Latest / The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History
The Scramble for Africa: The Forgotten Congo Free State
While the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 is often cited as the moment Europe carved up the African continent, this episode shifts focus to the singular, private empire that emerged from those negotiations: the Congo Free State. We explore how King Leopold II of Belgium, rather than acting on behalf of his government, established a personal sovereign territory in Central Africa under the guise of humanitarianism and scientific exploration. Through the lens of Henry Morton Stanley’s expeditions and the brutal machinery of the Force Publique, we examine the rubber terror that devastated the…
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