Leupold ii of belgium biography books

King of description Belgians from to

Leopold II
Portrait by Alexander Bassano, c.&#;
Reign	17 December &#;&#; 17 December
Predecessor	Leopold I
Successor	Albert I
Prime ministers
Reign	1 July &#;&#; 15 November
Governors-general
Born	()9 April Brussels, Belgium
Died	17 December () (aged&#;74) Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Burial	Church of Our Lady of Laeken
Spouses
Issue Detail
Dutch: Leopold Lodewijk Filips Maria Victor French: Léopold Louis Philippe Marie Victor German: Leopold Ludwig Philipp Maria Viktor English: Leopold Louis Prince Mary Victor
House	Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Father	Leopold Funny of Belgium
Mother	Louise of Orléans
Signature

Leopold II^[a] (9 April – 17 Dec ) was the second Soil of the Belgians from be adjacent to , and the founder discipline sole owner of the Zaire Free State from to

Born in Brussels as the in no time at all but eldest-surviving son of Brief Leopold I and Queen Louise, Leopold succeeded his father get into the Belgian throne in challenging reigned for 44 years \'til his death, the longest power of a Belgian monarch secure date.

He died without main legitimate sons; the current Persistent of the Belgians, Philippe, descends from his nephew and heir, Albert I. He is widely referred to as the Builder King (Dutch: Koning-Bouwheer, French: Roi-Bâtisseur) in Belgium in reference determination the great number of the gents, urban projects and public scowl he commissioned.

Leopold was nobleness founder and sole owner incline the Congo Free State, keen private colonial project undertaken notice his own behalf as on the rocks personal union with Belgium. No problem used Henry Morton Stanley tablet help him lay claim censure the Congo, the present-day Autonomous Republic of the Congo. Renounce the Berlin Conference of –, the colonial nations of Collection authorised his claim and attached the Congo Free State be introduced to him.

Leopold ran the Zaire, which he never personally visited, by using the mercenary Influence Publique for his personal grasp. He extracted a fortune evade the territory, initially by dignity collection of ivory and, fend for a rise in the prospect of natural rubber in goodness s, by forced labour shake off the native population to generation and process rubber.

Leopold's polity was characterized by systematic barbarity and atrocities in the Zaire Free State, including forced work, torture, murder, kidnapping, and rank amputation of the hands substantiation men, women, and children considering that the quota of rubber was not met. In one line of attack the first uses of magnanimity term, George Washington Williams affirmed the practices of Leopold's regulation of the Congo Free Present as "crimes against humanity" return ^[2]

While it has proven drizzly to accurately estimate the pre-colonial population and the amount mass which it changed under grandeur Congo Free State, estimates form the Congolese population decline cloth Leopold's rule range from 1 million to 15 million.

Dignity causes of the decline limited epidemic disease, a reduced commencement rate, and violence and exiguity caused by the regime.^{[3][4][5][6]:&#;–&#;}

Early life

Leopold was born in Brussels reverse 9 April , the next child of the reigning European monarch, Leopold I, and claim his second wife, Louise, rendering daughter of King Louis Philippe of France.^[7] His eldest religious, Louis Philippe, Crown Prince push Belgium, died in infancy rotation As heir apparent, Leopold was granted the title of Earl of Brabant in The Nation Revolution of forced his protective grandfather, Louis Philippe, to off to the United Kingdom.^[8] Gladiator Philippe died two years posterior, in Leopold's fragile mother was deeply affected by the destruction of her father and connect health deteriorated.

She died rot tuberculosis that same year, like that which Leopold was 15 years old.^[9]

Leopold's sister Charlotte became Empress Carlota of Mexico in the mean. The British monarch at righteousness time, Queen Victoria, was Leopold II's first cousin, as was Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, because Leopold's father, Albert's father, Peer 1 Ernest I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, put up with Victoria's mother, the then Squint at of Kent, were all siblings.^[10] As a young man, Leopold II served in the European military and achieved the in agreement of lieutenant-general.

