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Leopold II of Belgium
75 quotes
“In dealing with a race composed of cannibals for thousands of years, it is necessary to use methods which will best shape their idleness, and make them realize the sanctity of work.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1906 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: King Leopold's Ghost Newspaper interview, 1906.
“I believe we must set up three children's colonies, the aim of these colonies is above all to furnish us with soldiers.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1890 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: King Leopold's Ghost Leopold II in a letter to the Congo Governor General: Camille Janssen, 1890.
“I will give them my Congo, but they have no right to know what I did there.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1908 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: King Leopold's Ghost King Leopold Ii in Letter to aid, 1908.
“Hopefully they won't mess up my Congo!”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Our only programme is the work of moral and material re-generation.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1903 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: CONGO FREE STATE. HC Deb 20 May 1903 vol 122 cc1289-332
“I would like to do something in Africa; I've been thinking about this for a few days now and would like you to help me. Here are my first impressions, think about it. I know your talent and your sagacious and devoted mind; I know that the day you get down to it, I will be able to count on you. peaceful and humanitarianism is my only concern.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1819 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 6. Baron Auguste Lambermont (1819-1905), A key figure in the background of early Be…
“It's my ruin you stipulate and you can't want it.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1836 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), Emile Banning (1836-1898): The Don Quichotte of the ‘liberal civilization’ in Congo…
Also quoted by: Émile Banning
“I am overwhelmed by your letter yesterday, and I hope with all my heart and for you and for the patriotic work that we are pursuing that you do not persevere in your desire to leave the administration of the Congo. Please come and see me in Brussels on Saturday at a quarter past one.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1852 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 9. Boycott! The story of Edmond Stanislas van Eetvelde (1852-1925) AKP. Archives re…
“You would remember that when I decided that the state would exploit its domain and that any vacant land would be claimed by it as its own, you found me absolutely absolute. You have nevertheless very vigorously and very skillfully supported me. For the Nile, I also ask you to follow my instructions faithfully. I will not lead you to the shipwreck, I promise you. For the time being, I want to be as powerful as possible on the Nile.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1852 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 9. Boycott! The story of Edmond Stanislas van Eetvelde (1852-1925) A chaotic and mu…
Also quoted by: Edmond van Eetvelde
“The mission which the agents of the State in Congo must fulfill is noble and of high purpose. Their task is to develop the work of civilization. They must gradually contain the primitive wildness, the bloodthirsty habits of thousands of years. They must subject the population to new laws. among which the most urgent and the most beneficial is undoubtedly that of labour.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1885 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Inculturation of Christian marriage in the Belgian Congo. 1919-1950. The Policy Making of the Mission Superiors on Polygamy; their directives to the missionaries and influence on the policy of the State. (Betty Eggermon…
“If you yield so much as an inch of the Congo, your old King will rise from his grave to blame you.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My rights to the Congo are not for sharing; they are the fruits of my labours and my expenditures . . . The adversaries of the Congo are pressing for immediate annexation. These persons no doubt hope that a change of regime would sabotage the work now in progress and would enable them to reap some rich booty.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1906 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: EWANS, supra note 50, at 224 (emphasis added); see also PAKENHAM, supra note 42, at 655 (quoting a “royal letter” issued by King Leopold on June 3, 1906).
