belgium

A Look at the

Kingdom of Belgium

By Joseph Crisp II

Belgium is a fascinating country and one that has been defying conventional wisdom for almost as long as it has existed. Whether it is because Belgium lies in between the two dominant powers in Western Europe, France and Germany, or because the Belgian population is divided between the Dutch-speaking north and the French-speaking south, many reasonable people have been predicting the demise of Belgium for many years. Yet, Belgium has not only survived, but prospered in many ways. Starting out as a rebel province within the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, Belgium went on to become a major colonial power, survived cruel invasions and occupations in both World Wars and is now home to the government of the rapidly expanding European Union. In terms of prosperity, Belgium is a great success story.

That is not to say, though, that everything in Belgium has always been ideal. Although somewhat misunderstood, the story of Belgian colonialism is not a pleasant one. World War II also saw many Belgians fighting on the Axis as well as the Allied side. It is also a sad fact that this country which was once so intensely Catholic, and which sent missionaries around the world and provided some of the greatest champions of the Church in history has to a growing extent lost its faith and embraced secularism. Like all countries, Belgium has had her triumphs and her tragedies, her victories and her defeats. Her story is one which has a lot to teach us, with lessons of things to avoid as well as heroism to inspire us. These are the facts.

The Kingdom of Belgium is a democratic constitutional monarchy. The crown belongs to the people and the King is not allowed to wear it. The official title of the monarch is specifically "King of the Belgians" rather than "King of Belgium" since he is seen as the leader of a people, not of the country itself which belongs to the people rather than the king. Power is exercised by an elected Prime Minister. The Belgian constitution forbids the monarch to take any official action without the approval of his government and it is the government officials who are held responsible for the actions of the king. All bills must be signed by the King to become law, but most Belgians view their monarch as a moral leader rather than a political one.

The Belgians are a very educated people with a high standard of living. There is almost zero poverty or illiteracy and crime has traditionally been very low, though rates have gone up somewhat in recent years. The people are very civic-minded and all Belgians over the age of 18 are required by law to vote and do their part in the operation of their democracy. Major religions receive state funding, which are the Roman Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims. However, religion is nonetheless strictly a private affair in Belgium and religious marriages are not recognized until the couple also marry in a government office. Traditionally, Belgium has been a Catholic country with a minority of Protestants and Jews, though in recent years immigration from Africa and the Middle East has brought a growing number of Muslims to Belgium. Still, three-quarters of Belgians are at least nominal Catholics.

Belgium has an area of 11,784 square miles and a population of roughly ten million. There are rarely extreme temperatures. Northern Belgium, the area along the Dutch border, is known as Flanders. The population there speaks Flemish, a form of Dutch. The southern half of the country, Wallonia, is home to the French-speaking population. A minority of Belgians along the eastern border speak German, but most Belgians speak several languages, usually French, German, Dutch and English. The capital city of Brussels is in Flanders but most people there still speak French, though Brussels is also the area where most immigrants settle, so there are a variety of peoples there speaking any number of different languages. Other than a forty-mile stretch of coast along the North Sea, Belgium is landlocked, surrounded by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the south and France to the west.

Her location has been of vital importance in the history of Europe as we will see. Before the modern Kingdom of Belgium existed the country was a battlefield for various armies and belonged to numerous countries including Austria, France, Germany and Spain. Some of the greatest names in European history have left their mark on Belgium from Julius Caesar, Charlemagne, Emperor Charles V and Napoleon Bonaparte to name a few. The Catholic Church has also traditionally played a very important role in Belgian history and the Catholic faith of the country has been the driving force behind most of the great heroes and struggles of the Belgian people.

