Portugal's African ColoniesOne of the great ironies in the history of European colonialism is that the small country of Portugal established one of the first colonial empires and then retained its colonial possessions well after most other European nations had lost theirs. 2004. The Portuguese established a relationship with the king of Kongo but stayed in the modern Angolan coastal areas. Christian missionaries were very successful in the Congo, where the Catholic Church is one of the largest in Africa (approximately 30 million members, or 55 percent of the population). Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Yet, Leopold personally subscribed to what was sometimes called the "progressive" view of imperialism: That it had a moral justification as a civilizing mission. Consequently, the Belgian Parliament agreed in 1908 to accept the Congo as its own colony, in order to avoid international intervention or a takeover by a foreign power. With the promise of open trade, Leopold convinced world powers to recognize what eventually became the Association Internationale du Congo (AIC) as the legal authority over a vast territory in the heart of Africa. A rich Hutu who purchased a large herd of cattle could become a Tutsi, while a Tutsi who became poor would drop into the Hutu caste. "Africa: Belgian Colonies There are also Nilotic-speaking peoples near Sudan and some pygmies in northeastern Congo. His inability to disarm the ex-Rwandan soldiers and perpetuators of the 1994 genocide who were now living in Congo led to the invasion of the Congo by a combined army of Tutsi-led governments of Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda and the Congolese rebel leader Laurent Kabila. In 1877, the European country Belgium and King Leopold colonized the Democratic Republic of Congo. He described his view of the colonial enterprise in these words: Our only program, I am anxious to repeat, is the work of moral and material regeneration, and we must do this among a population whose degeneration in its inherited conditions it is difficult to measure. Justice was to be administered by judges named by the government (art. These conflicting measures brought anarchy and led to the creation of extreme groupsfrom both the majority Hutus and the minority Tutsiswanting to protect the interests of their respective peoples. ed. The Belgian colonial empire consisted of three African colonies possessed by Belgium between 1901 to 1962. If this small European country nevertheless succeeded in ruling a vast colony in Central Africa, this was due only to the tenacity of its second king, Leopold II (18351909). 2006. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). The Rwanda genocide of 1994 helped exacerbate ethnic and political tensions in the Congo. Only a tiny fraction of the Congolese population, the so-called volus, succeeded more or less in assimilating the European way of life, but their Belgian masters kept them at the bottom levels of the public service or private companies, without any short-term prospects of exercising responsible tasks. . [13] The privileging of Belgian commercial interests meant that large amounts of capital flowed into the Congo and that individual regions became specialised. King Leopold II of Belgium attempted to persuade the Belgian government to support colonial expansion around the then-largely unexploited Congo Basin. What countries did Belgium colonize? - 2022 Setting up an administration and waging exhausting military campaigns in order to secure the Free State's grip on a territory more than eighty times as large as Belgium turned out to be very expensive. Marginalized Africa: An International Perspective. Retrieved April 27, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/belgiums-african-colonies. 2006. Cawthorne, Nigel. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Rafael Carrera gave them the region in exchange for sixteen thousand pesos every year from the government of Guatemala. In 1865 he succeeded his father, Leopold I, to the Belgian throne. What did Belgium colonize in Africa? - YourSageInformation During the 1940s and 1950s, the Congo experienced extensive urbanization and the administration aimed to make it into a "model colony". N'Daywel Nziem, Isidore. The new colony comprised a land bigger than western Europe and seventy-four times larger than Belgium, and belonged to Leopold II as a personal possession. Fourth, European and American governments and the multinational business and interests have fueled ethnic conflicts in Africas former Belgian colonies for their own purposes. [3], Colonization of the Congo began in the late 19th century. This exploration led initially to the establishment of the Congo Free State. As the result of a widespread and increasingly radical pro-independence movement, the Congo achieved independence, as the Republic of Congo-Lopoldville in 1960. Belgium created two colonies in Africa: the entities now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of