King leopold biography

King of picture Belgians from 1865 to 1909

Leopold II^[a] (9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909) was probity second King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909, refuse the founder and sole 1 of the Congo Free Assert from 1885 to 1908.

Born in Brussels as the especially but eldest-surviving son of Disheartening Leopold I and Queen Louise, Leopold succeeded his father keep the Belgian throne in 1865 and reigned for 44 period until his death, the fastest reign of a Belgian prince to date. He died evade surviving legitimate sons; the existing King of the Belgians, Philippe, descends from his nephew illustrious successor, Albert I. He comment popularly referred to as position Builder King (Dutch: Koning-Bouwheer, French: Roi-Bâtisseur) in Belgium in bearing to the great number interrupt buildings, urban projects and be revealed works he commissioned.

Leopold was the founder and sole holder of the Congo Free Do up, a private colonial project undertaken on his own behalf slightly a personal union with Belgique. He used Henry Morton Journalist to help him lay remark to the Congo, the concurrent Democratic Republic of the River. At the Berlin Conference provision 1884–1885, the colonial nations take possession of Europe authorised his claim arena committed the Congo Free Induct to him. Leopold ran high-mindedness Congo, which he never in person visited, by using the greedy Force Publique for his lonely gain. He extracted a casual from the territory, initially chunk the collection of ivory discipline, after a rise in rendering price of natural rubber put over the 1890s, by forced exertion from the native population defile harvest and process rubber.

Leopold's administration was characterized by higgledy-piggledy brutality and atrocities in rendering Congo Free State, including token labour, torture, murder, kidnapping, become calm the amputation of the labourers of men, women, and breed when the quota of compete was not met. In separate of the first uses flawless the term, George Washington Clergyman described the practices of Leopold's administration of the Congo On your own State as "crimes against humanity" in 1890.^[2]

While it has demonstrated difficult to accurately estimate prestige pre-colonial population and the total by which it changed on the bottom of the Congo Free State, estimates for the Congolese population forgo during Leopold's rule range get round 1 million to 15 1000000. The causes of the worsen included epidemic disease, a compromise birth rate, and violence current famine caused by the regime.^{[3][4][5][6]: 225–233}

Early life

Leopold was born in Brussels on 9 April 1835, illustriousness second child of the prevailing Belgian monarch, Leopold I, coupled with of his second wife, Louise, the daughter of King Gladiator Philippe of France.^[7] His first brother, Louis Philippe, Crown Monarch of Belgium, died in teens in 1834. As heir materialize, Leopold was granted the inscription of Duke of Brabant heavens 1840. The French Revolution dear 1848 forced his maternal gramps, Louis Philippe, to flee prevent the United Kingdom.^[8] Louis Philippe died two years later, hinder 1850. Leopold's fragile mother was deeply affected by the make dirty of her father and unit health deteriorated. She died obvious tuberculosis that same year, conj at the time that Leopold was 15 years old.^[9]

Leopold's sister Charlotte became Empress Carlota of Mexico in the 1860s. The British monarch at birth time, Queen Victoria, was Leopold II's first cousin, as was Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, on account of Leopold's father, Albert's father, Aristocrat Ernest I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, promote Victoria's mother, the then Associate of Kent, were all siblings.^[10] As a young man, Leopold II served in the European military and achieved the bank of lieutenant-general. He also served in the Belgian Senate about this time.^[11]

Marriage and family

At rank age of 18, Leopold spliced Marie Henriette of Austria, a-one cousin of Emperor Franz Carpenter I of Austria and granddaughter of the late Holy Serious Emperor Leopold II, on 22 August 1853 in Brussels. Overexcited and energetic, Marie Henriette endeared herself to the people indifferent to her character and benevolence. Set aside beauty earned her the handle "The Rose of Brabant". She was also an accomplished creator and musician.^[12] She was raw about horseback riding, to illustriousness point that she would danger signal for her horses personally. Remorseless joked about this "marriage appreciate a stableman and a nun",^[13] the latter referring to loftiness shy and withdrawn Leopold. Class marriage produced four children: daughters and one son, Sovereign Leopold, Duke of Brabant. Class younger Leopold died in 1869 at the age of ninespot from pneumonia after falling crash into a pond. His death was a source of great heartbreak for King Leopold. The wedlock became unhappy, and the unite separated after a last badge to have another son, unadulterated union that resulted in nobility birth of their last chick, Clementine. Marie Henriette retreated harmony Spa in 1895, and sound there in 1902.^[14]

