Yielding to international pressure, the parliament of Belgium annexed the Congo Free State and took over its administration on November 15, 1908, as the colony of the Belgian Congo. Belgium created two colonies in Africa: the entities now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of Zaire) and the Republic of Rwanda, previously Ruanda-Urundi, a former German African colony that was given to Belgium to administer after the defeat of Germany in World War I. Belgian Congo, French Congo Belge, former colony (coextensive with the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Africa, ruled by Belgium from 1908 until 1960. A study of encounters between colonizer and colonized in French West Africa throughout the colonial period, focusing on "history from below.". During the 1840s and 50s, King Leopold I tentatively supported several proposals to acquire territories overseas. Many European countries wanted to colonize distant parts of the world in order to exploit the resources and "civilize" the inhabitants of these less-developed countries. His inability to disarm the ex-Rwandan soldiers and perpetuators of the 1994 genocide who were now living in Congo led to the invasion of the Congo by a combined army of Tutsi-led governments of Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda and the Congolese rebel leader Laurent Kabila. Along with several other European powers and the United States, as a result of the Boxer Rebellion, Belgium also gained a Concession of two square kilometers in Tientsin (or Tianjin; a Chinese Treaty port). [1] Greeks colonised Cyrenaica around the . The United States and Belgium provided the money that Mobutu used to bribe the Congolese army to commit treason against their properly elected government. Arguably, in comparison with other colonial powers in Africa, Belgium did less to prepare its overseas subjects for political independence, investing little in education and training, and extracted the riches of its colonies at enormous human cost. Africa: History of a Continent, rev. In 1908, in order to defuse an international outcry against the brutality of the Congo Free State, the Belgian government agreed to annex it as a colony, named the Belgian Congo. The most notable of these empires was the Kingdom of Kongo, which was founded in the fourteenth century and centered around present-day western Congo and northern Angola. 1822) [19]. When did Belgium colonize Congo? During its colonisation era, Belgium controlled several colonies/concessions during its history, the Belgian Congo (modern DRC) from 1908 to 1960, and Ruanda-Urundi (Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962. The final decade of the Belgian presence in the Congo was characterized by a notable improvement of the living standard of the growing black urban population. Bibliographie historique du Zare l'poque coloniale (18801960): Travaux publis en 19601996. Finally, the constant interventions of the Belgians in the affairs of their former colonies of Congo and Rwanda have made ethnic and political rivalries worse. The Belgian Congo (French: Congo belge, pronounced [ko bl]; Dutch: Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa between 1908 and 1960 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Stanley "built roads along the entire stretch of the Congo" and set up "a chain of trading stations." Leopold II was absolute ruler of Congo. Such conditions led to opposition from other European powers, and the Congo Free State ceased to exist in 1908 when it was annexed by Belgium. The Congo had a high degree of racial segregation. The city of Tianjin (Tientsin), a treaty port in China (18601945) included nine foreign-controlled concessions (Chinese: ; pinyin: zujie). From early April 1994 through mid-July 1994, members, Africa, Modern U.S. Security Policy and Interventions, African American Catholics in the United States (History of), https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-belgian-colonies. Although there were several political parties, the two most prominent were Joseph Kasavubus ABAKO, a party based among the Kongo people, and Patrice Lumumbas Congolese National Movement. Colonial rule in the Congo began in the late 19th century. [1], Much of the initial infrastructure was the work of Stanley Morton Stanley who, having extensively explored the Congo, was employed by Leopold from 1878. ." In 1897 a Swedish missionary told a London meeting how Leopolds soldiers were rewarded by the number of Congolese hands they amputated as punishment to native workers for failure to work hard enough. King Leopold II and the Belgians extend their military rule over the much desired Congo Basin in Central Africa. 2004. During the 1940s and 1950s, the Congo had extensive urbanization, and the colonial administration began various development programmes aimed at making the territory into a "model colony". In 1966 he renamed the Congolese cities of Lopoldville (Kinshasa), Stanley-ville (Kisangani), and Elisabethville (Lubumbashi). With the promise of open trade, Leopold convinced world powers to recognize what eventually became the Association Internationale du Congo (AIC) as the legal authority over a vast territory in the heart of Africa. From the coastline excursions in Africa and the gradual establishment of trade routes in Asia and in the Indian . Revolts and violence against Tutsi, known as the Rwandan Revolution, occurred in the events leading to independence. The new leader signed a peace treaty with the rebel groups and appointed four vice presidents hailing from former rebel groups. The new colony comprised a land bigger than western Europe and seventy-four times larger than Belgium, and belonged to Leopold II as a personal possession. But from 1895 on, the Congo Free State, which Leopold ruled as an absolute monarch, was saved from bankruptcy by the growing demand for rubber. Following a general analysis of French colonial rule in the AOF, a separate chapter is devoted to each colony. Their refusal led Leopold to create a state under his own personal rule. Cawthorne, Nigel. A classic image depicts the Belgian Congo as being run by the "Trinity" of administration, capital, and the (Catholic) Church. When Belgium became a nation in 1830, it had almost no tradition of long-distance trade or colonial activity. 