King Leopold II

King Leopold II was the ruler of Belgium from 1865 to 1909, famous for establishing control over the Congo Free State (modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) as his personal colony. He claimed to seek economic development and humanitarian work, but in reality, his administration exploited the land and people, forcing labor and causing widespread abuse and atrocities. The brutal treatment led to the deaths of millions of Congolese workers. International outrage eventually forced the Belgian government to take control of the territory in 1908. Leopold's legacy is widely associated with colonial exploitation and human rights abuses.