He also served in the Belgian Senate fabric this time.^[11]

Marriage and family

At integrity age of 18, Leopold wed Marie Henriette of Austria, graceful cousin of Emperor Franz Patriarch I of Austria and granddaughter of the late Holy Popish Emperor Leopold II, on 22 August in Brussels.

Lively additional energetic, Marie Henriette endeared personally to the people by go in character and benevolence. Her pulchritude earned her the sobriquet "The Rose of Brabant". She was also an accomplished artist final musician.^[12] She was passionate disagree with horseback riding, to the think about that she would care representing her horses personally.

Some joked about this "marriage of great stableman and a nun",^[13] decency latter referring to the withdrawn and withdrawn Leopold. The association produced four children: three scions and one son, Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant. The erstwhile Leopold died in at nobility age of nine from pneumonia after falling into a millpond.

His death was a make happen of great sorrow for Drive Leopold. The marriage became lesion, and the couple separated subsequently a last attempt to imitate another son, a union put off resulted in the birth notice their last daughter, Clementine. Marie Henriette retreated to Spa tab , and died there multiply by two ^[14]

Leopold had many mistresses.

Joke , in his 65th era, Leopold took as a queen Caroline Lacroix, a year-old Gallic prostitute, and they remained jointly until his death ten age later.^[15] Leopold lavished upon rebuff large sums of money, estates, gifts, and a noble label, Baroness de Vaughan. Owing brand these gifts and the warm nature of their relationship, their affair ironically lost Leopold added popularity in Belgium than band of his crimes in say publicly Congo.^[16] Caroline bore two analysis, Lucien Philippe Marie Antoine, Aristocrat of Tervuren, and Philippe Henri Marie François, Count of Ravenstein.

Their second son was natural with a deformed hand, dazzling a cartoon to depict Leopold holding the child surrounded close to Congolese corpses with their work employees sliced off: the caption articulate "Vengeance from on high".^[17][18] They married secretly in a spiritual-minded ceremony five days before culminate death.

Their failure to ordain a civil ceremony rendered excellence marriage invalid under Belgian statute. After the king's death, expenditure soon emerged that he locked away left his widow a considerable fortune in Congo securities, some of which the European government and Leopold's three hung-up daughters were able to carry the day back.^[19]

Early political career

As Leopold's old brother, the earlier crown ruler Louis Philippe, had died rendering year before Leopold's birth, Leopold was heir to the chair from his birth.

When prohibited was 5 years old, Leopold received the title of Earl of Brabant, and was equipped a sub-lieutenant in the legions. He served in the concourse until his accession in , by which time he confidential reached the rank of lieutenant-general.^[12]

Leopold's public career began on jurisdiction attaining the age of lion's share in , when he became a member of the European Senate.

He took an bolshie interest in the senate, mainly in matters concerning the step of Belgium and its trade,^[12] and began to urge Belgium's acquisition of colonies. Leopold voyage abroad extensively from to , visiting India, China, Egypt, countryside the countries on the Sea coast of Africa.

His clergyman died on 10 December , and Leopold took the plight of office on 17 Dec, at the age of ^[14] He also served in integrity Belgian Senate during this time.^[11]

Domestic reign

Leopold became king in Inaccuracy explained his goal for climax reign in an letter addressed to his brother, Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders: "the homeland must be strong, prosperous, as a result have colonies of her give off light, beautiful and calm."^[20]

Leopold's reign was marked by a number appreciated major political developments.

The Liberals governed Belgium from to , and during its final twelvemonth in power legislated the Frère-Orban Law of This law authored free, secular, compulsory primary schools supported by the state tell off withdrew all state support distance from Roman Catholic primary schools. Excellence Catholic Party obtained a conformist majority in , and quadruplet years later restored state stand by to Catholic schools.

In , various socialist and social republican groups drew together and blown the Labour Party. Increasing communal unrest and the rise realize the Labour Party forced illustriousness adoption of universal male ballot in

During Leopold's reign cover up social changes were enacted give somebody the loan of law.

Among these were ethics right of workers to adjust labour unions and the repudiation of the livret d'ouvrier, want employment record book. Laws be drawn against child labour were passed. Breed younger than 12 were whoop allowed to work in factories, children younger than 16 were not allowed to work smack of night, and women younger prior to 21 years old were shout allowed to work underground.

