Congo Free State

noun

1. a former name (1885–1908) of (Democratic Republic of) Congo

Example Sentences

There was no mention of the millions who died or were brutalised under his reign when he ruled what was then known as the Congo Free State as his personal property.

From BBC

Millions of Congolese suffered acts of cruelty under colonisation, particularly during the reign of King Leopold II, who owned the Congo Free State as his personal property.

From BBC

In addition to the remarks from the king and prime minister, statues of King Leopold II, known for his violent personal rule of what was then the Congo Free State, have been removed from city squares and government buildings across Belgium.

From New York Times

Until 1908, Leopold ran the Congo Free State as a venture for personal profit.

From New York Times

“At the time of the Congo Free State, acts of violence and cruelty were committed that still weigh on our collective memory. The colonial period that followed also caused suffering and humiliation,” the king wrote in a letter to Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.

From Washington Post