Editing Monarchy of Belgium (section)

==Origins==
{{Main|History of Belgium}}
When Belgium gained independence from the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands]] in 1830, the [[National Congress of Belgium|National Congress]] chose a [[constitutional monarchy]] as the [[form of government]]. The Congress voted on the question on 22 November 1830, supporting monarchy by 174 votes to 13. In February 1831, the Congress nominated [[Prince Louis, Duke of Nemours|Louis, Duke of Nemours]], the son of the [[July Monarchy|French]] king [[Louis-Philippe of France|Louis-Philippe]], but international considerations deterred Louis-Philippe from accepting the honour for his son.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Following this refusal, the National Congress appointed [[Erasme Louis Surlet de Chokier|Erasme-Louis, Baron Surlet de Chokier]] to be the [[Regent]] of Belgium on 25 February 1831. [[Leopold I of Belgium|Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]], since 1826 also called ''Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha'', was designated as King of the Belgians by the National Congress and swore allegiance to the [[Constitution of Belgium|Belgian constitution]] in front of the [[Church of St. James on Coudenberg]] in [[Brussels]] on 21 July.<ref name=History>{{cite web| title=History| url=http://www.monarchie.be/history| publisher=Monarchy of Belgium| access-date=2016-03-22}}</ref> This day has since become a [[Belgian National Day|national holiday]] for Belgium and its citizens.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Belgian Federal Government |title=National Day and feast days of Communities and Regions |url=https://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/country/belgium_in_nutshell/symbols/national_holiday |access-date=4 December 2023}}</ref>