1-156-446 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

Leopold II, King of Belgium, 1865-1909. Leopold (1835-1909), King of Belgium from 1865, wears the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The second King of the Belgians, he founded the Congo Free State in 1885 with the intention of exploiting its rubber, ivory and mineral resources, ruling as its sovereign. The local population were subjected to brutal exploitation by their colonial rulers, resulting in atrocities and an estimated 5-15 million deaths. When news of the situation reached the outside world in 1905, there was an outcry, leading to international pressure forcing Leopold to transfer the administration of the Congo to the Belgian state.