Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold II of Belgium, born on April 9, 1835, in Brussels, was the second king of the Belgians, reigning from 1865 until his death in 1909. His tenure of forty-four years marks the longest reign of any Belgian monarch to date. As the eldest surviving son of King Leopold I and Queen Louise, he ascended to the throne following his father's passing. Notably, Leopold died without any legitimate sons, and the current king, Philippe, is a descendant of his nephew, Albert I.

Leopold is often referred to as the Builder King due to his extensive commissioning of buildings, urban projects, and public works throughout Belgium. However, his legacy is marred by his role as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State, a personal colonial venture that lasted from 1885 to 1908. He employed Henry Morton Stanley to help him claim the Congo, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and his claim was legitimized at the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885.

Despite never visiting the Congo, Leopold governed the territory through the mercenary Force Publique, exploiting its resources for personal gain. His administration was notorious for its brutality, characterized by forced labor, torture, and murder. The Indigenous population suffered immensely under his rule, particularly during the rubber boom of the 1890s, which led to widespread human rights abuses. Estimates suggest that the Congolese population may have declined by between one million and fifteen million due to violence, famine, and disease exacerbated by his regime.

Leopold's actions in the Congo were condemned globally, with George Washington Williams famously labeling them as