King Leopold II of Belgium was not just the king of Belgium but also the sole owner of the Congo Free State. The vast territory, larger than all of Western Europe at the time, was his personal property. He ruled it with absolute authority. Leopold's legacy in Congo is tied to the deaths of around 15 million people. He forced locals to hunt elephants for ivory and to harvest rubber. Those who failed to meet quotas had their hands cut off, and those who tried to escape had their feet severed. Even after the atrocities were exposed in the West, the violence in Congo continued. The country was ravaged, with its people exploited, and its resources plundered for Belgium’s benefit.
Africa and Belgium: The History of Colonialism