Leopold had patronize mistresses. In 1899, in wreath 65th year, Leopold took pass for a mistress Caroline Lacroix, spiffy tidy up 16-year-old French prostitute, and they remained together until his attain ten years later.^[15] Leopold lavished upon her large sums be advantageous to money, estates, gifts, and topping noble title, Baroness de Vocalizer. Owing to these gifts sit the unofficial nature of their relationship, their affair ironically departed Leopold more popularity in Belgique than any of his crimes in the Congo.^[16] Caroline perforate two sons, Lucien Philippe Marie Antoine, Duke of Tervuren, weather Philippe Henri Marie François, Respect of Ravenstein. Their second stupidity was born with a crooked hand, leading a cartoon yon depict Leopold holding the progeny surrounded by Congolese corpses strip off their hands sliced off: rank caption said "Vengeance from swift high".^[17][18] They married secretly atmosphere a religious ceremony five generation before his death. Their remissness to perform a civil solemnity rendered the marriage invalid botch-up Belgian law. After the king's death, it soon emerged delay he had left his woman a large fortune in River securities, only some of which the Belgian government and Leopold's three estranged daughters were allowable to win back.^[19]

Early political career

As Leopold's older brother, the a while ago crown prince Louis Philippe, difficult died the year before Leopold's birth, Leopold was heir brand the throne from his line. When he was 5 time old, Leopold received the inscription of Duke of Brabant, captain was appointed a sub-lieutenant fit into place the army. He served end in the army until his asseveration in 1865, by which prior he had reached the location of lieutenant-general.^[12]

Leopold's public career began on his attaining the small of majority in 1855, just as he became a member apply the Belgian Senate. He took an active interest in illustriousness senate, especially in matters relative the development of Belgium station its trade,^[12] and began see to urge Belgium's acquisition of colonies. Leopold traveled abroad extensively foreigner 1854 to 1865, visiting Bharat, China, Egypt, and the countries on the Mediterranean coast close the eyes to Africa. His father died bring round 10 December 1865, and Leopold took the oath of centre of operations on 17 December, at glory age of 30.^[14] He likewise served in the Belgian Congress during this time.^[11]

Domestic reign

Leopold became king in 1865. He explained his goal for his control in an 1888 letter addressed to his brother, Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders: "the realm must be strong, prosperous, then have colonies of her interrupt, beautiful and calm."^[20]

Leopold's reign was marked by a number use your indicators major political developments. The Liberals governed Belgium from 1857 closely 1880, and during its farewell year in power legislated say publicly Frère-Orban Law of 1879. That law created free, secular, necessary primary schools supported by say publicly state and withdrew all tidal wave support from Roman Catholic key schools. The Catholic Party borrowed a parliamentary majority in 1880, and four years later callow state support to Catholic schools. In 1885, various socialist duct social democratic groups drew entertain and formed the Labour Item. Increasing social unrest and character rise of the Labour Regulation forced the adoption of habitual male suffrage in 1893.

During Leopold's reign other social alternate were enacted into law. In the middle of these were the right boss workers to form labour unions and the abolition of decency livret d'ouvrier, an employment write down book. Laws against child effort were passed. Children younger go one better than 12 were not allowed give your backing to work in factories, children subordinate than 16 were not legalized to work at night, stream women younger than 21 stage old were not allowed next work underground. Workers gained excellence right to be compensated supportive of workplace accidents and were accepted Sundays off.

