the Illustrious: "But the authentic history of Molk commences apparently in the sixteenth century, when the Markgraf Leopold I, surnamed the Illustrious, made it his residence after wresting it from the power of the Hungarians. This valiant prince founded here a kloster, and was here interred after his murder at Wurzburg. . . ." (Descent of the Danube: 235)
born Leopold Georg Christian von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha
le Leopich (by wife Louise d'Orleans): " . . . While writing she always wept. It was her 'hour of tears.' Stockmar told his master that he did not think the 'scribomania' was healthy, but Leopold, whom she called 'le Leopich' in her letters, could not persuade her to give up the habit." (A Throne in Brussels: 55)
Mister Softly-Softly (Fr. Monsieur Doucement): " . . . This procrastination even earned him the nicknames 'le Marquis peu-a-peu' and 'Monsiuer Doucement' (Mister Softly-Softly) by the Regent, who seemed rather amused by the matter." (A Throne in Brussels: 15)
the Handsomest of All Europe (by Napoleon): "Born in December 1790, Prince Leopold had been declared by Napoleon the handsomest man who had ever entered his Palace of the Tuileries. Unfortunately, he was quite impoverished, with an allowance of only 300 pounds a year. The eighth child of Prince Francis of Saxe-Coburg, the son and heir of the reigning duke, he was as handsome and aspiring as the rest of his family, the greatest fortune hunters on the Continent. As Bismarck, the Prussian chancellor, later declared, the Coburg family was 'the stud farm of Europe.' They had to be: The territory of Coburg was barely four hundred square miles, or one and a half times the Isle of Wight, and contained only fifty thousand inhabitants. By the time of Leopold's birth, the family were so poor they could not afford to live in the ducal palace. In 1772, they had declared themselves bankrupt, with debts of a million thalers and an income of only seventy thousand. The emperor had to rescue them all. Luckily, the children proved handsome and resourceful, and charmed or married their way out of their backwater. Leopold's brother was in favor with the king of Prussia, and one sister, Victoire, for whom he would later conjure great plans, was married to the Prince of Leiningen. Another, Julia, married the Grand Duke Constantine, brother of the Russian tsar. His brother Ferdinand later wed Antonia de Kohary, only daughter of Prince Kohary and the richest heiress in the Austrian Empire. . . ." (Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte: 90)
--"Leopold was the youngest son of Francis, duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After serving with the allied armies against Napoleon, he became a figure of note at military assemblies in Paris in 1815, where he sought a dynastic marriage that would best promote his own interests. In 1816 he succeeded in persuading the Prince Regent to accept him as a husband for his only daughter. But the prince disliked his son-in-law, finding his manner irritatingly ingratiating. Disdaining Leopold's cautiousness and indecision, he nicknamed him the Marquis Peu-a-Peu ('the marquis little-by-little"). Others could not conceal their animosity, either' the diarist Creevy called Leopold a 'humbug' and the society hostess Princess Lieven found him tiresome." (Queen Victoria: 243)
the Nestor of Europe: "He was a most cultured man and a great reader, and did his utmost during his reign to encourage art, science and education. His judgment was universally respected by contemporary sovereigns and statesmen, and he was frequently spoken of as 'the Nestor of Europe.'" (NNDB-Leopold I)
the Uncle of Europe: "Leopold's wide family connections earned him the nickname 'Uncle of Europe.'" (Encyclopedia of World Biography) [Ref1] [Ref2]
Turkenpoeldel: " . . . Music loving and extremely ugly emperor who gained his nickname (Turkenpoeldel) from his successful defense of Vienna against the Turks." (Conway)
the Hogmouth: "He possessed a more extreme example of the Habsburg jaw which is evident from his portraits which depict it rather consistently. On his coins this feature is depicted less consistently ranging from a slight protrusion to the extremely pronounced distended jaw which led to the nickname: Leopold the Hogmouth." (Cache Coins)
the Good.
the Fair
Cleopold ( by the press): "Leopold II of Belgium, whose coat of arms still decorate the VS-O-E 'wagons-lits,' was an original supporter of the Nagelmackers. In 1876, King Leopold traveled in his royal carriage with his mistress, the dancer Cleo de Merode, with her private boudoir car in tow. The press called him 'Cleopold' because of his indiscretion." (Orange Coast Magazine:79)
King Leopold by the Boulevards
--". . . . Within days of making his marriage vows to his Austrian wife, Marie Henrietta Leopold, he was sleeping with a famous actress, Aimee Desclee. In an attempt to justify his behavior he sportingly put it about that he had caught his wife sleeping with the coachman. He went on to create a series of sex scandals, which earned him the nickname 'Le Roi des belges et des Belles.' Leopold scandalized his countrymen, as his father had done, by driving through the streets of Brussels with his mistresses in his royal carriage." (Royal Babylon: 268)
the Belgian Bull: " . . . Due to his many female lovers, he was also called 'The Belgian Bull'."
