Vogel, Georg Friedrich: Leopold I of Belgium (1790–1865)
Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, third-born son of a German princeling, aspired to greater things. His initial career in the Russian military and in the diplomatic services for the Duchy of Coburg was successful, but his next ambitions failed. Thus, the prospect of becoming a British Prince Consort remained unfulfilled due to the premature death of his wife Charlotte. Leopold himself rejected the second option of becoming King of Greece. Finally, in 1831 he was elected King of Belgium. Elected by the Belgian people, King Leopold I presided over a constitutional monarchy and founded a new dynasty that still exists today.