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"In fourteen years Leopold has deliberately destroyed more lives than have suffered death on all the battlefields of this planet for the past thousand years..." - Mark Twain

In this episode of The Hungry Historian, we dive into one of the darkest and most disturbing chapters of colonial history: the reign of King Leopold II over the Congo Free State. 

What began as a supposed humanitarian mission quickly descended into a brutal system of forced labour, mutilation, and terror. All orchestrated to satisfy one monarch’s insatiable appetite for wealth and influence.

Follow along as the Hungry Historian discusses the tactics Leopold used to disguise exploitation as philanthropy, explore the violent machinery of the rubber trade, and follow the courageous voices who dared to expose the truth to the world. 

From Henry Morton Stanley’s expeditions to the global humanitarian campaign that eventually forced change, this episode unravels the layers of greed, deception, and suffering that defined the Congo under Leopold’s rule.

Join the Hungry Historian as he examines how this grim period reshaped international activism, challenged Europe’s imperial conscience, and left behind a legacy Congo continues to confront today.

As far as a Featured Recipe goes, this time around Chef Money is switching out his cooking apron for his bartender one, and presenting you with his spin on a classic bar shooter - the Black Russian 

Trust me, you'll need one or two of them following this tale of terror. It is not for the faint of heart.

Cheers!

Featured Recipe

Black Belgian

• 2 ounces of Vodka
• 1 ounce of Kahlúa
• Ice
• Rocks glass