Godfrey de Bouillon

Probably topping the list is Godfrey de Bouillon, the Duke of Lower Lorraine who led the Christian forces to victory in the Holy Land during the First Crusade. He was an upright and humble crusader. When the Holy City of Jerusalem was finally taken in 1099 Godfrey was hailed as King. However, Godfrey refused the honor, saying that he could not wear a crown of gold in a city where Christ the King had worn a crown of thorns. It was his brother then who later became King Baldwin I of Jerusalem and the fact that a Belgian royal house ruled Jerusalem meant a great deal of prosperity for the Belgian merchants trading with the East. This made Belgium one of the wealthiest areas in Europe and resulted in a great deal of local autonomy. Always fiercely guarding their freedom, it was the Belgian city of Liege which was given one of the first charters of civil liberties in the world in 1066.

It was as part of the Kingdom of Burgundy that Belgium became part of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire in 1477 when Mary of Burgundy was wed to the future Emperor Maximilian of Austria. One of their descendants, born in Belgium, was the famous Holy Roman Emperor Charles V who ruled vast swathes of Central Europe as Hapsburg Emperor and also huge stretches of the Americas as King of Spain. It was Charles V who was the Catholic champion in the fight against the Protestant Revolt. Seeing a chance to increase their power, the Dutch House of Orange embraced Protestantism and led a rebellion against Spain in the Low Countries. Catholic forces were able to secure Belgium, which was more solidly Catholic than the north of the country, but ultimately the Low Countries were separated when the Dutch won their independence as the Republic of the United Netherlands. Belgium, however, remained in Hapsburg hands and was known as the Austrian Netherlands.

Flag of the Austrian Netherlands

Peace ensued for a time under Austrian rule, but that situation changed with the accession of the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. Known as one of the "Enlightened Despots" of Europe, Joseph II enacted many radical changes throughout his dominions. Some of these were good and beneficial, but others were aimed at centralizing power and suppressing certain aspects of the Catholic faith. For Belgium, which had a tradition of freedom and guaranteed rights as well as being intensely devoted to the Church, this was too much to tolerate. For the first time the Belgians revolted and for a short time declared the independence of the United States of Belgium. However, Austrian troops quickly managed to restore Hapsburg rule and after the situation had calmed down the Belgians acknowledged the Emperor's great-nephew Charles as their Grand Duke.

It was not long, however, before the French Revolution had a major impact on Belgium. France had ruled much of Belgium during part of the years of prosperity from 1741 to 1780 but Austrian rule was restored in the 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Yet, when the horrors of the French Revolution broke out, Belgium was soon engulfed in the overflow and the Belgians remained under French control throughout most of the Napoleonic era. This ended with the defeat of Napoleon by the Allied powers of Europe (in Belgium at Waterloo) and the Congress of Vienna in 1815 when Belgium was joined with Holland to form the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Dutch and Belgian unity was not to last very long however.

Belgian grievances against the Dutch were numerous and their differences seemed too great to form a lasting cooperation. The Belgians resented being ruled by the Dutch who dominated trade, profiting the Dutch merchants but hurting Belgium where industrialization was underway. The Dutch were also officially Protestant while Belgium remained devoutly Catholic. Dutch was the official language of the country although much of Belgium spoke French and the Belgians were underrepresented in government. The Catholic bishops opposed especially the policies of the Dutch King Willem I to control Church affairs but nonetheless preached moderation and loyal opposition. Yet, Dutch actions soon proved sufficient to unite all sections of the Belgian public against them and in 1830 the Belgians revolted.

The Belgian Revolution

The August 25 "Opera Riot" was the spark that ignited the conflict. The Belgians took control of Brussels and the King refused to listen to talk of a peaceful agreement, despite the endorsement of the Crown Prince. Street fighting ensued as a Dutch army under Prince Frederick tried to retake Brussels, but the effort failed and as the Dutch retreated north the Belgians took control of their country. On October 4 a Declaration of Independence was issued, but the Dutch were still determined to crush the rebellion. The Dutch had a respectable army under the Orange princes and defeated the Belgians in the opening engagements. However, the timely intervention of French troops under Marshal Etienne Gerard sent the Dutch reeling although King Willem I would continue to claim Belgium and make aggressive moves against the country for several more years before accepting reality.

