Page 243 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

gr and duch y of l uxembourg  241

Luxembourg City’s vast fortress at the peak of its formidable glory around 1858
Empire. The mighty fortress of the states agreed to guarantee until 1964. During her reign,
Luxembourg City was garrisoned Luxembourg’s independence neutral Luxembourg was again
by the Prussians. and neutrality. The Prussians left overrun by the Germans, and in
After the Belgian Revolution Luxembourg City and their for- 1942 was formally annexed to
in 1830, William I lost control of tress was dismantled. In the last Germany. Conscription, forced
Belgium; this included, under decades of the 19th century, labour and other oppression
the 1839 Treaty of London, the Luxembourg began to prosper inspired a determined
French-speaking, western by exploiting its high-quality campaign of resistance. In
(Belgian) half of Luxembourg. steel, produced in the south the bitter winter of 1944–5,
He retained the eastern part, of the country. Luxembourg was the scene
and the Grand Duchy now of the devastating Ardennes
assumed its modern shape. The Offensive (see p235).
Dutch kings William (Guillaume) Autonomy and
I, II and III remained grand dukes Occupation
of Luxembourg until 1890. The In 1890, William III died without Founder of the EU
collapse of the Germanic a male heir. In the Netherlands, Luxembourg is a keen advocate
Confederation in 1867 led to an his daughter Wilhelmina could of international cooperation.
international crisis over Prussia’s succeed, but in Luxembourg, In 1950, it formed part of the
claim to Luxembourg, but war under the ancient Salic Law of Benelux Customs Union and
was averted by the Second the Franks, women were not in 1957, it was one of the six
Treaty of London, under which allowed to inherit the throne. founding nations of the
Instead, a relative, Duke European Economic Community,
Adolphe of Nassau-Weilburg, which evolved into the European
became grand duke, founding Union. Today, Luxembourg City
the present dynastic line. Salic is the location for various EU
Law was abandoned by his son, institutions, including the
William IV, who passed on the European Court of Justice and
title to his eldest daughter the European Court of Auditors.
Marie-Adélaïde, who became In 1964, Grand Duchess
Grand Duchess in 1912. Despite Charlotte abdicated in favour
its neutral status, Luxembourg of her son Jean, who had
was invaded and occupied by married Princess Joséphine-
the Germans during World War Charlotte of Belgium, thus
I. After the end of the war, in linking the two nations. In
1919, Marie-Adélaïde abdicated 2000, Grand Duke Jean in
European leaders at the Congress of Vienna in favour of her sister Charlotte, turn abdicated in favour of
on 9 June 1815 who ruled as Grand Duchess his son Henri.

1714 Luxembourg is 2000 Grand Duke Henri
1618–48 The assigned to Austria 1940–45 Germany succeeds his father
Thirty Years’ War occupies
1839 The Grand Duchy Luxembourg a 2006 Musée d’Art Moderne
attains its current size second time Grand-Duc Jean opens
1460 1600 1740 1880 2020
1684–97 Louis XIV of 1815–40 The Grand 1957 Luxembourg is one of
France rules the Duchy; 1795–1814 Duchy is ruled by the founder nations of the EEC
Vauban fortifies Luxembourg is William I, King of
Luxembourg City ruled by the Netherlands 1914–18 Germany
Revolutionary France occupies Luxembourg Grand Duke Henri

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