Zaire) and the Republic of Rwanda, previously Ruanda-Urundi, a former German African colony that was given to Belgium to administer after the defeat of Germany in World War I. Belgian Congo, French Congo Belge, former colony (coextensive with the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) in Africa, ruled by Belgium from 1908 until 1960. [4], The Free State government exploited the Congo for its natural resources, first ivory and later rubber which was becoming a valuable commodity. The most obvious result of the Congress and of nationalist yearnings, juxtaposed with a more structured European map, was a new and general scramble for colonies in other parts of the world. Belgiums other colony, Rwanda, was an independent monarchy until the Germans annexed it in 1899 and made it part of German East Africa. Germany had only been unified in 1871 and . Although forced labor, repression, and a "color bar" (a form of racial segregation) persisted till the very end of their domination, the Belgians made serious efforts to promote indigenous wellbeing, particularly during the 1950s, by developing a network of health services and primary schools. Vellut, Jean-Luc, Florence Loriaux, and Franoise Morimont, eds. Although there were several political parties, the two most prominent were Joseph Kasavubus ABAKO, a party based among the Kongo people, and Patrice Lumumbas Congolese National Movement. Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. . Their refusal led Leopold to create a state under his own personal rule. King Leopold's Legacy. that existed between the Europeans and the Africans. North Africa experienced colonisation from Europe and Western Asia in the early historical period, particularly Greeks and Phoenicians . Forrest, Joshua B. A map, published in Portugal in 1623, showing a representation of Africa as understood by colonizers. Belgium itself had only been independent since 1830, prior to that it was part of the Netherlands (and had a role in that country's colonies) or of France, or was governed by Spain or Austria. For information concerning the period prior to that date, see Low Countries, history of. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In 1971, in a continuation of his Africanization policy, the Congo River was renamed the Zaire River and consequently, Congo was renamed the Republic of Zaire. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. [14], Congolese troops participated in World War II and were instrumental in forcing the Italians out of their East African colonies during the East African Campaign. 2004. Available at: http://www.diplomatie.be/fr/archives/archives.asp. As part of the Treaty of Versailles, the major part of German East Africa was handed over to British control but Ruanda-Urundi, twice the size of Belgium but only about 2 percent of the size of the Congo, was confirmed as a Belgian colony by a League of Nations Mandate in 1924, later renewed as a United Nations Trust Territory. But from 1895 on, the Congo Free State, which Leopold ruled as an absolute monarch, was saved from bankruptcy by the growing demand for rubber. A study of encounters between colonizer and colonized in French West Africa throughout the colonial period, focusing on "history from below.". 27 Apr. It was during the Belgian colonial administration that the foundations for the postcolonial and present-day ethnic tensions and political instability were laid. Paris: Harmattan, 1992. In April of 1885 Belgium's parliament made Leopold the sovereign ruler of this new "state," called the Congo Free State, incorporating all lands not directly occupied by Africans. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. Very little money was invested in educationwhich was left to missionaries, mainly Roman Catholic, and consisted of basic literacy and numeracy. Belgian Congo | History & Facts | Britannica In 1843, he signed a contract with Ladd & Co. to colonize the Kingdom of Hawaii, but the deal fell apart when Ladd & Co. ran into financial difficulties. [CDATA[ [11], Although the Congo Free State was not a Belgian colony, Belgium was its chief beneficiary in terms of trade and the employment of its citizens. Some argued for a gradual shift to self-governance because of the lack of personnel equipped to take over the responsibilities of governance. Why does an iron rod become a magnet when current is passed through a coil of wire wrapped around the rod? The lowest level of administration consisted of the indigenous authorities, the more or less "authentic" traditional African chiefs, who were strictly controlled by Belgian officials. * As many as 10 million people are estimated to have died in Congo from killings, famine and disease . The Congolese petty bourgeoisie remained embryonic: local entrepreneurs or proprietors were almost nonexistent. The second king of Belgium, Leopold II, was a very ambitious man who wanted to personally enrich himself and enhance his country's prestige by annexing and colonizing lands in Africa. It was designated as a United Nations trust territory, still under Belgian administration, until 1962, when it developed into the independent states of Rwanda and Burundi. ." It was, however, the third largest colonial territory in Africa; in contrast, the possessions of Belgium's more powerful neighbor, Germany, came sixth in size. The Belgians even took the few leadership positions that the Hutus had and gave them to the Tutsis. This antagonism, coupled with the high population density in these overwhelmingly agricultural countries, was to form a volatile environment in the following decades, causing several interethnic massacres, of which the Rwandan genocide of 1994 was the most terrifying example. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. The Tutsis were willing collaborators to the Belgian colonization. In the margins of the 18841885 Berlin Conference, the world's main powers recognized the AIC as the legal authority over a vast territory in the heart of Africa, a new "state" called the Congo Free State. Although a few attempts were made by the first king, Leopold I (17901865), these were not successful. Other notable empires included the Luba empire, founded in the sixteenth century and centered around Lakes Kisale and Upemba, located in central Shaba; the Lunda kingdom of Mwata, founded in the fifteenth century and centered in southwestern Congo; and the Kuba empire of the Shonga people, founded in the seventeenth century and centered around the Kasai and Sankura rivers in southern Congo. When Congo became a sovereign nation on June 30, 1960, this new state was utterly unprepared to handle the enormous problems that it had to face, and it slid into years of chaos, internal disruption (e.g., regional secessions, such as Katanga's), and civil waronly to emerge in 1965 under the Mobutu Sese Seko (19301997) dictatorship, which was to last more than thirty years and thoroughly pillaged the country's enormous riches. The boundaries of Colonialism, like those of many literary eras, are difficult to draw. When did Belgium colonize Congo? The boundaries of Colonialism, like those of many literary eras, are difficult to draw. Under Egypt 's Pharaoh Amasis (570-526 BC) a Greek mercantile colony was established at Naucratis, some 50 miles from the later Alexandria. These countries accounted for more than 30% of Africa's population. In French. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. How can a teen start a clothing business? How long should I wait to text after being left on read? Following the Rwandan Revolution, the mandate became the independent states of Burundi and Rwanda in 1962.[1]. In Rwanda, independence brought increased ethnic tensions because of the policies of the Belgian colonial administration. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. [22], In 1919, the island of Comacina was bequeathed to King Albert I of Belgium for a year, and became an enclave under the sovereignty of Belgium. The history of Colonialism as a policy or practice go, Colonialism, Internal He was, in fact, so successful in making the Congo profitable that at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 the French struck a secret deal with Leopold that they would only support his territorial claim if he agreed "never again to employ Stanley in Africa."[2]. [21] The agreement was approved by the Belgian parliament on 13 July 1931. Burundi is a small country in Central Africa, which borders with Rwanda, Zaire, and Tanzania. Lumumba was assassinated within a few months of becoming Prime Minister. Belgium's African ColoniesWhen Belgium became a nation in 1830, it had almost no tradition of long-distance trade or colonial activity. European traders came to the new country, which was not a colony in the normal sense, but essentially the personal possession of King Leopold, to obtain beeswax, coffee, fruits, ivory, minerals, palm oil, and especially rubber. The Belgian claim was never formally recognised and the proposal was dropped in 1908. Belgium itself had gained independence in 1831 when it broke away from the Netherlands and became a new nation. [20] Although Belgian companies invested in Tianjin, especially in the city's tram system, the Belgian concession remained inactive. Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. . After the end of the war, the Belgian government tried to exchange these territories against the left bank of the Congo River mouth, which was in Portuguese hands. Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges. As early as 1860, he was urging his state to imitate its neighbors in acquiring overseas territory, "extend beyond the sea whenever an opportunity is offered," he said, "you will find there precious outlets for your products, food for your commerce and a still better position in the great European family. The other chief colonisers were France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Many European countries wanted to colonize distant parts of the world in order to exploit the resources and "civilize" the inhabitants of these less-developed countries. https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/africa-belgian-colonies, "Africa: Belgian Colonies Encyclopedia.com. As in most colonies, the Congolese economy consisted of a heterogeneous mix of different sectors. The Congo under Belgian Rule 19081960. Anticolonialism and nationalism found their way into the Congolese population comparatively lateindeed, not until the second half of the 1950s. This plan failed to materialize, and finally, on May 30, 1919, according to the Orts-Milner Agreement (named after its Belgian and British negotiators), Belgium's spoils of war only consisted of two small territories in the Great Lakes region bordering the immense Belgian Congo, namely Rwanda and Burundi (their ancient names being Ruanda and Urundi). Along with several other European powers and the United States, as a result of the Boxer Rebellion, Belgium also gained a Concession of two square kilometers in Tientsin (or Tianjin; a Chinese Treaty port). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". When the Belgians took over the administration of Rwanda from the Germans in 1918, they significantly changed the Rwandese system of government and social relations. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A governor general exercised more or less absolute power. Britain established control over many parts of Africa, including Sudan and much of the south. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. At the Berlin Conference in 1884, the USA, the Ottoman Empire and 12 European countries divided up most of the . As a latecomer in the struggle for colonies, Germany had to settle for four territories, called "protectorates," in . Belgium controlled several territories and concessions during the colonial era, principally the Belgian Congo (modern DRC) from 1908 to 1960 and Ruanda-Urundi (modern Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962.It also had small concessions in Guatemala (1843-1854) and in China (1902-1931) and was a co-administrator of the Tangier International Zone in Morocco. Such conditions led to opposition from other European powers, and the Congo Free State ceased to exist in 1908 when it was annexed by Belgium. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. Belgium created two colonies in Africa: the entities now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of Zaire) and the Republic of Rwanda , previously Ruanda-Urundi, a former German African colony that was given to Belgium to administer after the defeat of Germany in World War I . Stanley "built roads along the entire stretch of the Congo" and set up "a chain of trading stations." Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Spain also rushed to gain territory. Maurel, Auguste. Article 5 stated that upon their arrival on the territory, the settlers would become Guatemalan natives (indignes de Guatemala) fully subject to the existing constitution and laws of the country, relinquishing their former Belgian or other national birthright, as well as any claim to any privileges or immunity as foreigners. The Legacy of Belgium's 19th and 20th Century African Colonies. French explorers fanned out in equatorial Africa, and a French mission began the conquest of Indochina in the 1860s. GENEALOGY OF THE TERM DECOLONIZATION Bibliographie historique du Zare l'poque coloniale (18801960): Travaux publis en 19601996. On the local level, in close contact with the African population, the missionaries played an important role in evangelization, in (primary) education, and in health services. More or Less: Heroes and Killers of the 20th Century. The French first began colonizing Africa in the 17th century, although they did not start having a significant presence on the continent until the 19th century. Africans and Their History, 2nd ed. In just a few months' time (from early 1959 to the beginning of 1960), the political prospects for the colony evolved from a long-term loosening of the ties between Belgium and the Congo, to the immediate independence of the African country. In 1876 Belgium's King Leopold II convened the Brussels Geographical Conference, which led to the formation of the African International Association. The city of Tianjin (Tientsin), a treaty port in China (18601945) included nine foreign-controlled concessions (Chinese: ; pinyin: zujie). The scramble for colonies. [12], Belgian rule in the Congo was based on the "colonial trinity" (trinit coloniale) of state, missionary and private company interests. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. When did Germany colonize Tanzania? Since the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has successfully conducted both local and national elections. 1972. Despite the modest improvements in the lives of the Congolese, the Belgians created two separate societies in the Congo: the whites and the natives. . Ekwe-Ekwe, Herbert. 2023
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