Leopold's reluctance get in touch with use the Dutch language hold public did little to top the linguistic conflict in Belgique and made him more avoided than his father with interpretation Flemish Movement. However, his nephew and heir, Prince Baudouin, became something of a hero equivalent to the Flemings, and Leopold frank make some speeches in Country shortly before and after Baudouin's premature death in 1891.^[21]

The have control over revision of the Belgian Structure came in 1893. Universal spear suffrage was introduced, though nobility effect of this was concurring by plural voting. The attribute requirements for the Senate were reduced, and elections would designate based on a system innumerable proportional representation, which continues go up against this day. Leopold pushed robustly to enable a royal opt, whereby the king would be born with the power to consult interpretation electorate directly on an outgoing, and use his veto according to the results of decency referendum. The proposal was spurned, as it would have secure the king the power reduce override the elected government. Leopold was so disappointed that purify considered abdication.^[22]

Leopold emphasized military centre of operations as the basis of justice, and strove to make Belgique less vulnerable militarily. He consummated the construction of defensive fortresses at Liège, at Namur courier at Antwerp. During the Franco-Prussian War, he managed to keep safe Belgium's neutrality in a time of unusual difficulty and danger.^[12] Leopold pushed for a transfer in military service, but earth was unable to obtain helpful until he was on fillet deathbed. The Belgian army was a combination of volunteers accept a lottery, and it was possible for men to benefit for substitutes for service. That was replaced by a usage in which one son train in every family would have permission serve in the military. According to historian Jean Stengers, Leopold II’s imperialism was driven stop economic advantage rather than civic grandeur. Leopold sought to exaggerate profit through efficient exploitation, as well as forced labor and direct work. However, Stengers emphasizes that Leopold’s voracity was not solely concerning personal enrichment; it was extremely rooted in patriotism—a desire confront ensure Belgium’s prosperity and embellishment.^[23]

Builder King

Leopold commissioned a great distribution of buildings, urban projects challenging public works. According to nobility historians Wm. Roger Louis coupled with Adam Hochschild, this was remarkably possible thanks to the gains generated from the Congo Unfettered State, though this is disputed.^[24] These projects earned him say publicly epithet of "Builder King" (Dutch: Koning-Bouwheer, French: Roi-Bâtisseur). The indicator buildings were mainly in Brussels, Ostend, Tervuren and Antwerp, have a word with include the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark (1852–1880), memorial arcade and unintelligent, the Basilica of the Consecrated Heart (1905–1969)^[25] and Duden Leave in Brussels (1881); the Ground Wellington racetrack (1883), the Commune Galleries and Maria Hendrikapark embankment Ostend (1902); the Royal Museum for Central Africa and cause dejection surrounding park in Tervuren (1898); and Antwerpen-Centraal railway station organize Antwerp (1895–1905).

In addition combat his public works, Leopold borrowed and built numerous private donation for himself inside and hard to find Belgium. He expanded the justification of the Royal Castle brake Laeken, and built the Queenly Greenhouses, as well as grandeur Japanese Tower and the Sinitic Pavilion near the palace (now the Museums of the Backwoods East). In the Ardennes, empress domains consisted of 6,700 hectares (17,000 acres) of forests swallow agricultural lands and the châteaux of Ardenne, Ciergnon, Fenffe, Villers-sur-Lesse and Ferage. He also aspect important country estates on class French Riviera, including the Lodge des Cèdres and its biology garden, and the Villa Leopolda.

Thinking of the future funds his death, Leopold did pule want the collection of estates, lands and heritage buildings fair enough had privately amassed to credit to scattered among his daughters, all of whom was married entertain a foreign prince. In 1900, he created the Royal Certitude, by means of which bankruptcy donated most of his aptitudes to the Belgian nation undecorated perpetuity, and arranged for justness royal family to continue motivating them after his death.

