King Albert 1 of Belgium. Dynasties of Europe. Albert's happy marriage to the Bavarian Princess Elisabeth

Albert II King of Belgium from the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty. Reigned since 1993. Son of Leopold III and Astrid J.: from July 2, 1959. Paola Ruffo di Calabria (born September 11, 1937). On June 6, 1934, Albert graduated from the Naval School in Bruges. Has the rank of lieutenant general and vice admiral

Albert

Albert I

Albert Nile

Fish Albert

Fish Albert Albert Fish has been called the “American Scarecrow”, and deservedly so. This cannibal, hiding under the guise of a kind old man, killed many children, luring them with various promises. The crime that attracted public attention to Fish was

King of the Belgians since December 17, 1909. From the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty. Son of Count Philip of Flanders and Princess Maria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, nephew of the Belgian King Leopold II.

Beginning of the reign

Unlike his uncle, he was very popular as a monarch from the very beginning of his reign. He avoided the luxury of the court, loved to receive guests, and traveled a lot. In 1898 and 1919 he visited the USA. In 1900 he toured the Congo Free State (the personal possession and "concession" of his uncle, King Leopold II) and on his return to Belgium pushed for a change in relations with the Africans. As king, he significantly humanized the administration of the colony (which became a state rather than a private property).

In 1909-1910, significant reforms took place in Belgium: a law on compulsory military service and a law on school education were adopted, the duration of which was increased to 14 years.

World War I

Albert I gained the greatest fame and popularity in Europe (the Entente countries) during the First World War.

Albert learned about Germany's plans to start a war in 1913 in Berlin from Wilhelm II. The king warned France. Shortly after the Sarajevo murder, on July 3, 1914, in a personal letter to Wilhelm, Albert informed him of his country's neutrality. However, German troops violated Belgium's neutrality and invaded its territory. Albert became, according to Article 68 of the Constitution, commander-in-chief of the Belgian army. The chief of staff was General Sallier de Moranville.

With great enemy superiority, the Belgians had to retreat and leave Brussels. However, Albert managed to regroup his army and flood the low-lying bank of the Isère with water by opening the floodgates of the dam (advice given by the French general Ferdinand Foch). Until the end of the war, the Belgians, led by the king, despite the inequality of forces, maintained a small bridgehead on their territory.

The glory of the “soldier king” and “knight king” in all Entente countries, including Russia, was enormous. English writers and poets published a collection, “The Book of King Albert,” dedicated to the king and people of Belgium; this book was soon translated into Russian. After the war, Albert continued to be considered a national hero.

Post-war period

After the end of the First World War, Albert contributed to the reconstruction of the country, which suffered from the German occupation. He supported the development of industry and the merchant fleet. Field Marshal of the British Army (1921).

From his youth he was interested in sports, horse riding, mountaineering and natural sciences. Every day I read works in different fields - literature, military affairs, medicine, aviation. He drove a motorcycle and learned to fly an airplane.

The mountaineer king spent a lot of time in the mountains. As a result of an accident, he fell off a cliff and died at the age of 59.

Wife and kids

On October 2, 1900, he married Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, Duchess of Bavaria (1876 - 1965). They were born:

Leopold III (1901 - 1983), King of Belgium.

Charles (1903 - 1983), Duke of Flanders, Regent of Belgium.

Marie José (1906 - 2001), Princess of Belgium.

The marriage between Leopold II and Maria Henrietta of Austria was a fiasco and actually broke up long ago. However, even before the end of their relationship, the queen gave birth to Leopold three daughters and one crown prince. But little Leopold, born in 1859, died of heart disease before reaching ten years of age. Thus, the succession to the throne passed to the line of Leopold II's younger brother, Count Philip of Flanders.

Philip, married to Princess Maria of Gogettüllern-Sigmaringen, led a secluded life among the 30,000 volumes of his books. He predeceased his older brother, in 1905. His first-born Baudouin, who grew up in the close attention of Leopold II and whom the king predicted as his heir, received an education worthy of the crown prince. However, at the age of twenty-two, this cheerful and energetic young man suddenly fell ill with some kind of malignant flu, which very quickly brought him to the grave. Baudouin died on January 23, 1891. Until then, no one had paid much attention to Albert, his younger brother. As a teenager, he entered the cadet corps, but the army path did not attract him too much. His passion was technology. Even as a small child, he was delighted with steam locomotives. If duty had not forced him to become a king, Albert once let slip, he would certainly have become a good engineer.