On February 7, 1831 a constitution was formally adopted and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg was elected King Leopold I of the Belgians. Relations with the Netherlands were still tense, and it was not until 1839 that they recognized Belgian independence, but King Leopold, despite his weaknesses, proved to be a very capable monarch and statesman. Likewise, the Belgian constitution was so balanced and well written that it became a model for many other countries hoping to emulate the success of the Belgian government. The country soon gained a reputation for uniting so many people of diverse backgrounds into a common nation working together for success and prosperity. Much of the thanks goes to King Leopold I, an uncle of the famous Queen Victoria of Britain, whose enthronement on July 21, 1831 has become Belgian Independence Day.

The Belgian Empress of Mexico

The Kingdom of Belgium now began to grow in influence as a European power. Although a neutral country, Belgium took care to guard its neutrality and protect its interests. When the Belgian Princess Charlotte, the only daughter of King Leopold I, married Archduke Maximilian of Austria no one would have expected that the lovely young girl would one day become Empress of Mexico in 1864. This came about as a result of French intervention due to warfare, default on debts and persecution of the Church in Mexico. When Empress Carlota (as she was known in Mexico) and Emperor Maximilian came under attack by republican rebels a small but tough and hard fighting corps of Belgian troops were sent to Mexico to aid them. Ultimately though, it was a lost cause after French support was withdrawn and the story of the Belgian Empress of Mexico has become one of the great tragedies of history. When her beloved husband was killed Charlotte went mad with grief and lived in seclusion in Belgium until her death in 1927.

Nevertheless, the star of Belgium as a country continued to rise, especially after 1865 when King Leopold II ascended the throne. A hard, zealous man, Leopold II was committed to advancing the status of his country, making Belgium a player on the world stage and to the principle of armed neutrality. Although he too was a man with considerable faults, he nonetheless was successful in all of these undertakings. The country progressed so much the Belgians called Leopold II "the Builder King" due to the many projects he completed during his reign. He also oversaw the establishment of the Congo Free State, later known as the Belgian Congo, making the country a colonial power. With such a vast African territory, Belgium gained a ready source of raw materials for her industry. However, there was a good deal of scandal and controversy that came with the new territory too.

King Leopold II of the Belgians

Originally, the Congo Free State was the private property of Leopold II, making him the largest land owner in world history. However, since the Congo was roughly eighty times larger than Belgium itself, it was impossible for the King to manage on his own and as a result there were considerable abuses by the companies working on his property. Aided by the Force Publique, a combination police force and army of Congolese troops with European commanders, stories soon emerged of people being terrorized, treated like slaves and of horrible atrocities being carried out. It was a far cry from the mission to civilize and Christianize that Leopold II had talked about. The King sent a commission to investigate the situation and ultimately the government took over the administration of what then became the Belgian Congo as a formal colony and conditions improved.

One of the bright spots in the Belgian involvement in Africa was the work of the many missionaries done there. In fact, across the world Belgian priests gained a proud reputation for their service to the Catholic Church. When the Papal States came under attack by Italian liberals, Blessed Pope Pius IX made the Belgian Monsignor Xavier de Merode his Minister of War. A former soldier himself, Merode did admirable work overseeing the defense of the states of the Church and the formation of a Papal Army made up of Catholic volunteers from around the world, which of course also included many Belgian soldiers. The influence of Catholic Belgium was felt even on the other side of the world in the Hawaiian Islands. The first missionaries there were strict Protestants who converted many natives and abolished a great deal of local customs. The French ultimately forced the Hawaiians to allow religious freedom for Catholics but if there was one man who did more than any other in winning the people of Hawaii over to the Catholic Church it was the Belgian priest Father Joseph Damien de Vuester, a member of the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He faithfully served the leper colony at Molokai until his own death in 1888 after contracting leprosy in 1885.

Catholics in Belgium did not always have the best of times even after independence. The partnership between the liberal revolutionaries and the Catholics that brought about the break with Holland had always been rather uneasy. In 1847 conditions grew worse when the liberal government embarked on a strongly anti-Catholic program. In 1880 relations with the Holy See were suspended and there was no contact until 1884 when a more pro-Catholic government was elected to office which reestablished relations and gave the Church more of her traditional rights in the country. With the coming of the century of war, the faith of the Belgians was about to be tested as it never had before.

