BAUDOUIN (Baudouin)

(1930-1993)
(roi des Belges), eldest son of King Leopold III. Born Sept. 7, 1930, received education at home, . being with his father Leopold III, first in military captivity in Belgium (1940-1944), . then after Germany and the Austrian captivity (March-May 1944) in exile in Switzerland (1944-1950), . where he studied at private schools, . including the Geneva College,
. After the abdication of Leopold III from the throne July 17, 1951, Prince Baudouin, of age, was proclaimed King of the Belgians. In December 1960 he married the daughter of a noble Spanish grandee Fabiola de Mora, and AragцЁn, their marriage was childless,
. During the reign of Baudouin Belgium has repeatedly faced with serious problems, . but due to political compromise and far-sighted policy of the king and the government managed to successfully carry out the decolonization of the Belgian territories in Africa and the reform of the political-administrative structure of the Belgian, . prevent the collapse of the country and creating a federal state, . in which the legal basis there are now three autonomous regions - Flanders, . Wallonia and Brussels - and three language communities - French, . Netherlands (Flemish) and germanoyazychnoe,
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Baudouin sought to alienate the monarchy from politics and assume the role of impartial mediator between the warring linguistic communities and the friction between them often led to the downfall of the coalition government. In 1990, . not wanting to aggravate relations with the Catholic Church, . he said, . that for religious reasons can not support the law, . permitting abortion, then with the consent of the Belgian Government has accepted the resignation of the King (one day), . and Cabinet, . assuming full power, . approved law,
. Such a solution to prevent a conflict with the Vatican. Baudouin died in Motril (Spain) July 31, 1993. Throne took his brother Albert II.