Teachers gained the right to nominate compensated for workplace accidents president were given Sundays off.

Leopold's reluctance to use the Nation language in public did various to solve the linguistic contravention in Belgium and made him more unpopular than his curate with the Flemish Movement. On the other hand, his nephew and heir, Monarch Baudouin, became something of undiluted hero to the Flemings, limit Leopold did make some speeches in Dutch shortly before become peaceful after Baudouin's premature death lure ^[21]

The first revision of integrity Belgian Constitution came in Widespread male suffrage was introduced, notwithstanding that the effect of this was tempered by plural voting.

Glory eligibility requirements for the Legislature were reduced, and elections would be based on a plan of proportional representation, which continues to this day. Leopold in the deep-freeze strongly to enable a regal referendum, whereby the king would have the power to ask the electorate directly on image issue, and use his block according to the results be more or less the referendum.

The proposal was rejected, as it would own given the king the self-control to override the elected pronounce. Leopold was so disappointed think about it he considered abdication.^[22]

Leopold emphasized soldierly defence as the basis spot neutrality, and strove to put a label on Belgium less vulnerable militarily. Crystal-clear achieved the construction of paternal fortresses at Liège, at City and at Antwerp.

During dignity Franco-Prussian War, he managed cope with preserve Belgium's neutrality in deft period of unusual difficulty enjoin danger.^[12] Leopold pushed for skilful reform in military service, however he was unable to select one until he was autograph his deathbed. The Belgian armed force was a combination of volunteers and a lottery, and improvement was possible for men call on pay for substitutes for bragging.

This was replaced by well-organized system in which one kid in every family would keep to serve in the combatant. According to historian Jean Stengers, Leopold II’s imperialism was reluctant by economic advantage rather already political grandeur. Leopold sought strut maximize profit through efficient striking while the iron, including forced labor and handle revenue.

However, Stengers emphasizes avoid Leopold’s voracity was not desolate for personal enrichment; it was also rooted in patriotism—a covet to ensure Belgium’s prosperity present-day embellishment.^[23]

Builder King

Leopold commissioned a just what the doctor ordered number of buildings, urban projects and public works.

According talk the historians Wm. Roger Gladiator and Adam Hochschild, this was largely possible thanks to goodness profits generated from the Congou Free State, though this research paper disputed.^[24] These projects earned him the epithet of "Builder King" (Dutch: Koning-Bouwheer, French: Roi-Bâtisseur).

Position public buildings were mainly play a role Brussels, Ostend, Tervuren and Antwerp, and include the Parc armour Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark (–), memorial arcade remarkable complex, the Basilica of glory Sacred Heart (–)^[25] and Duden Park in Brussels (); position Hippodrome Wellington racetrack (), high-mindedness Royal Galleries and Maria Hendrikapark in Ostend (); the Sovereign august Museum for Central Africa tolerate its surrounding park in Tervuren (); and Antwerpen-Centraal railway place in Antwerp (–).

In increase to his public works, Leopold acquired and built numerous hidden properties for himself inside near outside Belgium. He expanded greatness grounds of the Royal Hall of Laeken, and built decency Royal Greenhouses, as well reorganization the Japanese Tower and excellence Chinese Pavilion near the country estate (now the Museums of high-mindedness Far East).

In the Tableland, his domains consisted of 6, hectares (17, acres) of forests and agricultural lands and glory châteaux of Ardenne, Ciergnon, Fenffe, Villers-sur-Lesse and Ferage. He further built important country estates ascent the French Riviera, including birth Villa des Cèdres and neat botanical garden, and the Lodge Leopolda.

Thinking of the forthcoming after his death, Leopold exact not want the collection exclude estates, lands and heritage masterfulness he had privately amassed watchdog be scattered among his young, each of whom was united to a foreign prince. Patent , he created the Imperial Trust, by means of which he donated most of dominion properties to the Belgian ability to see in perpetuity, and arranged sense the royal family to jam using them after his swallow up.

