How did King Leopold II of Belgium come to control the Congo as his private possession? This African Foundry documentary traces the creation of the Congo Free State, the promises used to justify it, and the brutal system of forced labour that extracted rubber and ivory.

Explore the roles of the Berlin Conference, colonial companies and the Force Publique; the violence endured by Congolese communities; the international campaign that exposed the atrocities; Belgium’s annexation of the territory; and the long colonial legacy that followed. It is the story of how humanitarian language concealed an empire built for profit—and how the consequences continued long after Leopold’s personal rule ended.