Albert's happy marriage to the Bavarian Princess Elisabeth

Although Albert was a bit of a playful and willful child as a child, he later began to behave with restraint and then became somewhat withdrawn. To those who did not know him, he might seem timid or helpless. As a young man, during a trip to Possenhofen on Lake Starnberg, where Duke Charles Theodor of Bavaria had his country castle, Albert fell passionately in love with his daughter. Albert's chosen one was called Elizabeth, like the famous Zizi, whom Emperor Franz Joseph also once met in Possenhofen. On October 2, 1900, wedding bells were already ringing in Munich.

Domestic policy

When Albert I, the third king of the Belgians, took the royal oath and assumed his duties on December 23, 1909, he found domestic politics still in a previously explosive situation due to disagreements and violent disputes. On the one hand, it seemed that the ill-fated dispute about schools could finally be concluded. On the other hand, the opposition sharply strengthened its demand for universal and equal suffrage. Only the general strike of 1913 allowed this problem to be solved. The path to the introduction of universal and equal suffrage was opened.

Language controversy and cultural life

It seemed that the country would almost certainly enter a peaceful and conflict-free period in the near future, but then suddenly a problem arose again that Belgium would never be able to get rid of: the language dispute. If today, however, this dispute looks like a confrontation between two different mentalities or even nationalities, then at the time of its inception it was primarily about social issues. The wealthy Walloon bourgeoisie spoke, wrote and thought in French for centuries and had no intention of changing this world language to any of the many Flemish dialects. The Flemish peasants, workers and poor artisans thought differently, since their social progress was hampered by the fact that all paperwork in government institutions was conducted in a language alien to them. The left used this problem - which, by the way, was not at all so insoluble - to incite passions and inflame the class struggle. The conflict, which initially concerned a small minority, became a mass movement in the 20th century that brought the country to the brink of collapse again and again.
But the years before the First World War were not only an era of growing internal political conflict, but also a period of extraordinary revitalization of the cultural life of Belgium. The musical works of Cesar Franck, the exquisite mansions built by the architect Victor Orte, one of the creators of the Art Nouveau style, and the books of the playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck - all this has gained worldwide fame. And Queen Elizabeth, who herself played the violin for two hours every day, did her best to promote the young figures of Belgian art.

Belgium during the First World War

The cultural flourishing of Belgium and the dispute between parties over the official language were all immediately interrupted and faded into the background at the same time as shots were fired on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, taking the lives of the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife. For a month the conflict was still smoldering, then a devastating war broke out. King Albert's fiery appeal to Emperor William II on August 1, 1914 - calling for respect for Belgium's neutrality - sounded in vain. German strategy adhered firmly to the plan formulated back in 1905 by the Chief of the German General Staff, Albert von Schlieffen, and named after him. According to this plan, it was necessary to defeat France with a quick, lightning-fast attack, so that Germany could then concentrate all its forces for an attack to the east, against Russia.
On August 4, 1914, the German army, without the slightest regard for Belgium's declared neutrality, invaded its borders. Dressed in military uniform, Albert I made a speech to parliament that same day: “I believe in our destiny. A country that defends itself deserves everyone’s respect: this country will not perish!”
Despite Albert's excited call to fight for the freedom of his country, the Germans conquered almost all of Belgium within a few weeks. Due to their significant military superiority, their victory at this stage was not unexpected. From the very beginning, the only question for the Belgians was how to slow down the German advance. And this was achieved not least thanks to the extremely prudent military actions taken by the Belgian commander-in-chief, King Albert I.

Ambitious plans of a small country

As, unfortunately, often happens, a nation’s just desire to assert itself easily turns into nationalistic rapture and expansionist rage. The fact that Belgium demanded to annex significant territories of the Rhineland and transfer to it the colonies of the German Empire in Africa could still be understood in the light of what the country suffered during the war. The memory of the insidious and merciless German offensive across Belgium in 1914 and the annexationist plans of megalomaniacal German nationalists was too fresh. But what prompted some Belgian politicians to demand territorial concessions from the Netherlands, which were completely uninvolved in German expansion and the ruin of Belgium? This mistake will still come back to haunt the Belgians. For the ditches that have existed between the two neighboring countries since their division in 1830-1831 will immediately become much deeper. Twenty years later, it was this miscalculation that would serve as one of the main reasons for Belgium’s foreign policy isolation on the eve of World War II.
Belgium's ambitious plans had already collapsed due to the distrust of Great Britain and France, who did not want their small partner to immediately become too arrogant. All that Belgium managed to gain for itself from German possessions during the peace treaty of 1919 was a narrow border strip of land with the Eupen and Malmedy districts, as well as former German colonies: the small African kingdoms of Rwanda and Burundi.