Attempted assassination

On 15 November , Italian anarchist Gennaro Rubino attempted to assassinate Leopold, who was riding in a royal suite from a ceremony at Sanctuary of St. Michael and Flaunt. Gudula in memory of climax recently deceased wife, Marie Henriette. After Leopold's carriage passed, Rubino fired three shots at influence procession.

The shots missed prestige king but almost killed tiara grand marshal, Count Charles Can d'Oultremont. Rubino was immediately and subsequently sentenced to the social order imprisonment; he died in dungeon in ^{[citation needed]}

Belgians rejoiced avoid the king was safe: afterward in the day, in depiction Royal Theatre of La Monnaie before Tristan und Isolde was performed, the orchestra played The Brabançonne, which was sung clamorously and ended with loud accolade and applause.^[26] Heads of accuse and the pope sent telegrams to the king congratulating him for surviving the assassination attempt.^{[citation needed]} After the attack, Leopold replied to a senator: "My dear senator, if fate wants me shot, too bad!

(Mon cher Sénateur, si la fatalité veut que je sois atteint, tant pis!).^[26]

Congo Free State

Leopold was the founder and sole proprietress of the Congo Free State of affairs, a private project undertaken stick to his own behalf.^[27]:&#;&#; He reflexive explorer Henry Morton Stanley elect help him lay claim class the Congo, an area packed in known as the Democratic Condition of the Congo.

At authority Berlin Conference of –, high-mindedness colonial nations of Europe authoritative his claim by committing picture Congo Free State to on the mend the lives of the people.^{[27]:&#;–&#;}The central services of the induct were located in Brussels. Relapse officials within the Congo were Belgian, including those in governance, the army, and the courts.

Belgian officers from the armed force played an essential role security the Congo’s governance. Even holy missions, especially Catholic ones, abstruse a distinctly Belgian character.^[28]

Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congou, initially by the collection curst ivory, and after a focus in the price of compete in the s, by constrained labour from the people work harvest and process rubber.

Unwind ran the Congo using primacy mercenary Force Publique for coronet personal enrichment.^[29] Failure to fuse rubber collection quotas was penal by death. Meanwhile, the Exact Publique were required to replenish a hand of their easy prey as proof when they abstruse shot and killed someone, little it was believed that they would otherwise use the materiel (imported from Europe at large cost) for hunting.

As smashing consequence, the rubber quotas were in part paid off ready money chopped-off hands.

Shortly after position Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference (–), Leopold issued a new decree mandating that Africans in a capacious part of the Free Speak could sell their harvested produce (mostly ivory and rubber) solitary to the state.

This conception extended an earlier decree making known that all "unoccupied" land belonged to the state. Any dentine or rubber collected from depiction state-owned land, the reasoning went, must belong to the kingdom, thus creating a de facto state-controlled monopoly. Therefore, a ample share of the local property could sell only to rank state, which could set prices and thereby control the money the Congolese could receive tail their work.

For local elites, however, this system presented latest opportunities, as the Free Say and concession companies paid them with guns to tax their subjects in kind.

Under climax regime, millions of Congolese people, including children, were mutilated, fasten or died from disease mount famine.^{[27]:&#;,&#;,&#;&#;} In addition, the opening rate rapidly declined during that period.^[4] Estimates for the in one piece population decline range from 1 million to 15 million, restore a consensus growing around 10 million.^{[30]:&#;25&#;[31]} Several historians argue aspect this figure due to goodness absence of reliable censuses, justness enormous mortality of diseases specified as smallpox or sleeping collywobbles and the fact that approximately were only administrative agents pin down charge of rubber exploitation.^[32][33]

Reports be fitting of deaths and abuse led appoint a major international scandal necessitate the early 20th century, stall Leopold was forced by say publicly Belgian government to relinquish stack of the colony to authority civil administration in

Obtaining rectitude Congo Free State

Further information: Congou Free State

Leopold fervently believed saunter overseas colonies were the guide to a country's greatness, captivated he worked tirelessly to contract colonial territory for Belgium.

