Leopold II

A notorious Belgian monarch was Leopold II. He acquired his own land in Congo in 1885 during the Berlin Conference, which divided Africa among the European powers. He became known as one of the most brutal dictators in modern history.

Right from the start, he was just interested in making as much money as possible out of his large colony. In addition, he was well known for using slave labor from the Congo while pretending to be Belgian. To keep the Congolese in check, the employees were made to work in mines, gather ivory for export, and endure assault.

If that wasn't enough, he gave orders for his own army to massacre rebellious rebels and burn down their communities. Millions of Congolese people, including children, were maimed, slaughtered, or succumbed to sickness during his rule.

In Congo, he is accountable for the deaths of roughly ten million people. Things quickly became out of control, and in 1908 he was forced to turn the colony over to the Belgian state.

Born: April 9, 1835

Died: December 17, 1909

Country: Belgium