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King Leopold II was considered by the white people of his day as an effective and influential ruler. As king of Belgium, he led the colonization of the then-Belgian Congo, which provided great wealth to his country, all derived from the Natural Resources which the Congo had in abundance. But Africans, as well as modern students of colonialism, do not hold such a positive view of King Leopold. The modern view is that he was a harsh and brutal dictator, who plundered the mineral wealth of the Congo, provided little infrastructure or education for the Congolese people, and only cared about the riches the Congo could deliver to Belgium, while relegating the African citizenry to lives of extreme poverty and servitude. An excellent study of what King Leopold did can be found in the 1998 book "King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild.

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220 million francs!! or $1.1 billion in today's dollars.

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Q: How much money did King Leopold make from the Congo?
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What was Leopold II's contribution to the colonization of Africa?

King Leopold II of Belgium organized explorations to Central Africa. He organized a geographical conference, where the most distinguished people gathered in Brussels. There they agreed to make places in central Africa to be used for scientific and philanthropic purposes. In 1879?, he sent Henry Stanley to explore the Congo and establish treaties with local leaders in the Congo, make trading stations and a railroad. These treaties granted him everything. "The treaties must grant us everything" After that he had to gain recognition of his colony. He did this at the Berlin Conference. He fooled the United States to be the first one to recognize his colony.With the Congo in his control, Leopold began exploiting the locals for their ivory and rubber, despite his promise to preserve the native races. He kidnapped the women and children to force the men to collect rubber. Leopold made an army with the young African Men, he called it the force publique. When they used a cartridge they had to present a right hand. This was done to make sure that they were not storing cartridges for mutiny.After E.D. Morel, Casement and the Congo Reform Association exposed his actions, it caused an uproar and Leopold was not able to keep his colony. He hid the money he had gained from the Congo. He then sold the Congo for a substantial amount of money, but the money he received did not come from Belgian taxpayers it was directly from the Congo.When the Congo was put in Belgium's control not much changed. When the Congo gained its independence it was terribly crippled, it had an extreme shortage of college graduates. Anarchy exploded in the Congo.After this it is about Lumumba, Mubutu, and Kabila.


Why was the Belgian Congo important to Belgium?

In the colonial age, every western country had to have a colony to be "in". Belgium became a part of King Leopold II PERSONAL treasure, it was called belgian Congo, but actually it was his personal possesion. He made Hugh profits with producing rubber and digging for diamants, selling it all, to make big fortune for his royal family, which he later used to build Hugh royal buildings in belgium. After his rein, belgian Congo became a part of belgium and was just a colony like every other one: exploide it and say you're trying to bring it civilization. Belgian Congo is a black page in belgian history.


How did Martin Luther king make money?

how did martin luther kink to make money


Why did William penn's father make him leave home?

He did not. The king owed Penn's father money. The king gave the money to him in the form of land in the new world.


What region of Africa was treated the worst by Europeans around the 1800's?

There is no general consensus (how do you measure somebody's misery). However, most people consider the Belgian style of colonization to be the most brutal. It was typical in the Belgian Congo for Africans to lose limbs due to failure to make European quotas.

Related questions

Why did king Leopold colonized the Congo?

King Leopold colonized the Congo to gain a monetary profit. :/ He felt that he was not truly ruling Belgium because of parliament and felt the need for some recognition. He decided to gain that recognition by ruling a colony and then gaining money from it to be used to make monuments and parks. It is a very interesting story on how he did it. For further reading there is a very good book called "King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild. Many college courses use it and there are also several books at libraries. It is a very interesting topic that has been sadly overlooked too much.


What was Leopold II's contribution to the colonization of Africa?

King Leopold II of Belgium organized explorations to Central Africa. He organized a geographical conference, where the most distinguished people gathered in Brussels. There they agreed to make places in central Africa to be used for scientific and philanthropic purposes. In 1879?, he sent Henry Stanley to explore the Congo and establish treaties with local leaders in the Congo, make trading stations and a railroad. These treaties granted him everything. "The treaties must grant us everything" After that he had to gain recognition of his colony. He did this at the Berlin Conference. He fooled the United States to be the first one to recognize his colony.With the Congo in his control, Leopold began exploiting the locals for their ivory and rubber, despite his promise to preserve the native races. He kidnapped the women and children to force the men to collect rubber. Leopold made an army with the young African Men, he called it the force publique. When they used a cartridge they had to present a right hand. This was done to make sure that they were not storing cartridges for mutiny.After E.D. Morel, Casement and the Congo Reform Association exposed his actions, it caused an uproar and Leopold was not able to keep his colony. He hid the money he had gained from the Congo. He then sold the Congo for a substantial amount of money, but the money he received did not come from Belgian taxpayers it was directly from the Congo.When the Congo was put in Belgium's control not much changed. When the Congo gained its independence it was terribly crippled, it had an extreme shortage of college graduates. Anarchy exploded in the Congo.After this it is about Lumumba, Mubutu, and Kabila.


How does Congo make their money?

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing


What is the difference between the Congo Democratic Republic and the Congo Republic?

The Democratic Republic of Congo was a private colony until 1908. It belonged to a Belgian King named Leopold II In 1908 Belgian the parliament took over and it became a belgian colony. It gained independence in 1960 It changed its name to Zaire because the new president (Mobutu, who became a dictator) wanted to decolonise the country and make people proud of their heritage. it changed it name to Democratic Republic of Congo i think in the 1990s when Mobutu was overthrown. The Republic of Congo was the colony west of the Democratic Republic of Congo, controlled by France. It gained independence in 1960.


Why was the Belgian Congo important to Belgium?

In the colonial age, every western country had to have a colony to be "in". Belgium became a part of King Leopold II PERSONAL treasure, it was called belgian Congo, but actually it was his personal possesion. He made Hugh profits with producing rubber and digging for diamants, selling it all, to make big fortune for his royal family, which he later used to build Hugh royal buildings in belgium. After his rein, belgian Congo became a part of belgium and was just a colony like every other one: exploide it and say you're trying to bring it civilization. Belgian Congo is a black page in belgian history.


How did Martin Luther king make money?

how did martin luther kink to make money


What do they make in Congo?

Mbongo.


The Congo river is in what position as far as the list of longest rivers?

Answer - No the Congo is not the longest river. It is the 8th longest river and the population id 71,000,000 (71 million). The Congo River has a rain forest surroundings and it's very hot and humid. It's occasionally rainy and the people living nearby use it to fish. Some make money off fishing but some make patterned clothes which is part of their Congo culture.


Why did King James want to increase taxes?

To make money.


How money did BB King make last year?

justin


How much did Joey King get paid for Ramona and Beezus?

How much money does Joey king make or have


What does Congo make?

"con" and "go"