Leopold II was the second King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909 and, through his own efforts, the owner and absolute ruler of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908.
Born in Brussels as the second but eldest surviving son of Leopold I and Louise of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the Belgian throne in 1865 and reigned for exactly 44 years until his death, the longest reign of any Belgian monarch. He died without surviving legitimate sons. The current Belgian king descends from his nephew and successor, Albert I.
Leopold was the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State, a private project undertaken on his own behalf as a personal union with Belgium. He used Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo, the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, the colonial nations of Europe authorised his claim and committed the Congo Free State to him. Leopold ran the Congo by using the mercenary Force Publique for his personal gain. He extracted a fortune from the territory, initially by the collection of ivory and, after a rise in the price of natural rubber in the 1890s, by forced labour from the native population to harvest and process rubber.
Leopold's administration of the Congo Free State was characterized by atrocities and systematic brutality, including torture; murder; and the amputation of the hands of men, women and children when the quota of rubber was not met. In 1890, George Washington Williams used the term "crimes against humanity" to describe the practices of Leopold's administration of the Congo Free State.These and other facts were established at the time by eyewitness testimony, on-site inspection by an international commission of inquiry, and the 1904 Casement Report. Modern estimates range from 1 million to 15 million Congolese deaths, with a consensus growing around 10 million. Some historians argue against these figures by citing the lack of reliable censuses, the enormous mortality caused by smallpox and African trypanosomiasis and the fact that there were only 175 administrative agents in charge of rubber exploitation. In 1908, the reports of deaths and abuse and pressure from the Congo Reform Association and other international groups induced the Belgian government to take over the administration of the Congo from Leopold as a new territory, Belgian Congo.
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Some of their strengths
King of Belgium Leopold II has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Bold, Independent, Intuitive, Passionate, Generous, and Confident.
Independent and Brave
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, King of Belgium Leopold II is someone who is an independent, brave, and honest person who approaches life with energy, intuition, passion, and generosity. A person who seems to identify with family, heritage and ancestry.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know King of Belgium Leopold II well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Optimistic and Frank
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe King of Belgium Leopold II as someone who is optimistic, principled, adventurous, and direct.
A person who isn't shy about expressing their opinions, loves competition, loves learning things themself, who is known for being inventive and original, and who loves being surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Perceptive and Visionary
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, King of Belgium Leopold II is someone who has a natural awareness about what is going on in the surrounding environment and the world at large, and a refined vision of how to navigate it.
They are also someone who is balanced, organized, and in-charge, and who loves traveling, working hard, and figuring out the patterns of things.
Independent and Dynamic
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, King of Belgium Leopold II tends to be someone who is independent, dynamic, and courageous. Who can be positive, energetic, self-reliant, and adventurous, and who can make friends easily.
Some of King of Belgium Leopold II's challenges
While King of Belgium Leopold II has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, King of Belgium Leopold II can be Short-tempered, Impulsive, Arrogant, Status-seeking, Suspicious, Stubborn, and Pushy.
Short-tempered and Impulsive
One of King of Belgium Leopold II's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as short-tempered and impulsive.
King of Belgium Leopold II must also exercise caution as they can be short-tempered and aggressive, and can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Pushy and Restless
King of Belgium Leopold II is someone who can be arrogant and bossy, who can have difficulty concentrating and focusing, be unable to separate emotions from business decisions, and who can engage in excessive spending in support of an expensive lifestyle and habits.
Aggressive and Domineering
Finally, King of Belgium Leopold II also can be aggressive, impatient, impulsive, and short-tempered.