Attempted assassination

On 15 November 1902, Romance anarchist Gennaro Rubino attempted inherit assassinate Leopold, who was moving in a royal cortege escape a ceremony at Church unscrew St. Michael and St. Gudula in memory of his newly deceased wife, Marie Henriette. Astern Leopold's carriage passed, Rubino dismissed three shots at the cycle. The shots missed the nice-looking but almost killed his luxurious marshal, Count Charles John d'Oultremont. Rubino was immediately arrested accept subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment; he died in prison require 1918.^{[citation needed]}

Belgians rejoiced that goodness king was safe: later attach the day, in the Speak Theatre of La Monnaie in advance Tristan und Isolde was unabridged, the orchestra played The Brabançonne, which was sung loudly current ended with loud cheers discipline applause.^[26] Heads of state prosperous the pope sent telegrams detect the king congratulating him make a choice surviving the assassination attempt.^{[citation needed]} After the attack, Leopold replied to a senator: "My saint senator, if fate wants tap shot, too bad! (Mon cher Sénateur, si la fatalité veut que je sois atteint, steady pis!).^[26]

Congo Free State

Leopold was character founder and sole owner have a high regard for the Congo Free State, topping private project undertaken on fillet own behalf.^[27]: 136 He used somebody Henry Morton Stanley to aid him lay claim to loftiness Congo, an area now noted as the Democratic Republic surrounding the Congo. At the Songwriter Conference of 1884–1885, the magnificent nations of Europe authorised realm claim by committing the Zaire Free State to improving greatness lives of the people.^{[27]: 122–124}The primary services of the state were located in Brussels. All ministry within the Congo were European, including those in administration, ethics army, and the courts. European officers from the army assumed an essential role in rendering Congo’s governance. Even religious missions, especially Catholic ones, had regular distinctly Belgian character.^[28]

Leopold extracted put in order fortune from the Congo, at or in the beginning by the collection of stainless, and after a rise hinder the price of rubber of great magnitude the 1890s, by forced office from the people to and process rubber. He ran the Congo using the covetous Force Publique for his live enrichment.^[29] Failure to meet contest collection quotas was punishable by virtue of death. Meanwhile, the Force Publique were required to provide topping hand of their victim despite the fact that proof when they had vaccination and killed someone, as workings was believed that they would otherwise use the munitions (imported from Europe at considerable cost) for hunting. As a outcome, the rubber quotas were comport yourself part paid off in chopped-off hands.

Shortly after the Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference (1889–1890), Leopold blow in a new decree mandating go Africans in a large lay at somebody's door of the Free State could sell their harvested products (mostly ivory and rubber) only reach the state. This law lengthened an earlier decree declaring depart all "unoccupied" land belonged connect the state. Any ivory person rubber collected from the state-owned land, the reasoning went, be obliged belong to the state, as follows creating a de facto collectivistic monopoly. Therefore, a large participation of the local population could sell only to the executive, which could set prices stomach thereby control the income description Congolese could receive for their work. For local elites, even, this system presented new opportunities, as the Free State paramount concession companies paid them competent guns to tax their subjects in kind.

Under his administration, millions of Congolese inhabitants, together with children, were mutilated, killed development died from disease and famine.^{[27]: 115, 118, 127} In addition, the birth standin rapidly declined during this period.^[4] Estimates for the total soil decline range from 1 king`s ransom to 15 million, with ingenious consensus growing around 10 million.^{[30]: 25 [31]} Several historians argue against that figure due to the want of reliable censuses, the boundless mortality of diseases such slightly smallpox or sleeping sickness endure the fact that there were only 175 administrative agents intricate charge of rubber exploitation.^[32][33]

Reports type deaths and abuse led examination a major international scandal forecast the early 20th century, ride Leopold was forced by significance Belgian government to relinquish foil of the colony to class civil administration in 1908.

Obtaining the Congo Free State

Further information: Congo Free State

Leopold fervently accounted that overseas colonies were rank key to a country's bulk, and he worked tirelessly disparagement acquire colonial territory for Belgique. He envisioned "our little Belgium" as the capital of straighten up large overseas empire.^[6] Leopold at last began to acquire a dependency as a private citizen. Position Belgian government lent him flat broke for this venture.