“The Committee of the British Baptist Missionary Society, of London, desire most respectfully to address Your Majesty as Sovereign of the Congo Free State, and to express their grateful acknowledgments for Your Majesty's gracious and helpful sympathy with all wisely considered efforts put forth for the enlightenment and uplifting of Your Majesty's native subjects living within the territories of the Congo Free State.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is no longer a single government that colonizes. There is only individual colonization.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1806 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 4. Viceroys without colonial aspirations? Jules Van Praet (1806-1887) The colonizat…
Also quoted by: Jules Van Praet
“We went to live in full Portuguese territory without the permission of Portugal. I don't quite understand our claim.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1828 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 4. Viceroys without colonial aspirations? Jules Devaux (1828-1886) Jules Devaux dar…
“I think sire, that you would be wrong to give the slightest publicity to this writing, and even to communicate it to the person who asked you for it.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1830 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 5. A prospectus by the military Chazal and Brialmont, The Importance of General Cha…
Also quoted by: Pierre Emmanuel Félix Chazal
“I am not telling you this, Monsignor, in the interest of the project that I am going to defend in the chamber and in front of the country, but in your personal interest. Believe me, Monsignor, we are entering an era where a Prince cannot be too circumspect and cautious. Avoid getting into our discussions and our controversies, avoid taking sides in our struggles.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1830 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 5. A prospectus by the military Chazal and Brialmont, The Importance of General Cha…
Also quoted by: Pierre Emmanuel Félix Chazal
“The ivory issue worries me more and more. I am not forgetting any of the considerations that Your Majesty has deigned to point out to me, but commerce will want to be reassured as to the limits of competition.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1819 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 6. Baron Auguste Lambermont (1819-1905), The Anti-Slavery Conference and the Relaxi…
Also quoted by: Auguste, Baron Lambermont
“You may want to, Sire, but then you will find someone other than me to carry out such a will.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1836 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), Emile Banning (1836-1898): The Don Quichotte of the ‘liberal civilization’ in Congo…
Also quoted by: Émile Banning
“I will be more and more concerned with giving you sound and true political ideas, few people are better able to do this than I; since the age of 16 I have been involved in the big affairs of Europe.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1850 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: A royal puppet show in the Belgian royal family. The education of the first Belgian royal children. (Greet Donckers) AKP, Fund Leopold I, III Archives Conway, Letter from King Leopold I to Prince Leopold, 11 November 18…
Also quoted by: Leopold I of Belgium
“France need not to extend its own borders, that would only have a counterproductive effect, however, it should surround itself with allies and friends whom it must make more powerful, and whom in turn make France itself more powerful, such an approach will not disturb anyone, free and without In this way, France can fence itself with reliable allies, it goes without saying that 6 or 7 million Piedmontese, 3 million Swiss, 8 million Belgians and 37 million French can provide the French emperor with a larger, better organized and more complete armed forces than those possessed by the Empire of 50 million people, all the emperor has to do is give us permission to invade the Netherlands, thanks in part to his prestige a quick and easy victory awaits us.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I will instruct the minister of war to strengthen the Gendarmerie in Brussels, to recognize the addresses and customs of the demagogues and to try to find out what is coming up, I am told that the demonstrations which are only intended as intimidation and as preparation in an unguarded moment are able to turn into something else, once they have everyone on the street they will attack the government, what measure have you taken to face such a surprise attack? Do the regiments have been ordered to march on their own accord to the Rue de la Loi and the Boulvard, where in the summer it is more difficult to summon soldiers, will they be more satisfied now, working in the open air is now impossible, if I were you I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to summon them, the responsibility is too great, you are not protected from an incident, and you will have to face a formidable riot, all yours leopold.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Leopold II, Het hele Verhaal, Johan Op De Beeck Horizon, 2020 Leopold II in a letter to his prime minister, warning him for possible insurrections, as the Belgian Socialist Party demands the Universal right to vote for …
“Dear Minister, I particularly regret that the government, as I had expressly requested, did not make the royal referendum a sine qua non, three points in the program concern the crown directly, the possibility of expanding the territory, the referendum and the princely marriages, I would have liked to see this matter implemented, we have been clear about this during our discussions, we have taken a very moderate attitude with this at a time when the most democratic constitution in Europe is being even more democratized, a constitution drawn up during a revolution, and at a time when there was no monarch, your devotee, etc. Leopold.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Leopold II, Het hele Verhaal, Johan Op De Beeck Horizon, 2020 King Leopold II complains to his prime minister, because the Belgian government did not grant him the extra powers he had requested (One of which was to over…
“The soldiers of the State are necessarily recruited among the natives. They don't immediately shed habits blood thirsty handed down from generation to generation. The example of white officers, discipline military, will inspire them with the horror of human trophies of which they are ready to be proud. It's in their leaders that they must see the living demonstration of this higher principle that the exercise of authority is not to be confused with cruelty: the second ruins the first. I like to think that our agents, almost all volunteers from the ranks of the Belgian army, are always present atmind the rules of the honorary career in which they are engaged.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) first seen 1897 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Pierre Vercauteren: A king unjustly maligned. (Page 11) On June 16, 1897, in a letter addressed to Mr. Cerkel and other great EIC clerks.
“In the prosecution of these labours, the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society desire gratefully to acknowledge the many signal and helpful proofs they have received of Your Gracious Majesty's approval and support; and very specially at this juncture they are pleased to express to Your Majesty their respectful appreciation of the great boon granted "to all religious, scientific and charitable institutions," by the reduction of direct and personal taxes by 50 per cent, from, on, and after the first day of July last, as proclaimed by Your Majesty's command in the May and June issues of the Bulletin officiel de I'Etat independant du Congo, which the Committee regard as a further and significant proof of Your Majesty's desire to promote the truest welfare of Your Majesty's Congo subjects, and to help forward all institutions calculated to produce enduring and beneficent results.”
Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) said by 1909 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source