King in the background

As befits a king in a parliamentary state, Albert I no longer took much part in all these diplomatic tricks. Perhaps the last king-commander in history, who during the war was the undisputed leader of his people, now, after the conclusion of peace, chose, if possible, to retire into his private life. Most of all, he loved outdoor physical activities: sports, gardening or mountain climbing in the Ardennes.
Albert's political activities were limited to the framework prescribed to him by the constitution. His remit was to represent the state at official festivities, consult confidentially on various issues with ministers, and carefully influence public processes through infrequent public appearances. But, perhaps, in this less visible and less public role, he was no less valuable and useful for his country than before. In essence, the victorious king returned to a divided country.

Collaborationist cooperation of the Flemings with the German occupiers

Flemish prejudice against the dominant Walloons in Belgium made itself felt in various ways during the First World War. Most shocking from a national point of view was the treacherous collaboration of the separatist-minded Flemings with the Germans who occupied Belgian soil. Under German patronage, these people created the so-called “Council of Flanders,” which in November 1917 declared the Belgian government overthrown, and the following month proclaimed the autonomy of Flanders.

However, the betrayal committed both in relation to the king and in relation to the state outraged the vast majority of ordinary Flemings. Their protest took exclusively patriotic forms. The officers, mostly French-speaking Walloons, always seemed to have an ideological closeness here with the Flemish separatists from the German-occupied zone. The leaders of the initially quite loyal “Front Movement” were pushed out of the political arena into an “out of the game” position, which, naturally, sharply turned them against the government.

Power, however, was not in the hands of the king, power was in parliament, and the parliamentary legislative machine very slowly gained momentum and began to move. Only in the 1930s was a law finally formulated and finally adopted on the absolute equality of the Flemish language in the spheres of administration, justice and the army.

Who “Despite his tall stature and masterful handling of a horse... who did not like pompous ceremonies, looked embarrassed and absent-minded in this company. He was then thirty-five years old, and he had been on the throne for a little over a year. Later, when he became known to the world as a symbol of heroism and tragedy, he had almost the same absent-minded look, as if he were mentally elsewhere."

At birth, nothing foreshadowed the royal crown for him. (By the way, how similar to Nicholas I - also no chance of the throne by birth, but once you got there - it was better than many who were preparing from the cradle did). The youngest son of King Leopold II's younger brother, Albert was born on April 8, 1875 and grew up first under the supervision of a Swiss mentor, and then received a military education. The son of Leopold II died early, and in 1891 his nephew Baudouin, Albert's elder brother, also died, leaving Albert at the age of sixteen as the only heir to the throne. The old king, who had a hard time with the death of his son and Baudouin, to whom he transferred his fatherly love, at first did not pay attention to Albert, calling him a “sealed envelope.”

But inside the “envelope” hid the energy that was characteristic of two great contemporaries - Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, although in other respects he was not at all like them. He was, perhaps, more inclined to introspection, while they paid all their attention to the world around them. And yet he was somewhat like Theodore Roosevelt - their tastes, if not temperament, coincided in many ways: love of nature, passion for sports, horse riding, mountaineering, interest in the natural sciences and ideas of environmental protection that were not widespread at that time. Albert, like Roosevelt, literally “devoured” books, reading at least two every day in any field - literature, military science, medicine, politics, aviation. He drove a motorcycle and could pilot an airplane (and this was at the beginning of the 20th century). He had a special passion for mountaineering, traveling incognito almost throughout Europe. As a direct heir, he traveled to Africa to gain first-hand knowledge of colonial problems. He studied military affairs, the coal mines of the Borinage, or the “Red Country” of the Ballons with equal zeal.