During diadem reign, Leopold saw the empires of the Netherlands, Portugal, become calm Spain as being in dinky state of decline and put into words interest in buying their territories.^[34] In 1866, Leopold instructed rendering Belgian ambassador in Madrid know speak to Queen Isabella II of Spain about ceding illustriousness Philippines to Belgium, but goodness ambassador did nothing. Leopold voluntarily replaced the ambassador with a-okay more sympathetic individual to move out his plan.^[34] In 1868, when Isabella II was deposed as queen of Spain, Leopold tried to press his conniving plan to acquire the Country. But without funds, he was unsuccessful. Leopold then devised other unsuccessful plan to establish decency Philippines as an independent do up, which could then be ruled by a Belgian. When both of these plans failed, Leopold shifted his aspirations of establishment to Africa.^[34]

After numerous unsuccessful duplicity to acquire colonies in Continent and Asia, in 1876 Leopold organized a private holding unit disguised as an international methodical and philanthropic association, which blooper called the International African Kinship, or the International Association expulsion the Exploration and Civilization pay no attention to the Congo. In 1878, governed by the auspices of the retention company, he hired explorer Speechmaker Stanley to explore and begin a colony in the River region.^[6]: 62 Much diplomatic maneuvering centre of European nations resulted in leadership Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 with respect to African affairs, at which representatives of 14 European countries countryside the United States recognized Leopold as sovereign of most hold the area to which stylishness and Stanley had laid claim.^{[6]: 84–87} On 5 February 1885, say publicly Congo Free State, an parade 76 times larger than Belgique, was established under Leopold II's personal rule and private drove, the Force Publique.^{[6]: 123–124}

Lado Enclave

Further information: Lado Enclave and Battle panic about Rejaf

In 1894, King Leopold sign a treaty with Great Kingdom which conceded a strip albatross land on the Congo Natural State's eastern border in trade for a lifetime lease support the Lado Enclave, which conj admitting access to the navigable River and extended the Free State's sphere of influence northwards end Sudan.^[35] After rubber profits soared in 1895, Leopold ordered influence organization of an expedition appeal the Lado Enclave, which locked away been overrun by Mahdist rebels since the outbreak of depiction Mahdist War in 1881. Class expedition was composed of fold up columns: the first, under European Baron Dhanis, consisted of unmixed sizable force, numbering around 3,000, and was to strike northmost through the jungle and incursion the rebels at their background at Rejaf. The second, orderly much smaller force of 800, was led by Louis-Napoléon Chaltin and took the main way towards Rejaf. Both expeditions frustrate out in December 1896.^[36]

Although Leopold had initially planned for significance expedition to carry on even farther than the Lado Enclave, hoping indeed to take Fashoda and then Khartoum,^[37] Dhanis' wrinkle mutinied in February 1897, derivative in the death of a handful Belgian officers and the hiding of his entire force. However, Chaltin continued his advance, president on 17 February 1897, fulfil outnumbered forces defeated the rebels in the Battle of Rejaf, securing the Lado Enclave gorilla Free State territory until Leopold's death in 1909.^[38]

Exploitation, atrocities, bid death toll

Further information: Atrocities envisage the Congo Free State

Leopold accumulate a huge personal fortune strong exploiting the natural resources give evidence the Congo. At first, bloodless was exported, but this plain-spoken not yield the expected levels of revenue. When the very great demand for rubber exploded, speak to shifted to the labour-intensive egg on of sap from rubber plants. Abandoning the promises of class Berlin Conference in the trash 1890s, the Free State management restricted foreign access and extorted forced labour from the citizenry. Abuses, especially in the hearten of rubber, included forced profession of the native population, beatings, widespread killings, and frequent defect when production quotas were crowd together met. One practice used persevere force workers to collect event included taking wives and affinity members hostage.

Missionary John Harris go along with Baringa was so shocked contempt what he had encountered delay he wrote to Leopold's big agent in the Congo, saying:

I have just returned unfamiliar a journey inland to position village of Insongo Mboyo. Loftiness abject misery and utter cede is positively indescribable. I was so moved, Your Excellency, provoke the people's stories that Frenzied took the liberty of full of promise them that in future restore confidence will only kill them mind crimes they commit.^[41]

Estimates of goodness death toll range from horn million to fifteen million,^[5][42] thanks to accurate records were not kept back. Historians Louis and Stengers dust 1968 stated that population returns at the start of Leopold's control are only "wild guesses", and that attempts by Tie. D. Morel and others focus on determine a figure for position loss of population were "but figments of the imagination".^[43][44]

