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Organization

Congo Free State

State in Central Africa from 1885 to 1908, ruled by Leopold II as its sovereign, apart from Belgium; Belgium took it over on 15 November 1908.

7 links, 5 backed by primary records. 8 more in open data

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Dates
1885 – 15 Nov 1908
Also known as
Independent State of the Congo, Congo State
Wikidata
Q76048
Over time
  1. Active 1885 – 15 Nov 1908
  2. headed by Leopold II (Sovereign) 1885 – 15 Nov 1908

Leopold II ruled the Free State as its sovereign until 1908: in 1885 Belgium’s parliament made the union between Belgium and the State “exclusively personal”. Belgium took it over on 15 November 1908. Belgians administered it throughout, and the State held shares in the concession companies that gathered rubber.

Connections 7

founded by

headed by

  • Leopold II 1885 – 15 Nov 1908 Sovereign Primary record 12

awarded a contract to

  • Anglo-Belgian India Rubber Company (Abir) Concession to gather rubber on the State domain Primary record 3

    The Commission of Inquiry names Abir among the principal concession companies and says the State often took half the stock of such companies; it gives no share for Abir alone.

involved in

became

headquartered in

  • Brussels Scholarship & press 1

    In Leopold's own words in 1889; the Free State was a separate state from Belgium, joined to it only through the King.

Timeline 4 dates
  1. 1885 – 15 Nov 1908 Congo Free State
  2. 1885 International Association of the Congo founded Congo Free State
  3. 1885 – 15 Nov 1908 Leopold II head of Congo Free State
  4. 15 Nov 1908 Congo Free State became Belgian Congo
Proof 4 sources
  1. The Story of the Congo Free State, by Henry Wellington Wack (a book friendly to the Free State; it prints the King's speech and letters in full), G. P. Putnam's Sons (Project Gutenberg), 1905. Scholarship & press
    the State founded in Africa by the International Association of the Congo
    His Majesty, Leopold II., King of the Belgians, is authorised to be the chief of the State founded in Africa by the International Association of the Congo.
    A young and vast State, directed from Brussels, has peacefully taken its place under the sun
  2. The Belgian Minister to the Secretary of State, Washington, 4 November 1908 (Foreign Relations of the United States, 1908, doc. 559), U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, 4 Nov 1908. Primary record
    the sovereign powers of the State of the Kongo are now transferred to Belgium
  3. The Congo: a report of the Commission of Enquiry appointed by the Congo Free State government (English translation, 1906), Commission of Enquiry of the Congo Free State, translated by G. P. Putnam's Sons (Project Gutenberg), 30 Oct 1905. Primary record
    A concession means the right granted in return for a money consideration to commercial companies that permits them to gather for their sole profit certain products of the State Domain.
    In obedience to the instructions contained in Article 5 of the Decree of July 23, 1904, we have the honour to submit to you a Report upon the results of the enquiry that we conducted in the Congo.
  4. Minister Wilson to the Secretary of State, Brussels, 10 November 1908, with the Belgian note of 6 November (Foreign Relations of the United States, 1908, doc. 560), U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, 10 Nov 1908. Primary record
    has fixed on the 15th of this month as the date on which the Government of the King will assume the exercise of sovereignty in its colonial possessions
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