Published to commemorate 175 years of bilateral relations between Belgium and Romania. This booklet covers the period 1838-1916 and focuses on the formation phase of both nation states and their early diplomatic engagement. This small publication examines the development of Romanian-Belgian relations from the establishment of first diplomatic contacts in 1838 up to 1916. It analyses political, economic, diplomatic, cultural and scientific interactions between both countries within the broader context of 19th-century European nation-state formation. The publication is part of a commemorative series documenting the evolution of bilateral relations between Belgium and Romania across three historical periods. Philippe Beke is a Belgian diplomat and ambassador involved in cultural diplomacy and bilateral cooperation initiatives between Belgium and Romania. The publication was produced under the auspices of the Belgian Embassy in Bucharest in collaboration with Romanian academic and cultural institutions. It forms part of an official commemorative research project on 175 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.