3. King Leopald II
An astoundingly greedy and duplicitous man, he enslaved an entire nation to enrich himself. Leopold II reigned as King from 1865 to 1909. Most of the world was ignorant to the brutal enslavement of Congo during his reign, and many European leaders believed he was working to improve the lives of the people of Congo. Millions of Congolese died, some estimate the number at 10 million, and he used the slave labor to extract and export rubber. Workers were mutilated by having their hands cut off if they refused to work for free. Reports of soldiers killing the wives and children of workers in order to force them to work harder were widespread. Roughly half of the population was killed.
Add Comment