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The 1900 Aruwimi Ivory War: Force Publique vs Mangbetu
In 1900, the Force Publique launched a brutal military campaign along the Aruwimi River in northeastern Congo, ostensibly to suppress Arab-Swahili slave traders but actually to seize control of the region's ivory wealth. This episode follows the march of Belgian-led troops under Commandant Théophile Wahis against the Mangbetu kingdom, a highly organized society with a sophisticated court and artistic tradition. We examine the battle tactics, the role of Zanzibari mercenaries, the destruction of Mangbetu royal villages, and the subsequent looting of ivory that enriched Leopold II's…
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