In Belgium, when King Leopold II died, he was succeeded by his nephew, King Albert I. His reign was to be one of the most difficult but heroic and inspiring periods in Belgian history. In 1914, when the First World War began to erupt, the Germans presented Belgium with an ultimatum; if they allowed German troops to march freely through their country to attack France they promised to compensate them for any damages and to respect Belgian sovereignty after the war. If they refused they would face invasion and occupation by the German army, the best and most heavily armed in the world. In what can only be called one of the most brave and heroic stands in history, the Belgians declared that they were a country, not a road and defiantly determined to resist the Germans no matter how hopeless the odds against them were.

The Soldier King, Albert I and General Gerard Leman

Belgium stood tall in the face of certain doom for the principles and independence of their country. If they allowed German forces to violate their territory, their sovereignty would mean nothing and to cooperate, even passively, with any attack on a neighboring country would be a betrayal of their status as a neutral power. As the massive German war machine descended on them, the gallant young King Albert I took command of the Belgian army, small, ill equipped and rather outdated, but brave and determined. The Germans had expected to meet no effective resistance, but the stubborn Belgian defense slowed their progress more than anyone thought possible.

The first set back was at the fortress city of Liege, which fell only after a hard and spirited fight by the very talented Belgian General Gerard Leman, who thus became the first Allied hero of the war. Ultimately, nothing could stop the German onslaught but the Belgians proved themselves worthy of their heroic reputation. Before the war, the Belgians themselves had only expected to be able to delay the German advance 24 hours at the most. The French urged them to hold for 48 hours while they prepared for the defense of their own country. However, to the surprise of everyone, especially the Germans, the Belgians held back the Teutonic tidal wave for 12 days. Pushed back onto a small corner of their country on the Yser around the city of Ypres, the Belgians finally stopped the German advance by flooding the countryside. King Albert, who had been instructed in warfare by General Leman, proved an effective commander and Germany never managed to totally conquer all of the small kingdom. The violation of Belgian neutrality was the official reason for the British entering the war and the Belgians played a key role stalling the Germans, throwing off their timetable, which eventually led to their defeat at the Marne. All the world stood amazed by the courage and heroism of "Brave Little Belgium".

Wartime Minister of State Emile Vandervelde wrote, "If there is one country that will command the love and admiration of posterity, that country is Belgium. But for the Homeric stand of King Albert's Army, veritably on the anvil of the German sledge hammer, the Kaiser's hordes might have succeeded in their cherished plan for the lightning execution of France." There was certainly reason to be proud and that had to sustain the Belgian people through a difficult time. The German occupation was a brutal experience. Although the worst tales of German atrocities were nothing more than Allied wartime propaganda, the actual facts were bad enough on their own as being occupied by an enemy army is never a pleasant experience. However, as long as King Albert and his army held on to just a small part of their country, the Belgians could be proud. Belgian forces also fought well in Africa where the fearsome Force Publique from the Belgian Congo under General Charles Baron Tombeur fought successfully against German East African forces along with the Allied offensive and conquered Ruanda-Urundi which was retained after the war.

In 1918, when World War I at last ended, the Belgians were given some German territory and immediately set about rebuilding their war torn country. In 1934 King Albert I died and was succeeded by his son, King Leopold III. When Adolf Hitler launched his invasion of Western Europe in World War II, Belgium was again a battlefield. Likewise, once again the Belgians resisted fiercely, holding out against the Nazi war machine for 18 days before being totally overrun. King Leopold III surrendered on May 28, 1940 but the Belgian cabinet fled to Britain and set up a government in exile. Some people criticized King Leopold for surrendering and not going into exile. However, Leopold III thought it his duty to stay with his people and do what he could during the occupation to make the best of a terrible situation.

