King Leopold II Of Belgium - 1473 Words

Characterized by ambition and restlessness from an early age, King Leopold II of Belgium utilized his desire to make a name for himself, while increasing his personal wealth and power, and deftly harnessed subterfuge in order to convince the Belgian government that his interests in Africa were philanthropic, all the while exploiting and deceiving the native peoples of the Congo. However, it was this same relentless ambition which would eventually lead to Leopold’s being forced to sell his colonial holdings, as the moral limits of the observers and of participants in the king’s imperial system were pushed to their breaking points. King Leopold II began his career on the world stage as a young individual leading an almost equally young nation. Much of his life was devoid of genuine human connections and emotion, and he ruthlessly pursued power and profits, likely in an attempt to fill this void. He went about this pursuit by modeling the nation which he so admired, Great Britain. He was entranced by its methods of imperialism, and he came to the conclusion, after investigating a multitude of other options, that Africa offered the most opportunities for his individual profit, as the majority of the wild lands on other continents had already been colonized by more influential European powers. After he came into power, Leopold broached the topic of a Belgium-controlled colony in a much different manner than he had while his father was still king. Previously, Leopold wasShow MoreRelated King Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism Essay787 Words   |  4 PagesKing Leopold II and Belgian Imperialism In 1865, King Leopold II succeeded his father to the thrown of Belgium and thus began one of the most brutal and insensitive periods of imperialism ever to exist. From manipulative treaties to straight forward intimidation, Leopold dominated his empire like no other. He was cruel, deceptive, and downright evil, yet it took the world over twenty years to recognize this. The record of King Leopold’s atrocity is an interesting account of howRead MoreEssay On Leopold II Of Belgium1050 Words   |  5 PagesKing Leopold II of Belgium was born on April 9th, 1935. When Leopold was born, Belgium itself was only about five years old! Leopold became the oldest son of Belgium I that was alive. Leopold I was the very first king of Belgium, with his second wife, Louise-Marie of Orlà ©ans being queen. Leopold II became the Duke of Brabant in 1846 as well as serving in the Belgian army. In 1853, Leopold II a beautiful woman married Marie-Henriette. She was the daughter of the Austrian archduke Joseph, who was theRead MoreEssay King Leopold: The Oppressor1221 Words   |  5 PagesKing Leopold II of Belgium’s speech delivered to missionaries traveling to the Congo describes an attempt by the king to justify the subjugation of the Congolese people for the benefit of the Belgian economy. King Leopold directed his speech to the Catholic missionaries who were planning on working with the indigenous population of the Congo in 1883. Leopold, blinded by racism and imperialist greed, stresses that the missionaries should selectively interpret their Bible teachings in a manner thatRead MoreKing Leopold II and Joseph Stalin1720 Words   |  7 PagesKing Leopold II and Joseph Stalin were both tyrants who ruled during different times in history. Both men ruled their respective territories almost solely autonomously and exploited, mutilated, and murdered the people who they should have been protecting. The atrocities committed by these are remembered as som e of the most horrific crimes committed during their respective centuries of rule. It is important to understand that these men did not begin their rein with the intent on killing millionsRead MoreCongo’s Era of Damnation631 Words   |  3 PagesIn the year 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium imperialized the Independent State of the Congo. Leopold set the area up under his own personal rule. His rule was an extremely negative and very unwanted thing that plunged the area into an era of damnation. The early history of the congo really starts in 150 AD. The indigenous immigrants to the Congo, who were most likely Pygmies, had migrated from the northern area to the savannah regions in the south now called DROC, or Democratic Republic of theRead MoreKing Leopold II and the Congo Free State655 Words   |  3 Pages King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909) was the reigning king of Belgium from 1865 until his death in 1909. He managed the throne after the death of his father, Leopold I. He was born under the original name of Louis Philippe Marie Victor in Brussels. He joined the Belgium armed forces at a relatively early age and, in 1853, he took as his wife the Archduke of Austria’s daughter, Maria Henrietta. He became widely noted as a philanthropist, his work earning him worldwide fame. UponRead MoreIs Belgium A Nation Of The International Market Through Colonization?825 Words   |  4 PagesBelgium becomes a nation that creates a foothold in the internatio nal market through colonization in Congo. Even though the exploitation was ramped throughout all the colonies, Congo might have been the most extreme case of exploitation. Through the exploitation of the Congo lands, and the government deeming most of the rain forest â€Å"uninhabitable† those lands were turned over to the Belgium government and the resources were exhausted in that area. As the rubber vines would dry up and die the expectationRead MoreThe Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad983 Words   |  4 Pagesby King Leopold II. â€Å"In aspiring to become a modern-day pharaoh, King Leopold began his African venture in September 1876† (Nzongola-Ntalaja 38). King Leopold II was believed to be a philanthropist who was eager to bring western civilization, commerce, and Christianity to the African natives. â€Å"Christian missionary work helped, in the logic of colonialism, to undermine African cultural autonomy, and helped to promote colonial domination† (N zongola-Ntalaja 39). Truly, King Leopold II of Belgium aspiredRead MoreThe Conflict Of The Congo1460 Words   |  6 PagesIn the year 1876, King Leopold II of Belgium began to display an interest in the civilization mission in Africa. The documents on European Imperialism provide evidence for how the individuals in the Congo are being exploited for European benefit, under the profit-making aim of King Leopold II. European brutality in the Congo was the logical result of the European desire to implement ‘proper’ civilization in the Congo, albeit through a lack of cultural understanding and compassion towards the peopleRead MoreThe Historical Basis Of Heart Of Darkness883 Words   |  4 Pagesovertaking of the Congo by King Leopold II of Belgium. Leopold subjugated the indigenous people of the Congo in order to use them as slaves in his quest for rubber and ivory, much like that of the Company who said they were helping the natives while searching for ivory and Kurtz who took advantage of the peoples beliefs to have them procure the ivory for him. In an attempt to attain colonies for Belgium, Leopold acquired a colony of his own as a private citizen. Leopold was able to establish a private