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'''King Leopold II''' (1835-1909) was the king of [[Belgium]] from 1865 up until his death. He is best known for his rule of terror over rubber extraction in the [[Congo Free State]], the present day [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. Although the Congo Free State was named as a Free State, it was actually the private plantation of the King, through which he extracted rubber and ivory, using the people of the Congo as slaves. He was involved in mass killings connected with rubber and ivory extraction.  

'''King Leopold II''' (1835-1909) was the king of [[Belgium]] from 1865 up until his death. He is best known for his rule of terror over rubber extraction in the [[Congo Free State]], the present day [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. Although the Congo Free State was named as a Free State, it was actually the private plantation of the King, through which he extracted rubber and ivory, using the people of the Congo as slaves. He was involved in mass killings connected with rubber and ivory extraction.  

King Leopold II became the king of Belgium shortly after its independence from France, and involved himself in European affairs by claiming the Congo via the [[Berlin Conference]].  

King Leopold II was involved himself in African affairs by claiming the Congo via the [[Berlin Conference]].  

The cause of his death is a mystery.  He was rapidly losing power in the late 1890s and early 1900s.  His atrocities against the people of the Congo was revealed by the British press and other European media. After his secrets began to be disclosed, he was forced to admit the truth. Due to his increasing debts to the Belgian government, he decided to hand over the Congo Free State to the Belgian government, as a colony, instead of willing it to his daughter.  

The cause of his death is a mystery.  He was rapidly losing power in the late 1890s and early 1900s.  His atrocities against the people of the Congo was revealed by the British press and other European media. After his secrets began to be disclosed, he was forced to admit the truth. Due to his increasing debts to the Belgian government, he decided to hand over the Congo Free State to the Belgian government, as a colony, instead of willing it to his daughter.