In 1900, he married the Bavarian Princess Elisabeth (1876-1965), daughter of Duke Karl Theodor, who treated eye diseases at a Munich hospital, and the Portuguese Infanta Maria Josepha. Mutual love, three children, an exemplary family life - all this was in sharp contrast to the behavior of the former ruler, and therefore, when in December 1909 he assumed the throne after the death of King Leopold II, to everyone's joy and relief, this served as one of the reasons for the growth of its popularity.

Albert I with his bride, Elizabeth of Bavaria. This means the photograph dates back to around 1900.

1910 First year on the throne.

With children - Leopold (1901), Karl (1903) and Marie-José (1906).

The new king and queen, as before, did not care about pomp, accepted whoever they wanted, loved to travel, remaining indifferent to dangers, etiquette and criticism. This royal couple stood closer not to the bourgeoisie, but, perhaps, to bohemia. Elizabeth was a highly educated woman, involved in arts and charitable affairs. When she appeared with her wonderful smile and affectionate greeting to all those who were in her path, the Belgians could not help but admire her. Having become queen, Elizabeth did not change her habits. Emile Verhaeren, the famous Belgian Symbolist poet, continued to dine with them as easily as before. The Queen won the love of the Belgians primarily because she showed sincere sympathy for all those who suffer. When she learned that the beloved artist in Belgium, Eugene Larmans, who had already lost his hearing in childhood, was suffering from an eye disease, she herself went to him and said that her father was a knowledgeable ophthalmologist and, if necessary, she would ask him to come. Thanks to her care, the famous artist regained his sight and was able to take up painting again.

Theo van Rysselberghe's painting "Verhaeren reads his poems" (read it, maybe they will make the same impression on you as on their contemporaries).

The Queen loved art and was a true connoisseur of it. She did not miss a single exhibition, often came unexpectedly and bought paintings. She was an excellent pianist and sculptor. Studying the life of birds, she wrote the book “Songbirds of Laeken”. When the World Exhibition was held in Brussels in 1910 and a salon of Belgian literature was set up there, the queen and the king examined it for a long time, and the writers could make sure that many of their works had been read by the royal couple.
It must be said that, starting with Leopold I, all Belgian sovereigns attached exceptionally great importance to art as a necessary condition for the prosperity of the nation. Under Leopold I and Louise Maria (Albert's grandfather and grandmother, respectively), the royal collection consisted of more than five hundred works of painting, graphics, sculpture, expensive furniture, silver and porcelain tableware. Under Leopold II, this collection was significantly expanded, and Leopold II provided special patronage to Belgian artists, buying their paintings at annual exhibitions in Brussels. Albert I and Queen Elizabeth also made a major contribution to the replenishment of the royal collection. In 1977, the royal collection was acquired by the state, and since then it has become available to the general public.

Elizabeth organized summer holidays for sick and poor children and every summer she sent more than 300 children to the seashore, whom she constantly visited and brought them gifts. She established free distribution of milk to children in the country, hospitals and sanatoriums for the treatment of tuberculosis patients.

Painting by an unknown artist Albert I and George V receiving a parade.

Shortly after the shooting in Sarajevo, on August 3, 1914, Albert informed Wilhelm II of the country's neutrality. However, German troops violated Belgium's neutrality and invaded its territory - the Schlieffen plan envisaged covering the left flank of France's defense. Albert became, according to Article 68 of the Constitution, commander-in-chief of the Belgian army. The chief of staff was General Sallier de Moranville. Belgium put up fierce resistance to the troops of the Kaiser's Germany, which were ten times larger than the Belgian army. Little Belgium, preparing to celebrate the centenary of its statehood, dared to challenge the military might of Germany. The Belgian government declared its determination to repel with all means at its disposal any attack on the country's independence. On July 29, 1914, Albert decided to draft 3 age groups of reservists into the army. On the evening of July 31, he announced a general mobilization. With the outbreak of war, in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution, he assumed the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Belgian Army. The total number of the army was 117 thousand people. with 312 guns, and with garrisons of fortresses - 175 thousand people.

Judging by this photograph (knowing the height of Nicholas II and George), one can estimate Albert’s height to be about 180 centimeters. Quite decent for those times.