King Leopold III and Belgian SS leader Leon Degrelle

Belgian troops fought with the Allies throughout World War II, in fact the Belgian Congo was the primary source of uranium for the United States which allowed the Allies to develop the atomic bomb before Hitler. However, some also fought alongside the Axis forces. The most well known of these was Leon Degrelle. Before the war he had been the leader of the Rexist Party, a conservative, Catholic nationalist party with corporatist aims and a rather Fascist style. When Hitler became dominant in Europe, the Rexists soon became more Nazi in style and Leon Degrelle cooperated with the Nazi occupation of Belgium. He joined the infamous S.S. and worked his way up to become commander of a Belgian S.S. unit fighting against the Communists in the invasion of Russia. He earned numerous battlefield honors as well as the status of traitor after the Allied victory. He escaped to Spain where he remained a defender of Hitler for the rest of his life.

In September of 1944, when Belgium was liberated, the exiled cabinet returned to Brussels. King Leopold III was taken to Germany and kept under arrest by the Nazi SS until American troops liberated him while Prince Charles, his brother, acted as regent in his absence. However, there was still a great deal of bad feeling toward the King, however unwarranted, because of his surrender and decision to stay in Belgium. Charges of treason were even leveled against him, but an official enquiry found these charges to be totally without justification. Nonetheless, Leopold III was unable to return to Belgium. The controversy continued and was taken up by the liberal and conservative factions in the country. In 1950 a referendum was held in which the majority voted in favor of the return of King Leopold III. However, the minority who opposed him was unwilling to submit to this exercise in democracy and continued to attack the king. When violent protests marked his return to the country Leopold III decided it was in the best interests of his people, national unity and the monarchy to abdicate the throne, which he did on July 16, 1951 passing the throne to his son who became King Baudouin.

King Baudouin of the Belgians

The reign of King Baudouin was to be more peaceful than his predecessors, but no less eventful. Here was a case of a devout Christian reigning over a nation that was rapidly losing its faith and on the road to secularization. At the age of only 20, King Baudouin would be the one to lead his people in the new world that emerged after World War II. One of the first and most dramatic after effects of the war was the collapse of the many European colonial empires that covered Africa and Asia. It was no different for Belgium and throughout the 1950's nationalism had been growing in the Belgian Congo along with increased agitation for independence. Internal strife increased and the Belgian government eventually decided to withdraw from the Congo. On June 30, 1960 King Baudouin traveled to Africa himself to officially proclaim the independence of the Congolese. Later that year, on December 15, 1960 King Baudouin married Fabiola Fernanda Maria de las Victorias Antonia Adelaida de Mora y Aragón, a nurse from Spain. The couple never had any children as all pregnancies ended in miscarriage, but the two were very devoted to each other and to their people.

If there was one thing though that defined King Baudouin more than anything else it was his devout Catholic faith, and even as the "sexual revolution" of the 1960's swept the world, he remained steadfast. In fact, there had been some concern at the start of his reign that he would abdicate in order to become a priest, but there was a real fear that having two kings in a row abdicate the monarchy might be weakened and his sense of duty prevailed upon him to carry on. Leo Cardinal Suenens introduced the King to the emerging Catholic charismatic movement, which the King embraced wholeheartedly. He also made frequent pilgrimages throughout his reign.

However, his greatest test came in 1990 when a movement to legalize abortion reached its apex. The bill had the support of the majority in government, but all bills required royal assent to become law. As a popular, constitutional monarchy, this had always been seen as a mere formality, but King Baudouin shocked the nation when he announced that his Catholic principles would not permit him to sign into law a bill that would legalize the killing of unborn children. Belgium seemed destined for a political uproar and constitutional crisis, but a loophole was found by the politicians in a law which stated that the government itself could act as head of state if the King was unable to reign. So, on April 4, 1990 the sitting government declared King Baudouin unable to reign, assumed his duties and signed the bill into law without him. Of course, knowing how popular the King was the government quickly declared him fit to reign again the very next day. Despite the brave stand of the king, Belgium was firmly on the road to secularization.

