques, [191], [193]
Deklerk, [44], [45]
De Poindre, Jacques, [187]
De Vos, Lambert, [188]
Douai, Hôtel de Ville, [157], [160]
Douai Bible, the, [158]
Dyle, the river, [21], [26], [152]
Elle, Ferdinand, [192]
Franchoys, Luc, [189]
" Luc le Jeune, [190], [192], [193]
" Pierre, [190]
Franco-Prussian War, the, [206]
Furnes, Hôtel de Ville, [173]
Ghent, the carillons of, [52]
Gild of St. Luke, the, [181]
Gothic architecture, styles of, [90]
Great Wars of Flanders, the, [86]
Hall of the Magistrates, the, Courtrai, [129]
Hals, Frans, [141], [190]
Hanseatic League, the, [69]
Hanswyk, the Tower of Our Lady of, Malines, [26]
Haweis, [41], [43], [49], [50]
Hemony, [42], [49]
Henry the First, [152]
Herregouts, David, [191]
Hoogenbergh, Jean, [186]
Hôtel de Ville of Alost, [111]
" " " of Douai, [157], [160]
" " " of Furnes, [173]
" " " of Louvain, [147], [149] [150]
" " " of Oudenaarde, [164]
" " " of Ypres, [73]
Huet, [87], [89]
Hunin, Matthieu Joseph Charles, [194]
" Pierre Paul Aloys, [194]
Hugo, Victor, [52]
Ingelrams, André, [187]
" Corneille, [187]
Inghelbrugtorre, Courtrai, [119]
Inquisition, the Spanish, [68]
Jansenius, Cornelius, Bishop of Ypres, [73], [80]
Janssens, Daniel, [193]
Joffroy, Jean Barthelemy, [193]
Jordaens, [141]
Jube, at St. Martin's, Dixmude, [55], [57–59], [62], [79]
Keldermans, [17], [18], [130]
Knights of the Golden Fleece, [36]
Knights Templar, the, [99], [101]
La Panne, [74], [207]
La Pla, Jacques, [193]
Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, King of Belgium, [203], [204], [205]
Leopold the Second of Belgium, [207]
Le Saive, Jean, [190], [193]
Library, the, Bruges, [43], [171]
Brussels, [43]
Louvain, [43], [49], [150]
Lion of Flanders, the, [22], [28]
Louis of Maele, [66], [67]
Louis of Nevers, [76]
Louis Philippe, [203], [205]
Louis the Eleventh, [157]
Louis the Fourteenth, [158]
Louvain, church of St. Peter, [147], [152]
carillons of, [52]
Hôtel de Ville, [149]
library, [149]
Loyola, Ignatius, [21]
Luther, Martin, [21]
Lys, the river, [119], [120], [122–123]
Malines, carillons of, [52]
cathedral of, [18–19], [41], [42]
St. Rombauld, [17], [19], [22], [26], [37], [44]
Margaret of Artois, [76]
" of Austria, statue of, [22]
" of Parma, [165]
" of York, [25], [76]
" the Courageous, the legend of, [150–153]
Marguerite of Flanders, [152]
" of Savoie, [18]
Mary of Burgundy, [165]
Matsys, Quentin, [149]
Memling, [85], [148], [149]
Mercier, Cardinal, Primate of Belgium, [21], [167]
Moertens, Thierry, [112]
Museum of Decorative Arts, the, Brussels, [76], [149]
Mysteries of the Passion, the, [175]
Nemours, Duc de, [202]
Nieuwerck, Ypres, [70], [73], [77]
Notre Dame, the church of, Courtrai, [121]
Opdebeek, Antoine, [194]
Oudenaarde, church of St. Walburga, [165]
" Hôtel de Ville, [164]
" Town Hall, [17], [165]
Philip of Alsace, [119]
" of Savoie, [18]
" the Second of Spain, [85], [101]
Place de la Boucherie, [25]
Quesnoy, Jerome due, [24]
Redel, August Casimir, [193]
Rembrandt, [141]
Rubens, [113], [141], [173], [190]
Ruskin, [28], [42]
St. Martin's, cathedral of, Ypres, [73], [77], [78], [79]
" church of, Alost, [113], [114]
" church of, Dixmude, [55], [56], [57], [60]
St. Mary Bells, in Antwerp cathedral, [44]
St. Nicholas, church of, Furnes, [99], [171]
St. Peter, church of, Louvain, [147], [152]
St. Pierre, tower of, Ypres, [80]
St. Rombauld, Malines, chimes of, [19], [22]
" " spire of, [17]
" " tower of, [26–37], [44]
St. Walburga, church of, Oudenaarde, [165], [174–176]
St. Winoc, the abbey of, Bergues, [95]
Sainte Begga, [23], [121]
Salvator Bell, the, [20], [48]
Scheldt, the river, [133], [204], [205]
Smeyers, Egide Joseph, [192]
" Gilles, [192]
" Jacques, [192]
Snellinck, Jean, [188]
Speytorre, the, Courtrai, [119]
Stevens, Pierre, [189]
Taillebert, d'Urbain, [79]
Thierry d'Alsace, [65], [85]
Toeput, Louis, [188]
Tournai, Town Hall, [52]
Tower of the Templars, the, Nieuport, [99], [101]
Town Hall of Brussels, [17]
" " of Courtrai, [129]
" " of Dixmude, [56]
" " of Louvain, [17]
" " of Oudenaarde, [17]
" " of Tournai, [52]
Trabukier, Guillaume, [184]
Untenhoven, Martin, [78]
Van Aken, Sebastian, [193]
Van Artevelde, family of, [36]
" " Philip, [66], [86]
Van Avont, Pierre, [189]
" " Rombaut, [189]
Van Battele, Baudouin, [183]
" " Gautier, [183]
" " Jean, [183]
" " Jean le Jeune, [183]
Van den Gheyn, family of, [20], [33], [42], [44], [45], [158]
" " " Mathias, [147]
" " " Peter, [48]
Van Dyck, [133]
Van Eyck, Jean, [79]
Van Halter, Catherine, [24]
Van Ophem, Jean, [186]
Van Orley, Bernard, [184]
Van Orshagen, Jean, [183]
Van Steynemolen, Zacherie, [184]
Van Thieleu, Jean Philippe, [192]
Van Valckenborgh, Luc, [188]
" " Martin, [189]
Van Yleghem, Daniel, [183]
Van Yper, Carel, [80]
Vauban, [65]
Verbeek, François, [186]
" Hans, [186]
Vereeke, [65], [70]
Verhaegan, P.J., [150], [153]
Verhoeven, Jean, [191]
" Martin, [191]
Verhulst, Pierre Antoine, [194]
Ver Vloet, Jean, [195]
Vinckboons, Maur, [184]
" Philip, [189]
Waghemans, family of, [20]
Waterloo, the Battle of, [206]
Willems, Marc, [187]
William the First of Holland, [199], [201], [204]
Ypres, the Beguinage, [82]
the cathedral of, [69], [72]
the Cloth Hall, [69], [73], [74], [75], [78], [80], [81]
the Hôtel de Ville, [73]
Yser, the river, [55], [62]
Zeelstman, [19]