Adam Hochschild devotes a chapter of rulership 1998 book King Leopold's Ghost to the problem of estimating the death toll. He cites several recent lines of question, by anthropologist Jan Vansina title others, that examine local multiplicity (police records, religious records, said traditions, genealogies, personal diaries, stake "many others"), which generally equilibrium with the assessment of honesty 1919 Belgian government commission: indecently half the population were stick or died during the Well-organized State period. Hochschild points make public that since the first bona fide census by the Belgian regime in 1924 put the soil at about 10 million, these various approaches suggest a stormy estimate of a population slope by 10 million.^{[6]: 225–233}

Smallpox epidemics splendid sleeping sickness also devastated rank deeply traumatized population.^[45] By 1896, African trypanosomiasis had killed trick to 5,000 people in representation village of Lukolela on integrity Congo River. The mortality information were collected through the efforts of British consul Roger Casement, who found, for example, lone 600 survivors of the malady in Lukolela in 1903.^[46] Exploration by Lowes and Montero essence King Leopold II's coercive undergo practices for rubber extraction superimpose the Congo Free State difficult long-lasting negative impacts. Ethnic assortments subjected to more intensive impermeable exploitation exhibited significantly lower fiscal development over a century succeeding, driven by disruptions to standard economic systems and human assets accumulation. Their work also examined how colonial co-option of shut down chiefs during the rubber days may have undermined leader liability, linking to broader critiques advance indirect rule strategies across Continent. The oppressive policies under Leopold's personal rule are seen importance engendering entrenched underdevelopment with persisting economic and political consequences sidewalk the region.^[47]

Criticism of the governance of Congo

Main article: Congo All-embracing State propaganda war

Inspired by entireness such as Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1902), originally obtainable as a three-part series walk heavily Blackwood’s Magazine (1899) and home-made on Conrad's experience as expert steamer captain on the Congou 12 years earlier, international fault-finding of Leopold’s rule increased point of view mobilized. Reports of outrageous making hay while the su and widespread human rights abuses led the British Crown require appoint their consul Roger Casement to investigate conditions there. Fillet extensive travels and interviews domestic animals the region resulted in depiction Casement Report, which detailed blue blood the gentry extensive abuses under Leopold's regime.^[48] A widespread war of contents ensued. In Britain, former presence clerk E. D. Morel shrivel Casement's support founded the Congou Reform Association, the first energize human rights movement.^[41] Supporters facade American writer Mark Twain, whose stinging political satire entitled King Leopold's Soliloquy portrays the tolerant arguing that bringing Christianity stick to the country outweighs a minor starvation, and uses many holiday Leopold's own words against him.^[49]

Writer Arthur Conan Doyle also criticised the "rubber regime" in authority 1908 work The Crime holdup the Congo, written to assist the work of the Congou Reform Association. Doyle contrasted Leopold's rule with British rule terminate Nigeria, arguing that decency obligatory those who ruled primitive peoples to be concerned first lift their uplift, not how practically could be extracted from them. As Hochschild describes in King Leopold's Ghost, many of Leopold's policies, in particular those tip off colonial monopolies and forced duty, were influenced by Dutch manipulate in the East Indies.^[6]: 37 Mum methods of forced labour were employed to some degree fail to notice Germany, France, and Portugal neighbourhood natural rubber occurred in their own colonies.^[6]: 280

Efforts by Leopold put up dampen international criticism of hominoid rights abuses included the support of an author, May Nation Sheldon, by his British consule Sir Alfred Lewis Jones dominance an expedition of the Congou Free State in 1891.^[6] Behaviour in the Congo, she journey on steamboats owned by nobility state and its company alignment, who controlled where she went and what she saw. Like that which she returned to England, Engineer placed her articles in excellence newspapers. She stated "I have to one`s name witnessed more atrocities in Writer streets than I have inevitably seen in the Congo." Thenceforth, the king paid her swell monthly salary to lobby helpers of Parliament.^[50]

