Leopardi
GIACOMO, COUNT (lāō-par'-dē), an Italian poet; born in Recanati, Tuscany, Italy, June 29, 1798.
His family, though noble, was poor. Before he was 18 he had produced a Latin translation of Porphyrius's "Life of Plotinus"; a treatise on "Some Roman Rhetoricians" of the 2d century, and a "History of Astronomy," both in Latin; and "Essay on the Popular Errors of the LEOPOLD cated by the Jesuits. At the age of 15 he was crowned King of Hungary, in the following year King of Bohemia , and was elected emperor in 1658. His long reign of 49 years is marked by many events of European importance, but Leopold, personally, had little influence. There were wars with Sweden, with Turkey, with Hungary, and three with France, and the peace of Oliva, the peace of Nimeguen, the League of Augsburg, the Grand Alliance, the peace of Ryswick, and the peace of Carlowitz.
The severities exercised by the emperor occasioned the junction of the Hungarians with the Turks, in 1683, and the besieging of Vienna. It was on this occasion that John Sobieski, the heroic King of Poland, interposed, won a great victory over the Turks, and saved the empire, for which Leopold gave him very cold thanks. Sobieski withdrew his army, declaring he would still fight the Turks, but never the insurgent Hungarians. Leopold then adopted more severe and merciless measures in Hungary. The war of the Spanish Succession began in 1701, and while it was still going on Leopold died in 1705.
LEOPOLD II., emperor; the second son of Francis I. and Maria Theresa; born in 1747. He became grand-duke of Tuscany in 1765, and his government was marked by wisdom and moderation.
He succeeded his brother Joseph in the Austrian hereditary dominions in 1790, and the same year was chosen emperor. chosen emperor .
The Netherlands were in revolt, disaffection was growing to insurrection in Hungary and Bohemia, and the principal states of Europe were unfriendly. By wise measures he established tranquillity, recovered the Netherlands, and pleased his subjects. The French Revolution made fresh and greater difficulties. In 1791 he concluded the treaty of Pilnitz with the King of Prussia and died in March, 1792.
Rob LEOPOLD I., King of the Belgians; born in Coburg, Dec. 16, 1790. After Ancients," in Italian, citing over 400 receiving an excellent literary and scienauthors. His subsequent works were: "Ode to Italy" (1818); "Ode on the Monument to Dante" (1819) ; "Brutus the the Younger" (1823), an ode; "Verses," a collection of his miscellaneous poems (1826) ; "Moral Opuscules" (1827), "The Broom-Flower," "Sylvia," and "The Night Song," are his most celebrated poems. He left unpublished at his death a volume of "Thoughts." He died in Naples, June 14, 1837.
LEOPOLD I., Emperor of Germany, son of Ferdinand III., born in 1640.
Destined for the Church, he was edutific education, he became a general in the Russian army, and was present at the battles of Lützen, Bautzen, and Leipsic. While on a visit to England after the peace of 1815 he won the affections of the Princess Charlotte, the heiress of the throne, married her, and was naturalized by act of Parliament in 1816.
The princess died in 1817; and Leopold 12 years later married morganatically Caroline Bauer. He received in February, 1830, the offer of the crown of Greece, but declined it. In June , 1831, he was elected King of the Belgians. As a monarch he conducted himself with Vol. V-Cyc-DD age of 15 Jungary, in hemis, and Oliva, the you of Augs the peace o the empero the Bangarwon a grea id saved th ergent Hun dopted mor res in Hur nish Succes while it wa 1705. the secon ria Theresa rand-duke lons in 179 tranquilli y of Piln e Belgian 1790. At and eci general , and Le he affecti Was BEL and Leop ganatic June, 1 manded achieve tle Cerv became LEPA having planted ovezia spiral which les of flow food. Th morphosis ing here hatched begin to largely zepea they to th most brig the sphins during the of somber two sub-on only two (1) Rhods anoths 50,000 the office break of th iar party morse, and at Rome at The latter, ex maxim Jarbonese oined Ant nemy to the rst triumv Coman wor Avius, Aut gain consu ward un LEOPOLD great prudence, firmness, and moderation. He died Dec. 10, 1865.
LEOPOLD II., King of the Belgians; son of the preceding; born April 9, 1835.
He was married in 1853 to Marie, Archwas married in 1853 to Marie, Archduchess of Austria (born 1836), the daughter of Archduke Joseph of Austria.
LEOPOLD II. OF BELGIUM He early manifested an interest in Africa and in 1885 he became sovereign of the KONGO FREE STATE (q. v.) He died Dec. 10, 1909.