The center of the front of the German offensive was in the impenetrable Ardennes forests, but the right flank could advance along the plains of Flanders, with their numerous roads. Therefore, the 1st and 2nd armies had to sweep away the defenses of Albert’s army with their forces, many times superior to the Belgian ones, and get from the north to France. So, in principle, this is what happened, all this took less than 5 days, but then Albert made a decision that still causes controversy among both military men and historians. His troops did not join the French and the British expeditionary force, but retreated north to the fortress region of Antwerp. On the one hand, they avoided participating in the huge meat grinder known to us as the “Battle of the Marne”, but on the other hand, they did not give up the entire territory of the country, retaining its northern part for all the years of the war and became a not too serious, but insoluble problem of the German General Staff Since they occupied the port of Antwerp, and the forces of the Entente countries dominated the sea, everything could be expected from those places. And the Germans waited. Only from the Battle of the Marne the small forces of the Belgians were pulled back by 2 corps, which, it seems, almost did not fight, but also did not take part in the battle, which decided the outcome of the initial stage of the First World War. Perhaps it was precisely these two corps, about 60,000 people, busy trying to break the resistance of the remnants of the Belgian army led by Albert who did not want to surrender, that were not enough for Moltke to capture Paris back in September 1914 and, thereby, end the war in his own right. benefit back in 1914

On the night of August 4, German troops crossed the border into Belgium without declaring war. On the 4th, Albert made a brief speech to both houses of parliament, in particular, saying: “... I called you, gentlemen, together, so that the legislative body of the country would be imbued with the same feeling as the whole people - the feeling "the inevitability of victims. ... I believe in our destiny. A country that stands up for its own defense can evoke nothing but universal respect, and such a country cannot perish." By the evening of August 5, the attackers approached the front line of the Liege fortress. However, the first attacks were repulsed, and Fort Chartreuse was surrendered only on the outskirts. On August 18, the army retreated beyond Dil. At the same time, due to strong enemy pressure and the threat to cut off the army from Antwerp, Albert gave the order to withdraw to Antwerp, and on the 20th the army took up defensive positions near Antwerp. After the retreat, Albert retained command of the Belgian army, which came under French command and occupied the Yser front by October. (By this time the army consisted of 6.5 weak infantry and 1 cavalry divisions). But on October 22, German troops crossed the Iser. This made a grave impression on Albert, who began to lean toward the decision to withdraw the Belgian army. However, General (future Field Marshal of France) Ferdinand Foch managed to convince Albert to continue his resistance. On October 25, it was decided to flood the low-lying bank of the Isère with water by opening the floodgates. By October 31, the flood had spread to 12 km, 5 km wide and 1.2 m deep, and military operations in the area had ceased. The area became practically impassable for the beginning of the 20th century, which made it possible to defend with the available forces for 4 long years.

The glory of the “soldier king” and “knight king” in all Entente countries, including Russia, was enormous. English writers and poets published a collection, “The Book of King Albert,” dedicated to the king and people of Belgium; this book was soon translated into Russian. After the war, Albert continued to be considered a national hero. Russian Emperor Nicholas II awarded him the Order of St. in November 1914. George 3rd degree.

By the beginning of 1915, the Belgian army was located on the northern wing of the Allied army, above Ypres. During the autumn operation in Artois (September-October 1915), Albert's army was entrusted with carrying out a diversionary attack in the Dix-Mude area, with the goal of facilitating the advance of the French strike force. By April 1917, the Belgian army consisted of 6 infantry. and 2 cavalry. divisions. Her task was to defend the front sector from Neuport to Ypres and, thus, she did not leave the territory of her country throughout the war. By the beginning of 1918, the army, after giving it a number of French units, was brought to 12 infantry and 1 cavalry divisions and occupied the area from the coast to the area north of Ypres. Before the general offensive of the Allies in early September 1918, Army Group Flanders was deployed in the sector between the coast and Lys under the command of Albert (the actual command of the French chief of staff, General J. Deguttepe), and by November 11, 1918, the attackers reached the approaches to Antwerp and Brussels, and On November 22, Albert solemnly entered Brussels. Under the terms of the Compiegne Armistice, Germany evacuated the territory of Belgium within 2 weeks.

Postcard from 1916 with the autographs of the royal couple.

When the war began, Elizabeth remained first in Brussels and then in Antwerp until the last minute, taking care of refugees, visiting hospitals, ambulance trains, patiently enduring the long retreat of the Belgian army to the Yser. On a small piece of land not occupied by the Germans, in a simple villa, the queen set up a hospital, which she called “Ocean”. She worked in this hospital, dressing the wounds of Belgian soldiers and officers. In these difficult moments of her life, when she had to live for four years in the front line, she felt, despite her Bavarian origin, primarily Belgian.

