ABSTRACT

As the year 1831 dawned, Belgium was searching rather desperately for a King. In Belgium, however, the move again provoked strong opposition, particularly among the French-speaking Walloons. In retrospect, Leopold seems to have felt that he would have been better off in Greece, but he applied himself conscientiously to his responsibilities in Belgium. Several years before the Dutch were to recognise Belgian independence, but Leopold was secure and proceeded to consolidate his rule. During Leopold's reign, Belgium made considerable economic progress. Leopold safeguarded the country's neutrality and avoided the revolutions that took place elsewhere in Europe around the middle of the century. Leopold's solution was to try to transform Belgium into a colonial power. He had seen while in Britain the power, wealth and status that accrued to a nation with a colonial empire, and he was very conscious that the Netherlands had, to its considerable advantage, taken its colonies with it when it was separated from Belgium.