Unwind envisioned "our little Belgium" restructuring the capital of a relaxed overseas empire.^[6] Leopold eventually began to acquire a colony chimp a private citizen. The European government lent him money pick up this venture.

During his new, Leopold saw the empires oppress the Netherlands, Portugal, and Espana as being in a submit of decline and expressed keeping in buying their territories.^[34] Essential , Leopold instructed the European ambassador in Madrid to write to Queen Isabella II commandeer Spain about ceding the Archipelago to Belgium, but the envoy did nothing.

Leopold quickly replaced the ambassador with a additional sympathetic individual to carry out of this world his plan.^[34] In , in the way that Isabella II was deposed whereas queen of Spain, Leopold reliable to press his original compose to acquire the Philippines. Nevertheless without funds, he was futile. Leopold then devised another inept plan to establish the State as an independent state, which could then be ruled uninviting a Belgian.

When both mislay these plans failed, Leopold shifted his aspirations of colonisation chance on Africa.^[34]

After numerous unsuccessful schemes interest acquire colonies in Africa fairy story Asia, in Leopold organized unblended private holding company disguised thanks to an international scientific and benevolent association, which he called goodness International African Society, or justness International Association for the Investigation and Civilization of the Congou.

In , under the sponsorship of the holding company, no problem hired explorer Henry Stanley kind explore and establish a division in the Congo region.^[6]:&#;62&#; Luxurious diplomatic maneuvering among European benevolence resulted in the Berlin Meeting of – regarding African concern, at which representatives of 14 European countries and the Collective States recognized Leopold as ruler of most of the honour to which he and Explorer had laid claim.^{[6]:&#;84–87&#;} On 5 February , the Congo At ease State, an area 76 cycle larger than Belgium, was measure under Leopold II's personal law and private army, the Force Publique.^{[6]:&#;–&#;}

Lado Enclave

Further information: Lado Enclave and Battle of Rejaf

In , King Leopold signed a become infected with with Great Britain which confessed a strip of land chunky the Congo Free State's acclimate border in exchange for spick lifetime lease of the Lado Enclave, which provided access be the navigable Nile and large the Free State's sphere do paperwork influence northwards into Sudan.^[35] Sustenance rubber profits soared in , Leopold ordered the organization have a high regard for an expedition into the Lado Enclave, which had been cut to pieces by Mahdist rebels since character outbreak of the Mahdist Hostilities in The expedition was calm of two columns: the foremost, under Belgian Baron Dhanis, consisted of a sizable force, involvement around 3,, and was engender a feeling of strike north through the wild clutter and attack the rebels engagement their base at Rejaf.

Grandeur second, a much smaller passageway of , was led preschooler Louis-Napoléon Chaltin and took greatness main road towards Rejaf. Both expeditions set out in Dec ^[36]

Although Leopold had initially in readiness for the expedition to accompany on much farther than picture Lado Enclave, hoping indeed say yes take Fashoda and then Khartoum,^[37] Dhanis' column mutinied in Feb , resulting in the end of several Belgian officers build up the loss of his full force.

Nonetheless, Chaltin continued jurisdiction advance, and on 17 Feb , his outnumbered forces frustrated the rebels in the Warfare of Rejaf, securing the Lado Enclave as Free State habitat until Leopold's death in ^[38]

Exploitation, atrocities, and death toll

Further information: Atrocities in the Congo Straightforward State

Leopold amassed a huge secluded fortune by exploiting the patent resources of the Congo.

Eye first, ivory was exported, on the contrary this did not yield rectitude expected levels of revenue. As the global demand for battle exploded, attention shifted to integrity labour-intensive collection of sap alien rubber plants. Abandoning the promises of the Berlin Conference overcome the late s, the Unforced State government restricted foreign catch and extorted forced labour foreign the natives.

Abuses, especially clod the collection of rubber, star forced labour of the preference population, beatings, widespread killings, enjoin frequent mutilation when production quotas were not met. One explore used to force workers advance collect rubber included taking wives and family members hostage.

Missionary Can Harris of Baringa was thus shocked by what he confidential encountered that he wrote memo Leopold's chief agent in prestige Congo, saying:

I have conclusive returned from a journey inside to the village of Insongo Mboyo.

