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 356 LEOPOLD I. (BELGIUM) LEOPOLD II. (TUSCANY) his age, and a series of liberal reforms had made it almost a model of a monarchical state, when the death of his brother Joseph II. in 1790 call- ed him to the greater cares of the vast Austrian dominions and soon after of the German em- pire. Joseph's violent reforms and ambition had given rise to disaffection in almost all his provinces, a revolution in Belgium, a similar movement in Hungary, a dangerous war with Turkey, and menaces of another on the part of Prussia, seconded by Holland and England ; while the gathering revolutionary tempest in France threatened not only all Leopold's mo- narchical interests, but also the personal safety of his sister Marie Antoinette. He hastened to make terms with Frederick William II. at Reichenbach (July 27, 1790), was unanimously elected German emperor, pacified Hungary by taking the royal oath to observe strictly the constitution, restored all their ancient privi- leges to the Belgians, gave Tuscany to his son Ferdinand, concluded a peace with Turkey at Sistova (Aug. 4, 1Y91), concerted with Fred- erick William Augustus of Saxony, and others, at Pilnitz, preliminary measures for meeting the aggressions of the French revolution, and finally made a formal alliance with Prussia (February, 1792), when he died suddenly of dysentery. Of his 16 children, his eldest son Francis succeeded him on the throne of Aus- tria, as well as in the German empire, being the last of its elective rulers. His correspon- dence with Francis II. and the empress Catha- rine was edited by Adolf Beer (1874). LEOPOLD I. (GEOEGES CHBETIEN FEEDEEIC), king of the Belgians, born in Coburg, Dec. 16, 1790, died at Laeken, near Brussels, Dec. 10, 1865. He was a son of Duke Francis of Saxe- Coburg-Saalfeld, received a brilliant education, entered the military service of Russia, and in 1808 accompanied the emperor Alexander I. to Erfurt with the rank of general. Compelled by the influence of Napoleon in 1810 to relin- quish his position in the army of the czar, lie devoted himself to the interests of Saxe-Coburg. In February, 1813, he rejoined the emperor Alexander, and took an active part in the bat- tles of Ltitzen, Bautzen, and Leipsic. In 1814 he accompanied the allied sovereigns to Eng- land, where he made the acquaintance of the princess Charlotte, whom he married, May 2, 1816; she died in November, 1817, after hav- ing been delivered of a still-born child. On occasion of this marriage Leopold was raised to the rank of a British field marshal, became a member of the privy council, was created duke of Kendal, and a pension of 50,000 was con- ferred upon him. After the death of his wife he resided at London, and chiefly in his palace of Claremont. Early in 1830 the crown of Greece was offered to him, which he finally re- fused, after having accepted it upon conditions which were not complied with. In June, 1831, he was elected king of the Belgians, and as- cended the throne on July 21. In 1832 he married the accomplished daughter of Louis Philippe, the princess Louise, who died Oct. 11, 1850. She bore him three children: 1, Leopold, who succeeded his father as king of the Belgians; 2, Philippe, count of Flan- ders and lieutenant general of the army, born March 24, 1837 ; 3, Marie Charlotte, born June 7, 1840, married on July 27, 1857, to the archduke Maximilian of Austria, afterward emperor of Mexico. (See MAXIMILIAN.) Al- though his private fortune was much impair- ed by the sequestration of his second wife's property, included in Louis Napoleon's con- fiscation of the Orleans estates in 1852, he was one of the richest men in Europe, and was thought parsimonious. He passed most of his time during the latter years of his life in re- tirement with his family at his country seat of Laeken, or upon his extensive domain of Ar- denne near Dinant, and was opposed to all pomp or ostentation at his court. King Leo- pold displayed much ability in the discharge of his duties as a constitutional sovereign in the domestic affairs of Belgium, as well as in the relations with foreign countries. On the out- break of the French revolution of 1848 he offered to retire if such was the wish of the people, which had the effect of increasing his popularity. He also showed much tact in his relations with the French emperor, while his conciliatory disposition and his comprehensive statesmanship, as well as his family connections with most of the European dynasties, enabled him on several occasions to act as mediator in times of political complication. His relation with the English court was peculiarly intimate, owing to his first marriage with Princess Char- lotte, and his relationship with Prince Albert and Victoria, of whom he was the uncle, her mother the duchess of Kent being his sister. LEOPOLD II. (Louis PHILIPPE MAEIE Vio- TOE), king of the Belgians, son of the preceding and of Louise, daughter of Louis Philippe, king of the French, born at Brussels, April 9, 1835. As prince he bore the title of duke of Brabant. On Aug. 22, 1853, he married Marie Henriette, daughter of the late Archduke Joseph of Aus- tria, palatine of Hungary. Of this union the surviving offspring is three daughters, a son, born in 1859, having died in 1869. He was a member of the Belgian senate, travelled ex- tensively, and on the .death of his father suc- ceeded to the throne, Dec. 10, 1865. In the administration of the government he has con- tinued the policy of his father, and is very popular among his people. LEOPOLD II., grand duke of Tuscany and archduke of Austria, born Oct. 3, 1797, died in Bohemia, Jan. 29, 1870. He was a son of the grand duke Ferdinand III. and a nephew of the emperor Francis I. of Austria. He suc- ceeded his father June 18, 1824, and became the most liberal among the rulers of Italy, granting a constitution to his duchy in 1847, and even relinquishing in 1848 his title of archduke and joining in the warfare against Austria, but yet without giving full satisfaction to the Tuscans.