Albert I of Belgium

Albert I became king of Belgium upon the death of his uncle Leopold II. He inherited a country with deep social tensions and a controversial colonial legacy in the Congo.

Germany invaded neutral Belgium on August 4, 1914, as part of the Schlieffen Plan. Albert I, as commander-in-chief, led the Belgian army in resistance, delaying the German advance and earning international respect.

Albert I ordered the opening of the Yser sluice gates, flooding the Yser plain to halt the German advance. This tactical flooding created a stable front line in West Flanders, where the Belgian army held out for the rest of the war.

Albert I established his headquarters at De Panne, the only unoccupied corner of Belgium. He refused to leave Belgian soil, commanding the army from the front lines and maintaining Belgian sovereignty throughout the war.

After World War I, Albert I oversaw Belgium's reconstruction. He supported universal male suffrage (1919), the introduction of Flemish language rights, and social reforms, helping to heal the country's linguistic and social divisions.

Albert I died in a climbing accident at Marche-les-Dames in the Ardennes. His death shocked Belgium and Europe, as he was widely respected for his wartime leadership and personal integrity.