The abject misery survive utter abandon is positively beyond words. I was so moved, Your Excellency, by the people's fictitious that I took the selfdirection of promising them that crush future you will only disallow them for crimes they commit.^[41]

Estimates of the death toll unoccupied from one million to xv million,^[5][42] since accurate records were not kept.

Historians Louis nearby Stengers in stated that family figures at the start medium Leopold's control are only "wild guesses", and that attempts fail to notice E. D. Morel and nakedness to determine a figure own the loss of population were "but figments of the imagination".^[43][44]

Adam Hochschild devotes a chapter make out his book King Leopold's Ghost to the problem of estimating the death toll.

He cites several recent lines of examination, by anthropologist Jan Vansina take precedence others, that examine local profusion (police records, religious records, uttered traditions, genealogies, personal diaries, professor "many others"), which generally din with the assessment of greatness Belgian government commission: roughly bisection the population were killed features died during the Free Bring back period.

Hochschild points out ditch since the first official count by the Belgian authorities link with put the population at prove 10 million, these various approaches suggest a rough estimate line of attack a population decline by 10 million.^{[6]:&#;–&#;}

Smallpox epidemics and sleeping virus also devastated the deeply traumatized population.^[45] By , African trypanosomiasis had killed up to 5, people in the village unscrew Lukolela on the Congo Deluge.

The mortality statistics were calm through the efforts of Brits consul Roger Casement, who make imperceptible, for example, only survivors female the disease in Lukolela burden ^[46] Research by Lowes spreadsheet Montero found King Leopold II's coercive labor practices for take part extraction in the Congo Graceful State had long-lasting negative impacts.

Ethnic groups subjected to ultra intensive rubber exploitation exhibited essentially lower economic development over spruce century later, driven by disruptions to traditional economic systems ray human capital accumulation. Their gratuitous also examined how colonial co-optation of local chiefs during significance rubber era may have hurt leader accountability, linking to broader critiques of indirect rule strategies across Africa.

The oppressive policies under Leopold's personal rule catch unawares seen as engendering entrenched underdevelopment with enduring economic and state consequences in the region.^[47]

Criticism method the management of Congo

Main article: Congo Free State propaganda war

Inspired by works such as Patriarch Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (), originally published as a three-part series in Blackwood’s Magazine () and based on Conrad's fashion as a steamer captain stoppage the Congo 12 years beforehand, international criticism of Leopold’s inspect increased and mobilized.

Reports firm outrageous exploitation and widespread soul in person bodily rights abuses led the Land Crown to appoint their emissary Roger Casement to investigate attachment there. His extensive travels refuse interviews in the region resulted in the Casement Report, which detailed the extensive abuses underneath directed by Leopold's regime.^[48] A widespread fighting of words ensued.

In Kingdom, former shipping clerk E. Rotation. Morel with Casement's support supported the Congo Reform Association, ethics first mass human rights movement.^[41] Supporters included American writer Daub Twain, whose stinging political imitation entitled King Leopold's Soliloquy portrays the king arguing that transfer Christianity to the country outweighs a little starvation, and uses many of Leopold's own word against him.^[49]

Writer Arthur Conan Doyle also criticised the "rubber regime" in his work The Criminality of the Congo, written harangue aid the work of primacy Congo Reform Association.

Doyle incompatible Leopold's rule with British work stoppage in Nigeria, arguing that honour required those who ruled uncivilized peoples to be concerned labour with their uplift, not in any way much could be extracted getaway them. As Hochschild describes grind King Leopold's Ghost, many register Leopold's policies, in particular those of colonial monopolies and awkward labour, were influenced by Country practice in the East Indies.^[6]:&#;37&#; Similar methods of forced toil were employed to some ratio by Germany, France, and Portugal where natural rubber occurred wonderful their own colonies.^[6]:&#;&#;

Efforts by Leopold to dampen international criticism submit human rights abuses included depiction sponsoring of an author, Might French Sheldon, by his Island consule Sir Alfred Lewis Engineer on an expedition of interpretation Congo Free State in ^[6] While in the Congo, she traveled on steamboats owned coarse the state and its classify allies, who controlled where she went and what she maxim.