the Boulevard King:
--"The blackest stain on the reputation of the Saxe-Coburg dynasty was undoubtedly Queen Victoria's cousin Leopold II, King of the Belgians, a monstrous man who lived only for money, sex and power. . . Like every male member of the House of Saxe-Coburg, he was driven by ambition. This particular Coburg, however, was a megalomaniac, consumed by crazy colonial ambitions which were eventually to have him condemned by the whole world as 'the butcher of the Congo.'" (Royal Babylon: 263)
the Longest Reigning Belgian King.
the Enlightened Despot:
the King of Shepherds:
Furst Franz:
Vater Franz:
the Founder of Klosterneuburg:
the Good: "The memory of this holy man lived long after his death. The people called him 'Leopold the Good.' He was so popular an intercessor in Austria that eventually his sanctity was officially recognized by the Catholic Church. Pope Innocent VIII canonized him in 1485. . . ." (Augustinian Canons)
the Mild Margrave: "'The mild margrave' died during a hunting accident in 1136 and was buried in the church of the Augustinian canonry, the Nativity of Our Lady, where he was genuinely mourned by his people. For nearly 900 years St. Leopold has been honored and venerated in his native Austria. His feast day, November 15th, is still one of the most important celebrations at Stift Klosterneuburg and the annual pilgrimage, held on the Sunday preceding the feast day, still draws thousands." (Augustinian Canons)
the Patron of Canons:
the Valiant:
--"St. Leopold, Margrave of Austria, grandfather of Frederick Barbarossa, surnamed 'the Valiant' for his victory over the Hungarians (d.1136)." (Englebert: 435)
--"St. Leopold, Margrave of Austria, grandfather of Frederick Barbarossa, surnamed 'the Valiant' for his victory over the Hungarians (d.1136)." (Englebert: 435)
--"Meantime, several towns and villages, subject to Duke Leopold of Austria, had joined an alliance with the Swiss cities on account of the avarice and oppression of the agents of the duke, and also because he had imposed taxes, contrary to stipulations made, on the Swiss frontiers, which checked their commercial intercourse. Duke Leopold, surnamed the Brave, nephew of Leopold who was defeated at Morgarten, and equal to him in heroism, vowed he would chastise the whole of the inhabitants and destroy their offensive alliance. Accordingly, with a large force, he marched from Baden through Aargau by Sursee for Sempach, situated about ten miles from the city of Lucerne. On his arrival he found the confederates already occupying the heights, and ready to receive him. Unwilling to await the arrival of his foot-soldiers, and afraid that the cavalry would be thrown into confusion in a mountain engagement, he commanded all the nobles and knights to dismount, and, joining their ranks as closely as possible, he ordered them to rush forward and charge the confederates spear in hand. Baron Hasenberg, a veteran warrior, cautioned him by saying that 'pride never served any good purpose, and they had better wait for their infantry.' But he was only derided with the shout, 'Der Hasenberg hat ein Hasenherz!'---Hasenberg has a hare's heart! Some of the nobles tried to persuade Leopold to keep in the rear, but he exclaimed, impatiently, 'What! shall Leopold be a mere looker-on, and calmly behold his knights die around him in his own cause? Never! here on my native soil with you I will conquer or perish for my people!' Saying which, he placed himself at the head of his troops. The mountaineers numbered about fourteen hundred men, from Lucerne and Waldstadten and other forest towns. This small force of brave men, seeing the duke and his knights dismount, fell on their knees to pray, as was their custom before an encounter, and then rushed upon the impregnable phalanx of shields; but not a man yielded to the shock. It was then that a knight of Unterwalden---Arnold von Winkelried---exclaimed, 'I will open a path to freedom; protect, dear comrades, my wife and children.' He then rushed forward, and, gathering in his arms as many lances as he could grasp, buried them in his bosom. Taking advantage of the gap thus made, the Swiss followed, and the enemy's ranks were broken. Duke Leopold and six hundred nobles were slain, and more than two thousand common soldiers. The conquerors founded masses for the souls of those who fell, foes as well as friends, and they are celebrated even now on the anniversary of the battle, which is a popular festival. A small chapel was erected on the spot where Leopold fell, and the names of the killed, both Austrians and Swiss, were inscribed on the walls, which also bear a rude fresco representation of the noble devotion of Arnold of Winkelried. . . ." (History of the German Emperors and Their Contemporaries: 172)
the Big:
the Courtly: " . . . He was surnamed the Big, from the height of his stature and the largeness of his person, and the Courtly, from the elegance of his manners, and his polite deportment. He was a great patron of learning, and is distinguished in the annals of the times for his particular attention and complacency to men of letters."(History of the House of Austria: 145)
the Fat:
the Magnificent:
the Brave
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