Wikipedia article on the Congo Free State.

By skillful diplomacy and deceit, Leopold won the co-operation of the major powers of Europe, and in 1885 seized 905,000 square miles of territory that became the Congo “Free” State, owned wholly by Leopold himself.

He introduced the concept of terres vacantes, which meant that any land not occupied by European settlers was deemed to belong to the state.

The savage Leopold resorted to ordering the assassinations of recalcitrant chiefs, and sent in the Force Publique to terrorize the native population.

The officers were white minions of the state, and many of the black soldiers were cannibals. They burned villages and cut off human hands as trophies under orders of the white officers, who required them to show one hand for every bullet used.

This practice became so commonplace that these severed hands actually became a kind of currency.

During the 20-year period of Leopold’s brutal reign of terror, the native population of the Congo “Free” State was reduced by half.