Stock Photo - Leopold II, King of the Belgians, 1909. Leopold (1835-1909) ruled Belgium from 1865 until his death. His reign is most remembered for the harsh treatment of the people of the Congo Free State, which was the king's personal property from 1885. The inhabitants were ruthlessly exploited for the collection of ivory and rubber, from which Leopold built up a fortune. The resultant death toll among the indigenous population has been estimated at anywhere between 2 and 15 million. Eventually by 1908 the international outcry at the mistreatment of the populace led to Leopold being compelled to hand over control of the Congo to the Belgian government. A print from L'Illustration, 18 December 1909.