After Belgium asserted its independence from Holland on Oct 4, 1830, the Belgian national Congress, considered several candidates and eventually asked Leopold of Saxe-Coburg to become king of the newly formed country. He accepted and swore allegiance to the constitution in front of the Saint Jacob's Church at Coudenbergh Place in Brussels on Jul 21, 1831.Less than two weeks later, the Netherlands invaded Belgium. Skirmishes continued for eight years, but in 1839 the two countries signed the Treaty of London, establishing Belgium's independence.
Belgium was the first country in Europe to enjoy rapid economic growth through industrialization. The country further led the continent in the expansion of railways, engineering and coal mining. In the last half century, independent Belgium prospered as a modern, technologically advanced state and also a member of NATO and the EU. Today Belgium is one of the most advanced and affluent commercial and industrial nations in the European continent as well as in the world. 
(foto : Belga)