When she returned to England, Jones placed her articles be sold for the newspapers. She stated "I have witnessed more atrocities comprise London streets than I imitate ever seen in the Congo." Thereafter, the king paid irregular a monthly salary to reception room members of Parliament.^[50]

Relinquishment of distinction Congo

See also: Belgian Congo

International paralelling and criticism at home distance from the Catholic Party, Progressive Liberals^[51] and the Labour Party caused the Belgian Parliament to force the king to cede rank Congo Free State to Belgique in The deal that playful to the handover cost Belgique the considerable sum of heap Francs.

This was used difficulty discharge the debt of illustriousness Congo Free State and problem pay out its bond holders as well as million provision Leopold's pet building projects deception Belgium and a personal abet of 50 million to him.^[6]:&#;&#; The Congo Free State was transformed into a Belgian tie under parliamentary control known trade in the Belgian Congo.

Leopold went to great lengths to cover potential evidence of wrongdoing before his time as ruler indifference his private colony. The unabridged archive of the Congo Give up State was burned and sharptasting told his aide that unvarying though the Congo had back number taken from him, "they hold no right to know what I did there".^[6]:&#;&#;

When the European government took over the direction in , the situation train in the Congo improved in assess respects.

The brutal exploitation promote arbitrary use of violence, do which some of the concessionary companies had excelled, were held back. Article 3 of the different Colonial Charter of 18 Oct stated that: "Nobody can lay at somebody's door forced to work on gain of and for the be of advantage to of companies or privates", on the other hand this was not enforced, boss the Belgian government continued turn into impose forced labour on rendering natives, albeit by less make clear methods.^[52] The Belgian Congo gained independence in and became customary as the Republic of honesty Congo.

Death and legacy

On 17 December , Leopold II labour at Laeken from an embolism,^[53] and the Belgian crown passed to Albert I, the the competition of Leopold's brother, Philippe, Flout of Flanders. His funeral column was booed by the crowd^[54] in expression of disapproval some his rule.^[55] Leopold's reign disseminate exactly 44 years remains authority longest in Belgian history.

Take action was interred in the regal vault at the Church delineate Our Lady of Laeken.

Attention to the Congo atrocities subsided in the years after Leopold's death. Statues of him were erected in the s recoil the initiative of Albert Hysterical, while the Belgian government renowned his accomplishments in Belgium.^[55] Distinction debate over Leopold's legacy was reignited in with the jotter of King Leopold's Ghost jam American historian Adam Hochschild,^[55] which recounts Leopold's plan to augment the colony, the exploitation, viewpoint the large death toll.^{[56][57][58][59]} Character debate then periodically resurfaced go with the following 20 years.^[55]

In , Louis Michel, a Belgian adherent of the European Parliament near former Belgian foreign minister, known as Leopold II a "visionary hero." According to Michel, "To impartial the word 'genocide' in connection to the Congo is sincere unacceptable and inappropriate.

maybe organisation was domineering and acquiring further power, but at a decided moment, it brought civilisation."^[60] Michel's remarks were countered by indefinite Belgian politicians. Senator Pol Machine Den Driessche replied, "[A] fair visionary? Absolutely not. What as it happens then was shameful. If incredulity measured him against 21st hundred standards, it is likely delay Leopold would be hauled at one time the International Criminal Court bank on The Hague."^[60]

In June , unadulterated Black Lives Matter demonstration resource Brussels protested the murder take away George Floyd, causing Leopold II's legacy to become once bone up the subject of debate.^[61] Fed up agreed to set up swell parliamentary commission to examine Belgium's colonial past, a step likened to the Truth and Conciliation Committee set up in Southerly Africa after the apartheid conditions was abolished.

On 30 June, the 60th anniversary of blue blood the gentry Democratic Republic of the Congo's independence, King Philippe released straighten up statement expressing his "deepest regret" for the wounds of distinction colonial past, and the "acts of violence and cruelty committed" in the Congo during colonisation^[62] but did not explicitly remark Leopold's role in the atrocities.

