King Leopold’s Rubber Trade
What if I told you one of the worst human rights atrocities in history was carried out by a king who seemed perfectly harmless on paper? Sounds unbelievable, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened with King Leopold II and the Congo Free State.
In last weeks episode, we dove into a story most people have never been taught: how Leopold built a private empire in Africa, hiding behind a mask of “humanitarianism” while exploiting millions of lives. It all starts with a powerful photo taken in 1904 that forced the world to finally face the truth about the Congo.
We’re talking about a private empire the size of Western Europe, built on forced labor, terror, and a system so brutal it included cutting off people’s hands as proof of a kill. This wasn't just cruelty—it was state-sponsored genocide where entire villages were wiped out if they didn't meet rubber quotas.
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LATEST FROM THE TENT…⛺️
Yesterday, we dove into the insane, terrifying reign of Caligula—the Roman emperor who turned cruelty into an art form…
We track his rise from a beloved heir of Germanicus to one of history’s most feared rulers, examining how absolute power, paranoia, illness, and unchecked authority warped a young emperor in real time.
From public executions disguised as entertainment to humiliating Rome’s political elite, Caligula didn’t just rule through fear — he performed it.
But this wasn’t just a tyrant; this was a man who took power to horrific extremes. A ruler who made his horse a consul, killed for fun, fed people to wild animals in public, and declared himself a god.
By the end, Caligula stops feeling like a cartoon villain and starts looking like something far more unsettling — a ruler who exposed the cracks in Rome by pushing them to their absolute limit. His reign lasted just four years, but the shockwaves echoed for centuries. If you’ve ever wondered how an empire lets someone like this rise — and what it says about power itself — this episode is for you.
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Thanks for reading HISTORY CAMP. Until next time, stay curious, question everything, and keep uncovering the mysteries of the past.
WHERE IS TODAY IN HISTORY?
Unfortunately doing a daily, highly detailed, Today In History newsletter was expensive and time consuming. We loved doing it but sadly we just couldn’t make it work economically. However we wanted to keep providing great history content to you wonderful subscribers that have supported us over the last 18 months.
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