On 5 February 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium formally established the Congo Free State as his personal colonial possession, a vast territory in Central Africa nearly 80 times the size of Belgium.
Secured through duplicitous diplomacy at the Berlin Conference, his rule was veiled in philanthropic pretensions but rapidly devolved into one of the most brutal exploitations in colonial history.
Under the guise of bringing civilisation, Leopold orchestrated a ruthless regime of forced labour, extracting ivory and rubber while inflicting unspeakable atrocities—mutilations, massacres, and systematic plundering—that led to the deaths of millions.
His private empire, built on deception and violence, would eventually spark international outrage, leading to its transfer to the Belgian state in 1908, yet leaving scars that haunt the Congo to this day.