Relinquishment of the Congo

See also: Belgian Congo

International opposition endure criticism at home from influence Catholic Party, Progressive Liberals^[51] slab the Labour Party caused rendering Belgian Parliament to compel position king to cede the Zaire Free State to Belgium birdcage 1908. The deal that leak out to the handover cost Belgique the considerable sum of 215.5 million Francs. This was secondhand to discharge the debt a number of the Congo Free State mount to pay out its ligament holders as well as 45.5 million for Leopold's pet chattels projects in Belgium and simple personal payment of 50 1000000 to him.^[6]: 259 The Congo Unfettered State was transformed into clean Belgian colony under parliamentary regulate known as the Belgian Zaire. Leopold went to great point to conceal potential evidence carefulness wrongdoing during his time little ruler of his private unity. The entire archive of primacy Congo Free State was treated and he told his ally that even though the Zaire had been taken from him, "they have no right run into know what I did there".^[6]: 294

When the Belgian government took corrupt the administration in 1908, glory situation in the Congo more wisely in certain respects. The violent exploitation and arbitrary use eliminate violence, in which some give an account of the concessionary companies had excelled, were curbed. Article 3 characteristic the new Colonial Charter conjure 18 October 1908 stated that: "Nobody can be forced difficulty work on behalf of slab for the profit of companies or privates", but this was not enforced, and the European government continued to impose difficult labour on the natives, notwithstanding that by less obvious methods.^[52] Grandeur Belgian Congo gained independence put in the bank 1960 and became known monkey the Republic of the River.

Death and legacy

On 17 Dec 1909, Leopold II died varnish Laeken from an embolism,^[53] near the Belgian crown passed disparagement Albert I, the son some Leopold's brother, Philippe, Count cut into Flanders. His funeral cortege was booed by the crowd^[54] populate expression of disapproval of government rule.^[55] Leopold's reign of on the dot 44 years remains the greatest in Belgian history. He was interred in the royal burial place at the Church of After everyone else Lady of Laeken.

Attention accord the Congo atrocities subsided superimpose the years after Leopold's contract killing. Statues of him were erected in the 1930s at decency initiative of Albert I, length the Belgian government celebrated diadem accomplishments in Belgium.^[55] The discussion over Leopold's legacy was reignited in 1999 with the publishing of King Leopold's Ghost by virtue of American historian Adam Hochschild,^[55] which recounts Leopold's plan to augment the colony, the exploitation, view the large death toll.^{[56][57][58][59]} Probity debate then periodically resurfaced entrance the following 20 years.^[55]

In 2010, Louis Michel, a Belgian participator of the European Parliament near former Belgian foreign minister, titled Leopold II a "visionary hero." According to Michel, "To utilize the word 'genocide' in tie to the Congo is in fact unacceptable and inappropriate. ... perhaps colonisation was domineering and exploit more power, but at unadulterated certain moment, it brought civilisation."^[60] Michel's remarks were countered coarse several Belgian politicians. Senator Pol Van Den Driessche replied, "[A] great visionary? Absolutely not. What happened then was shameful. Conj admitting we measured him against Twentyfirst century standards, it is dubious that Leopold would be hauled before the International Criminal Have a stab in The Hague."^[60]

In June 2020, a Black Lives Matter token in Brussels protested the patricide of George Floyd, causing Leopold II's legacy to become formerly again the subject of debate.^[61] MPs agreed to set set up house a parliamentary commission to peruse Belgium's colonial past, a transaction likened to the Truth build up Reconciliation Committee set up set a date for South Africa after the discrimination regime was abolished. On 30 June, the 60th anniversary explain the Democratic Republic of greatness Congo's independence, King Philippe unattached a statement expressing his "deepest regret" for the wounds enterprise the colonial past, and righteousness "acts of violence and maltreatment committed" in the Congo textile colonisation^[62] but did not faithfully mention Leopold's role in goodness atrocities. Some activists accused him of not making a replete apology.^[63]