Several post-war photographs

At the opening ceremony of the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp.

With Elizabeth at a reception with the Pope

With the heir, the future Leopold III, but for now simply the Count of Flanders. The heir served as a private in the 12th Infantry Regiment.

With King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III

On February 17, 1934, during another ascent in the mountains, near Marche-les-Dames, the third Belgian king Albert, being 59 years old, fell off the belay while climbing a rocky ledge.

A cross erected at the site where the body of Albert I was found on the morning of February 17. The king, apparently, made a solo night ascent. The circumstances under which he fell are still unknown.


A photograph from those times marks the place from where the King of Belgium supposedly escaped that night.


What this place looked like then.

And what it looks like now.

The current, more successful followers of Albert.

Among those who expressed condolences to the royal family was an old friend of Albert and Elizabeth, who shared their tastes in classical music (their extensive correspondence on this subject has been preserved in French) named... Albert Einstein.
On February 20th he wrote to Elizabeth:
"...Your Honorable Majesty.
Sometimes it seems that in these years, filled with evil, fate itself intended to destroy everything that is valuable to humanity and serves its good. Not often in my life have I been so saddened as this time, when I learned of the blow that has destroyed your happy life and caused irreparable damage to the cause of those few who are trying to stop Europe's slide into darkness. The king’s life was interrupted in the prime of his life, in the bosom of his beloved nature, with which he now united. For the Belgian people and for all of Europe, the loss of their clear and unbiased understanding of things is truly irreparable. And I understand how people feel who have witnessed how what they dearly love becomes a property of the irrevocable past. But I also know that for strong natures (to which you belong), the ability to serve intangible things and, in particular, the ability to devote oneself to art, fills life with joy, which, to a certain extent, makes the merciless blows of blind fate powerless. As I already told you, I share your grief with all my heart and shake your hand. Yours, A. Einstein. February 20, 1934."

A little over a year later, another misfortune befell the royal family - on August 29, Queen Astrid, whom her subjects, judging by the memoirs of contemporaries, simply adored, crashed in a car in Switzerland. But that's a completely different story...

Einstein was not wrong. Queen Elizabeth had a long life ahead of her, and much of it was devoted to art. Until her last days, she led an active lifestyle. Her name is associated with the holding of the International Competitions for violinists (since 1937) and pianists (since 1938) named after Eugene Ysaye in Brussels. Since 1951, competitions named after Queen Elizabeth have been held in Brussels. She spent the Second World War, like the first, in her homeland, but in occupied territory. Queen Elizabeth died on November 23, 1965.

Tomb of Albert I and Queen Elizabeth in the Church of Our Lady, Laeken.

Monuments of grateful Belgians (not all)


which, however, does not prevent them from drawing cartoons of their beloved king.

Well, a little movie

He was not born to take the throne. The youngest son of King Leopold II's younger brother, Albert was born on April 8, 1875 and grew up under the supervision of a Swiss mentor. The son of Leopold II died early, and in 1891 his nephew Baudouey, Albert's elder brother, also died, leaving Albert at the age of sixteen as the only heir to the throne. The old king, who had a hard time with the death of his son and Boduzna, to whom he transferred his fatherly love, at first did not pay attention to Albert, calling him a “sealed envelope.”

But inside the “envelope” lay enormous energy, which was characteristic of two great contemporaries - Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, although in other respects he did not at all resemble them. He was more prone to introspection, while they paid all their attention to the world around them. And yet he was somewhat like Theodore Roosevelt - their tastes, if not temperament, coincided in many ways: love of nature, passion for sports, horseback riding, mountaineering, interest in natural sciences and environmental issues. Albert, like Roosevelt, literally “devoured” books, reading at least two every day in any field - literature, military science, medicine, colonialism, aviation. He drove a motorcycle and could pilot an airplane. He had a special passion for mountaineering, traveling incognito almost throughout Europe. As a direct heir, he traveled to Africa to gain first-hand knowledge of colonial problems. He studied military affairs, the coal mines of the Borinage, or the “Red Country” of the Ballons with equal zeal.

