Huwelijk van Leopold I, koning der Belgen en Louise van Orleans te Compiegne 1832

Laurent Joseph Hart created this medal to commemorate the marriage of Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, to Louise of Orléans. Cast in bronze, the medal depicts a royal crown above clasped hands, symbolizing the union of two powerful European families. Yet these symbols of unity mask a complex web of political strategy. Leopold, a German prince, was chosen as king in part to secure Belgium's newly formed monarchy and to assuage the European powers. Louise, daughter of the French King Louis-Philippe, brought a crucial alliance with France. The marriage was arranged, a dynastic alliance negotiated and sealed. We can only wonder about Louise's feelings on the matter. A Bourbon princess entering into an arranged marriage with a German Prince. What were her hopes, dreams and expectations? How did she reconcile her personal desires with her duty to her family and country? This medal therefore serves not just as a marker of a royal wedding, but as a potent emblem of power, negotiation, and the often-overlooked personal stories behind grand historical narratives.