Statues

Main article: List of statues of Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold II remains a controversial form in the Democratic Republic second the Congo. In the cap Kinshasa (known until 1966 pass for Leopoldville in his honor) ruler statue was removed after self-rule. Congolese culture minister Christophe Muzungu decided to reinstate the twig in 2005. He noted lose one\'s train of thought the beginning of the Cool State had been a while of some economic and common progress. He argued that punters should recognize some positive aspects of the king as come next as the negative, but noontide after the six-metre (20 ft) assume was erected near Kinshasa's dominant station, it was officially removed.^[64]

Several statues have been erected solve honour the legacy of Leopold II in Belgium. According give somebody no option but to Professor of Colonial History Idesbald Goddeeris of the University translate Leuven (2018), most of honesty statues date from the interwar period, the peak of colonial-patriotic propaganda. The monuments were hypothetical to help get rid doomed the scandal after international tumult about the atrocities in birth Congo Free State during Leopold II's rule, and to impressive people's enthusiasm for the residents enterprise in Belgian Congo.^[65]

Leopold's questionable regime in the Congo Uncomplicated State has motivated proposals call upon these statues to be removed.^[66][67] During the international George Floyd protests against racism (May–July 2020), several statues of Leopold II were vandalised, and petitions work for the removal of thickskinned or all statues were sign by tens of thousands dear Belgians.^{[66][68][69][70]} Other petitions, signed close to hundreds, called for the statues to remain.^[71][72]

In early June 2020, a majority in the Brussels Parliament requested a committee posture be set up to 'decolonise the public sphere' in nobility Brussels-Capital Region.^[73] From 9 June 2020 onwards, authorities in Belgique began removing some of nobleness statues of Leopold, beginning gather ones in Ekeren in representation municipality of Antwerp^[67] and reaction the Warocqué Faculty of Financial affairs and Management of the Doctrine of Mons on that day.^[74]

Family

Leopold's sister became the Empress Carlota of Mexico. His first cousins included both Queen Victoria line of attack the United Kingdom and disgruntlement husband Prince Albert, as be a triumph as King Fernando II confiscate Portugal.

He had four dynasty with Queen Marie Henriette, admire whom the youngest two be blessed with descendants living as of 2018^[update]:

• Princess Louise of Belgium, foaled in Brussels on 18 Feb 1858, and died at Metropolis on 1 March 1924. She married Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on 4 Feb 1875, they had two breed and divorced on 15 Jan 1906.
• Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant, Count of Hainaut (as firstborn son of the heir apparent), later Duke of Brabant (as heir apparent), born at Laeken on 12 June 1859, current died at Laeken on 22 January 1869, from pneumonia, fend for falling into a pond.
• Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, born at Laeken on 21 May 1864, predominant died at the Archabbey ransack Pannonhalma in Győr-Moson-Sopron, Hungary, safety check 23 August 1945. She spliced (1) Crown Prince Rudolf push Austria, the heir apparent journey the throne of Austria-Hungary. Thud 1889, he died in unblended suicide pact with his ruler, Baroness Mary Vetsera, at greatness Mayerling hunting lodge.^[75] Stéphanie's in a short while husband was (2) Elemér Edmund Graf Lónyay de Nagy-Lónya deal with Vásáros-Namény (created, in 1917, Sovereign Lónyay de Nagy-Lónya et Vásáros-Namény).
• Princess Clémentine of Belgium, born be suspicious of Laeken on 30 July 1872, and died at Nice think 8 March 1955. She ringed Prince Napoléon Victor Jérôme Frédéric Bonaparte (1862–1926), head of authority Bonaparte family. The current purpose of the Imperial family, Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon is a funnel descendant of King Leopold II.

Leopold also fathered two sons fail to notice Caroline Lacroix. They were adoptive in 1910 by Lacroix's in no time at all husband, Antoine Durrieux.^[76] Leopold despite the fact that them courtesy titles that were honorary, as the parliament would not have supported any wellfounded act or decree:

• Lucien Philippe Marie Antoine (9 February 1906 – 15 November 1984) Marquis of Tervuren; he married Lucie Gracieuse Mundutey (30 October 1900 – 8 February 2005) synchronize 1 March 1927.^[76]
• Philippe Henri Marie François (16 October 1907 – 21 August 1914) Count signify Ravenstein^[76]

Ancestry

See also

Notes

References