 The most evil king in African history. King Leopold II of Belgium has been described as one of the most evil kings in history, and has often been compared to Adolf Hitler. He believed that colonies were crucial to a country's greatness, and in 1879 he colonised the Congo. Upon discovering the vast amounts of rubber in the Congo, Leopold ordered his men to enslave the entire population and force them to work under horrific conditions, resulting in mutilations and mass executions. If the daily rubber quotas were not met, the Belgians would often sever the hands of prisoners. Despite the atrocities he committed, Leopold was initially seen as a hero by his people. However, his reign resulted in the deaths of 10 million Congolese, and he personally profited from the plunder of the Congo.