fme_1012401 - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO - BELGIAN CONGO Insigne bilingue de chefferie indigène

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - BELGIAN CONGO

(1879-1960)

After crossing Africa from east to west, Stanley accepted the offers of King Leopold II of Belgium and began an expedition to colonize the Congo in 1879-1882, concurrently with France. In 1885, Leopold II was recognized as personal sovereign of the Congo Free State. The pacification of the territory, the fight against slavery and economic development quickly exceeded the personal resources of the king and the Congo was annexed in 1908 by Belgium. During the following half-century, Belgium continued the economic development of the Congo with rubber, mining products such as copper or even diamonds. Independence was proclaimed in 1960 by King Baudoin I in Léopoldville, the Belgian Congo then became the Democratic Republic of Zaire.