The following lists events that happened during 1885 in the Kingdom of Belgium.
Incumbents Monarch: Leopold II Prime Minister: Auguste Marie François Beernaert"In Memoriam", American Journal of International Law, 7 (1913), pp. 371-374. On Internet Archive.
Events
Belgian State Railways Type 6 steam locomotive taken into use. 26 February – Conclusion of the Berlin Conference granting sovereignty over the Congo Basin to Leopold II. 6 April – Inaugural meeting of the Belgian Labour Party held in Brussels. 30 April – Leopold II receives parliamentary authorisation to assume sovereignty over the Congo Basin 2 May – World Exhibition in Antwerp opens (to 2 November) 1 August – Congo Free State established
Publications Periodicals Bulletin du Musée royal d'histoire naturelle de Belgique, vol. 3.
Books Karl Baedeker, Belgium and Holland: Handbook for Travellers Joseph Van den Gheyn, Essais de mythologie et de philologie comparée
Art and architecture
Paintings Fernand Khnopff, Portrait of Jeanne Kéfer Constantin Meunier, The Potato Diggers Théo van Rysselberghe, Portrait of Octave Maus
Sculptures Thomas Vinçotte, The Horse Tamer (Brussels)
Births 29 January – Raoul Van Overstraeten, general (died 1977) 29 June – Camille Clifford, actress (died 1971) 17 November – Henri De Man, politician (died 1953)
Deaths
27 May – Charles Rogier (born 1800), politician 20 August – Édouard Agneessens (born 1842), painter 9 October – Joseph Geefs (born 1808), sculptor
References