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Princess Louise of Belgium

Laeken, 18 Feb 1858 – Wiesbaden, 1 Mar 1924

9 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 18 Feb 1858

    Born in Laeken

  2. 1 Mar 1924

    Dies in Wiesbaden, aged 66

Family

See the tree

Parents

During her lifetime

She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Laeken.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1850s · Princess is born in Laeken

In the news1851

First Belgian banknotes introduced

The National Bank of Belgium issued its first banknotes in 1851, changing how people handled money.

What people wore

Black became the standard rural color

During the second half of the 19th century, black became the dominant color for everyday clothing in the Flemish countryside, replacing the colorful styles of previous eras. Typical daily attire for rural men included trousers, vests, smocks, and hats, while women wore skirts, aprons, blouses, and shawls.

Getting around

Punctual Canal Boat Travel

Canal barges were slow, typically moving at 3 to 4 km per hour, but they were remarkably punctual, as skippers followed a strict schedule and did not wait for latecomers.

The Crimean War. Britain, France and the Ottomans fought Russia in Crimea; Florence Nightingale’s nurses changed how the wounded were cared for.In Europe · 1853–1856

The Crimean War. Britain, France and the Ottomans fought Russia in Crimea; Florence Nightingale’s nurses changed how the wounded were cared for.

William Simpson, artist (1823-1899) E[dmond]. Morin, lithographer (1824 - 1882), · public domain

In the news1845–1850

Flemish potato blight and subsistence crisis

In 1845, potato blight caused devastating harvest losses of up to 95% in Flanders, triggering a severe subsistence crisis that lasted until 1850.

Music

Fashionable dance: The Troïka

Around 1850, a dance figure known as the Troïka—a type of Schottische—became very fashionable, involving dancers performing polka steps in large circles.

Daily life

Children ruling the household for a day

On the children's festival day, Allerkinderendag, children were permitted to rule the household, tease servants, and even tell the cook what to prepare for dinner. They could also wear their parents' clothes and walk from door to door.