Who did King Leopold II of Belgium hire to explore and found colonies in Zaire?
King Leopold II founded a company in 1879 to develop the Congo. In 1885 he became King of the so called “Congo Free State” and presided over the infamous “Red Rubber Regime” there. The Belgian state was forced to annex the colony in 1908. Among his helpers were Henry Morton Stanley. He wanted support from Britain, but they regarded him as an adventurer and a pirate. Leopold II hired him in 1879 and sent him to the Congo to control the country. Among his rivals was the French Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza who took control over French Congo for his country. Note: One should not use the term “Zaire” for the former Belgian Congo. The country is today called The Democratic Republic of Congo.
