On This Day

Inauguration of King Willem I of the Netherlands in Brussels

William II (Dutch: Willem II, French: Guillaume II; 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg.

William II (Dutch: Willem II, French: Guillaume II; 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg. He reigned for nearly nine years, making him the shortest-reigning monarch in Dutch history.

William II was the son of William I and Wilhelmine of Prussia. When his father, who up to that time ruled as sovereign prince, proclaimed himself king in 1815, he became Prince of Orange as heir apparent of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. With the abdication of his father on 7 October 1840, William II became king. During his reign, the Netherlands became a parliamentary democracy with the new new constitution of 1848. William II was married to Anna Pavlovna of Russia, with whom he had five children.

Historical Significance

William II (Dutch: Willem II, French: Guillaume II; 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg.

Events Before

  1. Field Marshal Blücher's troops cross the Rhine at Kaub

    Field Marshal Blücher's troops cross the Rhine at Kaub

  2. Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F major premieres in Vienna

    Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist.

  3. Napoléon Bonaparte abdicates unconditionally and is exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean

    Napoléon Bonaparte abdicates unconditionally and is exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean

  4. King Ferdinand VII of Spain signs the Decree of the 4th of May, returning Spain to absolutism

    King Ferdinand VII of Spain signs the Decree of the 4th of May, returning Spain to absolutism

  5. English engineer George Stephenson introduces his first steam locomotive, a traveling engine designed for hauling coal o

    English engineer George Stephenson introduces his first steam locomotive, a traveling engine designed for hauling coal on the Killingworth wagonway, named Blücher

Events After

  1. Gioachino Rossini's comic opera "Barber of Seville" premieres at the Teatro Argentina in Rome, Italy

    The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution is an opera buffa (comic opera) in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini.

  2. Dutch (King) Willem II marries Russian grand-duchess Anna Paulowna

    Dutch (King) Willem II marries Russian grand-duchess Anna Paulowna

  3. Leading Romantic poet Lord Byron signs Deed of Separation dissolving his marriage with Lady Byron at her request after 1

    Leading Romantic poet Lord Byron signs Deed of Separation dissolving his marriage with Lady Byron at her request after 1 year of marriage

  4. Léopold (Léopold I)of Saxe-Coburg, 1st King of Belgium following independence from the Netherlands marries British Princ

    Léopold (Léopold I)of Saxe-Coburg, 1st King of Belgium following independence from the Netherlands marries British Princess Charlotte Augusta

  5. English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (24) marries 2nd wife writer "Frankenstein" Mary Godwin (19) and daughter of

    English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (24) marries 2nd wife writer "Frankenstein" Mary Godwin (19) and daughter of early feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft

More from the 1810s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 21, 1815?
William II (Dutch: Willem II, French: Guillaume II; 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg. He reigned for nearly nine years, making him the shortest-reigning monarch in Dutch history. William II was the son of William I and Wilhelmine of Prussia.
Why is Inauguration of King Willem I of the Netherlands in Brussels significant?
William II (Dutch: Willem II, French: Guillaume II; 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg.

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