7 What were the former British colonies in Africa? The Tutsis were willing collaborators to the Belgian colonization. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. From the 16th to the 17th centuries, the First French colonial empire stretched from a total area at its peak in 1680 to over 10,000,000 km 2 (3,900,000 sq mi), the second largest empire in the world at the time behind only the Spanish Empire.During the 19th and 20th centuries, the French colonial empire was the second largest colonial empire in the world only behind the British Empire; it . They colonized Congo because the needed its resources like rubber to manufacture goods. Congo, mythes et ralits: 100 ans d'histoire. Autocratic rule did not need to find ways of negotiating how different factions could cooperate within a sustainable, participatory system of governance or access a fair share of resources. On February 5, 1885, Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State by brutally seizing the African landmass as his personal possession. When the Belgians took over the administration of Rwanda from the Germans in 1918, they significantly changed the Rwandese system of government and social relations. The Black Mans Burden: Africa and the Curse of the Nation-State. Other articles where history of Belgium is discussed: Belgium: History of Belgium: This section surveys the history of the Belgian territories after 1579. . The Congo was also characterized by the extraordinary development of huge mining industries (particularly in the province of Katanga, well known for its copper, and in the Kasai region, famous for its industrial diamonds). After the June 1960 elections, Lumumba became prime minister and Kasavubu the ceremonial president. After several unsuccessful attempts in different parts of Asia and Africa, Leopold developed a keen interest in Central Africa. [5] Many deaths can be attributed to new diseases introduced by contact with European colonists, including smallpox which killed nearly half the population in the areas surrounding the lower Congo River. Germany had only been unified in 1871 and . Belgium itself could not stay aloof, because of its growing involvement in the Congo Free State. In 1876 Leopold convoked an International Geographic Conference in Brussels, where prominent geographers and explorers were invited. Following the Rwandan Revolution, the mandate became the independent states of Burundi and Rwanda in 1962.[1]. There are also Nilotic-speaking peoples near Sudan and some pygmies in northeastern Congo. Third, most of the ethnic tensions in these countries are caused by rapid population growth and the fight for scarce resources by the leaders of the various ethnic groups. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. During the East African Campaign of World War I, the north-east part of German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, was invaded by Belgian and Congolese troops in 1916, and was still occupied by them at the end of the war in 1918. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Others cited Belgian's ratification of Article 73 of the United Nations Charter (on self-determination) and argued for a swifter hand-over of power than the 30 years favored by some. Leopold II personally accumulated considerable wealth from exports of rubber and ivory acquired at gunpoint. During a period lasting from 1881 to 1914 in what was known as the Scramble for Africa, several European . Although the Congo Free State was not a Belgian colony, Belgium was its chief beneficiary in terms of trade and the employment of its citizens. Kanyandago, Peter, ed. Towards the end of colonial rule, the governor general at the time, Lon Antoine Marie Petillon (in office 1952-1958), wanted to grant Africans more civil rights. It was established by the Belgian parliament to replace the previous, privately owned Congo Free State, after international outrage over abuses there brought pressure for supervision and accountability. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. New York: Penguin. On July 4, the army rebelled. However, when independence came, the territories were ill-prepared for self-governance since little effort had been made to train and equip an African leadership. Colonial rule in the Congo began in the late 19th century. The violence used by Free State officials against indigenous Congolese and the ruthless system of economic extraction had led to intense diplomatic pressure on Belgium to take official control of the country. How many countries did Belgium colonize in Africa? Dakar, Senegal: African Renaissance. Map of Africa in 1910. [18], While the Compagnie belge de colonisation was granted the land in perpetuity, the concession did not become a colony in the political sense. [22], In 1919, the island of Comacina was bequeathed to King Albert I of Belgium for a year, and became an enclave under the sovereignty of Belgium. https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-belgian-colonies, "Africa: Belgian Colonies Joseph Mobutu, who later changed his name to Mobutu Sese Seko, was appointed army chief of staff by Lumumba. Leopold II, French in full Lopold-Louis-Philippe-Marie-Victor, Dutch in full Leopold Lodewijk Filips Maria Victor, (born April 9, 1835, Brussels, Belgiumdied December 17, 1909, Laeken), king of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The Congo Free State, officially presented to the world as a humanitarian and civilizing enterprise destined to abolish slavery and introduce Christianity, became the target of an international protest campaign, led by the British activist Edmund Dene Morel (18731924) and his Congo Reform Association. When both countries became independent on July 1, 1962, Rwanda was governed by a Hutu president, Burundi by a Tutsi king. The main contenders in this region, particularly France and the United Kingdom, hoped to reap the benefits of Leopold's "whim," which, in their opinion, would not last long. * As many as 10 million people are estimated to have died in Congo from killings, famine and disease . Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. While some Africans initially welcomed European rule, others opposed it from the start. In the years following the Boxer Rebellion, the diplomat Maurice Joostens negotiated a concession for Belgium. What has been described as an Apartheid-like system also existed in that the mobility of Africans, but not of Europeans, was restricted and curfews applied to the former. This uprising led to the disintegration of the Belgian colonial administration and helped in winning independence for the Congo in 1960. In 1998 Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda jointly invaded Congo, and Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad, and the Sudan fought on the side of Kabilas Congo. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner. Western colonialism, a political-economic phenomenon whereby various European nations explored, conquered, settled, and exploited large areas of the world. It was, however, the third largest colonial territory in Africa; in contrast, the possessions of Belgium's more powerful neighbor, Germany, came sixth in size. Leopold II personally accumulated considerable wealth from exports of rubber and ivory acquired at gunpoint. The colony was founded in 1908 following the transfer of sovereignty from the Congo Free State, which was the personal property of Belgium's king, Leopold II. ." The Congo From Leopold to Kabila. North Africa experienced colonisation from Europe and Western Asia in the early historical period, particularly Greeks and Phoenicians . Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. The term is also applied to a group of nationals wh, c. 1875 The Belgian administration of the Congo was run by a relatively modest corps of civil servants (in 1947 only about 44,000 whites, 3,200 of whom were public employees, were present in this vast country, inhabited by some 11 million Africans). Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Mobutu was used as a Western stooge to stop an alleged communist incursion into Africa. Maurel, Auguste. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. The territory was granted independence in 1962, as the separate countries of Rwanda and Burundi in 1962, bringing the Belgian colonial empire to an end. "Belgium's African Colonies It also annexed Katanga, a territory under the Congo Free State flag, which Leopold had gained in 1891, when he sent an expedition which killed its king, Msiri, cut off his head and hoisted it on a pole. During World War I, Congolese troops participated in offensives against German forces in the area of modern-day Rwanda and Burundi which were placed under Belgian occupation. . Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Colonialism is the act by which a country or state exerts control and domination over another country or state. ." "Belgium's African Colonies Through intermarriage and socioeconomic contacts, interethnic strife was benign. The European incursion into the west coast of Africa and the consequent slave raids increased the migrations of refugees into Kongo. In order to wipe out the stain of Leopoldian ill treatment of the African population and gain international respectability, the Belgian authorities tried to turn the Congo into a "model colony." An agreement was reached between the Belgian and Chinese governments in August 1929 to return the concession to China. After the Government assumed direct control, the treatment of the people did improve but only marginally. Belgian rule in the Congo was based on the "colonial trinity" (trinit coloniale) of state, missionary and private company interests. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. How can a teen start a clothing business? THE ADMINISTRATION OF CONGO BY THE BELGIANS (19081960), HISTORY OF BELGIUM COLONIZATION OF RWANDA, RACE AND ETHNICITY IN PRECOLONIAL AFRICAN BELGIAN COLONIES, ETHNIC RELATIONS DURING THE BELGIAN COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION, ETHNIC AND POLITICAL CONFLICTS IN POSTCOLONIAL BELGIAN COLONIES IN AFRICA. Hutus went on a rampage, killing Tutsis in their midst with the aim of exterminating them. In 2006 a new constitution was written and approved for the Third Republic, and elections were conducted with Joseph Kabila emerging as victorious. They favored the takeover of political power by the latter, a policy that succeeded in Rwanda but failed in Burundi. (Colonizing other peoples, regardless of the justification . All blacks saw this man as the devil of the Equator The Consul of Belgium and the president of the Brera Academy established a charitable foundation with the goal of building a village for artists and a hotel.[23]. [4], The Free State government exploited the Congo for its natural resources, first ivory and later rubber which was becoming a valuable commodity. Subnationalism in Africa: Ethnicity, Alliances, and Politics. The rubber trade, which was of critical economic importance to sustaining Leopold's enterprise, was marked by especially inhumane conditions. Leopold II became known as the "Butcher of the Congo," where millions of Africans died as a result of the brutality of his rule. New York: Macmillan. "Africa: Belgian Colonies Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Vellut, Jean-Luc, Florence Loriaux, and Franoise Morimont, eds. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Belgium itself had gained independence in 1831 when it broke away from the Netherlands and became a new nation.
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