CHARLOTTE

born Jan. 23, 1896, Chteau de Berg, Lux. died July 9, 1985, Chteau de Fischbach in full Charlotte Aldegonde lise Marie Wilhelmine grand duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964. Her constitutional reign saw the evolution of Luxembourg into a modern social-democratic state. The second daughter of Grand Duke William IV, Charlotte succeeded her sister Marie-Adlade, who abdicated in January 1919 after acquiring a pro-German reputation during World War I. Charlotte immediately called for a referendum, and in September three-quarters of the voters preferred her continued reign to a republic. Six weeks later she married Prince Flix of Bourbon-Parma (d. 1970). They had six children: Jean, lisabeth, Marie-Adlade, Marie-Gabrielle, Charles, and Alix. When Nazi Germany overran Luxembourg in May 1940, Charlotte fled with the government, settling in Montreal for the duration of the war. Her frequent radio messages of encouragement were never forgotten by a grateful people. In April 1961 she granted Prince Jean all of her ducal responsibilities in preparation for abdicating in November 1964. Charlotte's popular reign provided stability during a time of sweeping change. Luxembourg's constitution was twice rewritten (1919 and 1948), providing universal suffrage and abolishing the country's much-violated disarmed neutrality. Labour laws and social-security schemes were passed, and through the Benelux Economic Union, NATO, and the EEC, Luxembourg was integrated into post-World War II western Europe. During this time Charlotte's steadfast patriotism and democratic sympathies made her a symbol of Luxembourg's sovereignty and prosperity. city, seat (1774) of Mecklenburg county, in the Piedmont region, near the Catawba River, south central North Carolina, U.S. Settled c. 1750, it was incorporated in 1768 and named for Princess Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, later George III's queen. The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (May 20, 1775) was signed there, and is celebrated annually. Lord Cornwallis, occupying the town in 1780, received such hostile treatment he dubbed it the hornet's nest, now the city's official emblem. Until the California Gold Rush (1849), Charlotte was the centre of gold production in the U.S., and a mint was located there (183761 and 18671913). During the Civil War it was the site of a Confederate naval yard. A major wholesale distribution point for the Southeast and the Carolinas' biggest metropolis, Charlotte has diversified manufactures (textiles, machinery, metal, and food products). The first college in North Carolina, Queens College in Charlotte, was chartered in 1771 but was disallowed by English authorities. The present Queens College was chartered in 1857. Other educational institutions in the area include a branch of the University of North Carolina (1946), Johnson C. Smith University (1867), King's College (1901), and Central Piedmont Community College (1963). Presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk, born nearby, received their early schooling in Charlotte. The area's history during the American Revolution has inspired several novels, including Inglis Fletcher's Raleigh's Eden (1940) and Burke Davis' Ragged Ones (1951). Pop. (1990) city, 395,934; CharlotteGastoniaRock Hill MSA, 1,162,093.