In 1900, he married the Bavarian Princess Elisabeth (1876-1965), daughter of Duke Karl Theodor, who treated eye diseases at a Munich hospital, and the Portuguese Infanta Maria Josepha. Mutual love, three children, an exemplary family life - all this was in sharp contrast to the behavior of the former ruler, and therefore, when in December 1909 he assumed the throne after the death of King Leopold II, to everyone's joy and relief, this served as one of the reasons for the growth of its popularity.

The new king and queen, as before, did not care about pomp, accepted whoever they wanted, loved to travel, remaining indifferent to dangers, etiquette and criticism. This royal couple stood closer not to the bourgeoisie, but, perhaps, to bohemia. Elizabeth was a highly educated woman, involved in arts and charitable affairs. When she appeared with her wonderful smile and affectionate greeting to all those who were in her path, the Belgians could not help but admire her. Having become queen, Elizabeth did not change her habits. Emil Verhaeren continued to dine with them as easily as before. The Queen won the love of the Belgians primarily because she showed sincere sympathy for all those who suffer. When she learned that the beloved artist in Belgium, Eugene Larmans, who had already lost his hearing in childhood, was suffering from an eye disease, she herself went to him and said that her father was a knowledgeable ophthalmologist and, if necessary, she would ask him to come. Thanks to her care, the famous artist regained his sight and was able to take up painting again.

The Queen loved art and was a true connoisseur of it. She did not miss a single exhibition, often came unexpectedly and bought paintings. She was an excellent pianist and sculptor. Studying the life of birds, she wrote the book “Songbirds of Laeken”. When the World Exhibition was held in Brussels in 1910 and a salon of Belgian literature was set up there, the queen and the king examined it for a long time, and the writers could make sure that many of their works had been read by the royal couple.

It must be said that, starting with Leopold I, all Belgian sovereigns attached exceptionally great importance to art as a necessary condition for the prosperity of the nation. Under Leopold I and Louise Maria, the royal collection consisted of more than five hundred works of painting, graphics, sculpture, expensive furniture, silver and porcelain tableware. Under Leopold II, this collection was significantly expanded, and Leopold II provided special patronage to Belgian artists, buying their paintings at annual exhibitions in Brussels. Albert I and Queen Elizabeth* also made a major contribution to the replenishment of the royal collection. In 1977, the royal collection was acquired by the state, and since then it has become available to the general public.

Elizabeth organized summer holidays for sick and poor children and every summer she sent more than 300 children to the seashore, whom she constantly visited and brought them gifts. She established free distribution of milk to children in the country, hospitals and sanatoriums for the treatment of tuberculosis patients.

During the First World War, Belgium put up fierce resistance to the troops of the Kaiser's Germany, which were ten times larger than the Belgian army. Little Belgium dared to challenge powerful Germany. The Belgian government declared its determination to repel with all means at its disposal any attack on the country's independence.

*La Dynastie et la Culture en Belgique. Anvers, 1990. P. 25-30, 165-170.

When the war began, Elizabeth remained first in Brussels and then in Antwerp until the last minute, taking care of refugees, visiting hospitals, ambulance trains, patiently enduring the long retreat of the Belgian army to the Yser. On a small piece of land not occupied by the Germans, in a simple villa, the queen set up a hospital, which she called “Ocean” *. She worked in this hospital, dressing the wounds of Belgian soldiers and officers. In these difficult moments of her life, when she had to live for four years in the front-line zone, she felt, despite her Bavarian origin, primarily Belgian.

On February 17, 1934, during another ascent in the mountains, near Marchlet-Dame, the life of an extraordinary personality, a talented person, like the third Belgian King Albert, was tragically cut short.

Queen Elizabeth had a long life ahead of her. Until her last days, she led an active lifestyle. Her name is associated with the holding of the International Competitions for violinists (since 1937) and pianists (since 1938) named after Eugene Ysaye in Brussels. Since 1951, competitions named after Queen Elizabeth have been held in Brussels. In 1928 and 1959 the queen visited the Congo, where two cities bore her name (Elizabethville and Elisabeth). During the Second World War, she was alone in Lackey Castle. Queen Elizabeth died on November 23, 1965.

*Albert et Elisabeth, 1914-1918. Bruxelles, 1984. P. 89; Les carnels de guerre d "Albert l-er, roi des belges. Bruxelles, 1953. P. 197.