King Baudouin died after 42 years on the throne on July 31, 1993 with the throne passing to his brother, the present monarch, King Albert II of the Belgians. During his reign Belgium has become more central to European life, but has also lost much of its traditional values. Belgium has become the headquarters of the European Union which, while having great potential, has eroded the sovereignty of the member nations and consistently refused to even acknowledge the Christian heritage of Europe. Church leaders in Belgium have also been alarmed by the growing number of Belgians, even theologians, who dissent from Church teaching and regularly dismiss the Pope and the hierarchy on matters they disagree with. In effect, a Protestant mentality has taken hold which says that no matter what the Pope and the bishops decide, it is still the individual who can determine what is right and wrong.

Further, even many clerics and Catholic institutions have openly disregarded papal rulings and Church teaching. A Catholic hospital in Belgium continued in vitro fertilization therapy even after the Vatican had objected to the practice. Many laws against pornography have been lifted in recent years. Prostitution is legal in Belgium and there has been a push in recent years to follow the lead of the Netherlands in legalizing narcotics. Euthanasia and gay marriage are also legal in Belgium. The primate of Belgium, Godfried Cardinal Danneels has also caused concern within the Church by saying publicly that he sees no problem with condoms being used to prevent AIDS and has spoken against the exclusion of homosexuals as well as complaining about the Church being too male dominant. He has also called for less centralization in the Church, spoken favorably of the effects of the French Revolution on Christianity and suggested that abdication should become more acceptable for aging and ailing pontiffs. All of this points to the increasing secularization of Belgium, which sadly is very normal across Europe.

Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium

The leaders behind this movement have also most recently begun to take steps to ensure that no one in government will be in a position to even protest their agenda. This effort has focused on Crown Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, the eldest son and heir of King Albert II. Prince Philippe, who is a qualified airborne soldier and commando with the rank of major general and rear admiral in the Belgian army and navy, has been targeted by those who wish to see the Belgian monarchy stripped of any role in government. This is mostly because of fears among the liberal secularists that Prince Philippe might be more like his uncle Baudouin than his father Albert II who has made few waves on the throne. Prince Philippe has spoken out against many of the trends in modern Belgian society and expressed his support for traditional, Catholic values. This led many liberals to call for him to be removed from the succession and replaced by a prince with more liberal opinions. Recently however, the government has tested support among the political parties for totally removing the monarch from any role in government so that by the time Philippe becomes King of the Belgians he will be unable to influence politics in anyway whatsoever.

Looking back, the Kingdom of Belgium is one of those countries with a presence far bigger than its actual territory. Officially, it has only existed since the 19th Century and yet it has been a region on the cutting edge of Europe since the Middle Ages. It is a nation that has had the misfortune to be at the crossroads of the most powerful empires in the world, yet it has gallantly stood up to even the mightiest without backing down. From Juan Banul, the Belgian blacksmith who helped build the Alamo in Texas, to Monsignor Xavier de Merode who marshaled the faithful to defend the Papal States, the Belgian Princess who became Empress of Mexico and across to Father Damien helping the lepers in Hawaii the influence of this small country has been felt all around the world. For a time, the Belgian royal family, the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, reigned over part of Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria and the British Empire and ever since the formation of the country it has been the Belgian monarchy, more than anything else, which has united the country divided between the Flemish and Walloons into a stable and prosperous kingdom.

Today, quite apart from her Catholic roots, Belgium is a leader in moving toward a totally secular "United States of Europe" with a public that increasingly ignores the Church and a monarchy slowly becoming purely symbolic. However, with such a proud history to look back on, the situation can always change as future generations of Belgians remember the humble and heroic Godfrey de Bouillon, the gallant King Albert or the determined General Leman who held off the German army at Liege for 12 grueling days. With such examples to follow, there is always the possibility that more Belgians will look back at their accomplishments and decide that the morals, values and freedoms of their Catholic history and constitutional monarchy are worth fighting for and are the true keys to success and greatness.