Editing Leopold I of Belgium (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Schloss Ehrenburg 1900.jpg|left|thumb|[[Ehrenburg Palace]] in [[Coburg]], where Leopold was born in 1790, pictured {{circa|1900}}]]
Leopold was born at [[Ehrenburg Palace]] in [[Coburg]] in the small German duchy of [[Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]] in modern-day [[Bavaria]] on 16 December 1790.{{sfn|Monarchie website}} He was the eighth child and youngest son of [[Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]], and [[Countess Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf]].{{sfn|Huberty|1976|p=471}} In 1826, Saxe-Coburg had acquired the city of [[Gotha]] from the neighbouring Duchy of [[Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg]] and gave up [[Saalfeld]] to [[Saxe-Meiningen]], becoming [[Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]. The dynasty of this name was therefore founded by Leopold's eldest brother, [[Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]], the father of [[Albert, Prince Consort of the United Kingdom]]. Leopold was baptised on 17 December 1790, with his baptismal name remaining the same as his birth name, in honour of [[Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor]].{{sfn|Huberty|1976|p=485}} Leopold's paternal grandmother, [[Princess Sophie Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]], often assisted in parenting duties and signalled that he was her favourite grandson.{{sfn|Huberty|1976|p=455}}

From 1797, Leopold was tutored by Charles-Theodore Hoflender, a graduate of the [[University of Jena]] and a professor in Coburg. Leopold, under Hoflender, studied Biblical history, Christianity, mathematics and languages, including Greek, Latin and Russian.{{sfn|Defrance|2004|p=17}} In 1799, Leopold and his siblings also became tutored by Johann Philipp Hohnbaum, who specialised in teaching physical education and in teaching history of Great Britain, the Holy Roman Empire and Saxony.{{sfn|Puraye|1973|p=46}} Hohnbaum cited that Leopold was fascinated by history and conflicts such as the [[Thirty Years War]].<ref name="Arts">{{Cite book|language=en|title=Repository of Arts, Literature and Fashion|volume=VII|location=Londres|year=1816|page=37}}.</ref> Lutheran pastor Gottlieb Scheler also taught Leopold [[catechism]]. Historian Olivier Defrance wrote that Scheler's teaching of [[Pietism]] had a lasting influence on Leopold.{{sfn|Defrance|2004|p=17}} From 1804, aged thirteen, Leopold kept a diary and learnt English, French and Italian.{{sfn|Kirchen|1998|p=38}} Leopold often heard stories of military experience from his great-uncle, [[Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]],{{sfn|Defrance|2004|p=18}} and inherited his father's passion for pigeon racing and floriculture.<ref name="Arts"/>