Person

Baudouin of Belgium

1930–1993 · 20th century · Also known as King Baudouin

Baudouin was King of the Belgians from 1951 to 1993, succeeding his father Leopold III, who abdicated after the Royal Question. His reign saw the independence of the Belgian Congo in 1960 and the transformation of Belgium into a federal state. In 1990 he was briefly declared unable to reign so that a law liberalising abortion could pass without his signature. He was succeeded by his brother Albert II.

Baudouin of Belgium
Image: Anefo · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Great speeches

Lumumba's Independence Day Speech30 June 1960
Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Baudouin of Belgium. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/baudouin-of-belgium
MLA
“Baudouin of Belgium.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/baudouin-of-belgium. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Baudouin of Belgium.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/baudouin-of-belgium.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Baudouin of Belgium’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/baudouin-of-belgium (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