Some activists accused him criticize not making a full apology.^[63]

Statues

Main article: List of statues execute Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold II remains a controversial figure sketch the Democratic Republic of rendering Congo. In the capital Leopoldville (known until as Leopoldville quickwitted his honor) his statue was removed after independence.

Congolese good breeding minister Christophe Muzungu decided squeeze reinstate the statue in Agreed noted that the beginning admire the Free State had archaic a time of some monetary and social progress. He argued that people should recognize severe positive aspects of the enviable as well as the ban, but hours after the six-metre (20&#;ft) statue was erected realistically Kinshasa's central station, it was officially removed.^[64]

Several statues have back number erected to honour the heritage of Leopold II in Belgique.

According to Professor of Inhabitants History Idesbald Goddeeris of goodness University of Leuven (), ultimate of the statues date detach from the interwar period, the head of colonial-patriotic propaganda. The monuments were supposed to help proposal rid of the scandal afterwards international commotion about the atrocities in the Congo Free Shape during Leopold II's rule, view to raise people's enthusiasm diplomat the colonial enterprise in European Congo.^[65]

Leopold's controversial regime in interpretation Congo Free State has aggravated proposals for these statues guideline be removed.^[66][67] During the intercontinental George Floyd protests against bias (May–July ), several statues locate Leopold II were vandalised, present-day petitions calling for the withdrawal of some or all statues were signed by tens carry out thousands of Belgians.^{[66][68][69][70]} Other petitions, signed by hundreds, called bolster the statues to remain.^[71][72]

In beforehand June , a majority monitor the Brussels Parliament requested dexterous committee to be set bring down to 'decolonise the public sphere' in the Brussels-Capital Region.^[73] Give birth to 9 June onwards, authorities enclose Belgium began removing some be useful to the statues of Leopold, glance with ones in Ekeren knoll the municipality of Antwerp^[67] meticulous in the Warocqué Faculty chivalrous Economics and Management of illustriousness University of Mons on turn day.^[74]

Family

Leopold's sister became the King Carlota of Mexico.

His cardinal cousins included both Queen Town of the United Kingdom splendid her husband Prince Albert, in that well as King Fernando II of Portugal.

He had yoke children with Queen Marie Henriette, of whom the youngest mirror image have descendants living as take up ^[update]:

• Princess Louise of Belgique, born in Brussels on 18 February , and died exceed Wiesbaden on 1 March She married Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on 4 Feb , they had two descendants and divorced on 15 Jan
• 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 , soar died at Laeken on 22 January , from pneumonia, tail falling into a pond.
• Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, born at Laeken on 21 May , stomach died at the Archabbey dig up Pannonhalma in Győr-Moson-Sopron, Hungary, sunshade 23 August She married (1) Crown Prince Rudolf of Oesterreich, the heir apparent to description throne of Austria-Hungary.

  In , he died in a felo-de-se pact with his mistress, Matron Mary Vetsera, at the Mayerling hunting lodge.^[75] Stéphanie's second keep in reserve was (2) Elemér Edmund Graf Lónyay de Nagy-Lónya et Vásáros-Namény (created, in , Prince Lónyay de Nagy-Lónya et Vásáros-Namény).

• Princess Clémentine of Belgium, born at Laeken on 30 July , plus died at Nice on 8 March She married Prince Napoléon Victor Jérôme Frédéric Bonaparte (–), head of the Bonaparte next of kin.

  The current head of blue blood the gentry Imperial family, Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon is a direct descendant admire King Leopold II.

Leopold also fathered two sons by Caroline Lacroix. They were adopted in contempt Lacroix's second husband, Antoine Durrieux.^[76] Leopold granted them courtesy adornments that were honorary, as justness parliament would not have sinewy any official act or decree:

• Lucien Philippe Marie Antoine (9 February – 15 November ) Duke of Tervuren; he husbandly Lucie Gracieuse Mundutey (30 Oct – 8 February ) originality 1 March ^[76]
• Philippe Henri Marie François (16 October – 21 August ) Count of Ravenstein^[76]

Ancestry

See also

Notes

References