15. Leopold II (Belgium & Congo Free State)
King Leopold II of Belgium (1865-1909) is infamous for his personal rule over the Congo Free State, a vast territory in Central Africa. Under the guise of humanitarianism, Leopold exploited the region’s resources, particularly rubber and ivory, to fund grand projects in Belgium and his own lavish lifestyle. His regime was marked by systemic brutality, including forced labor, mutilation, and mass killings, leading to the deaths of an estimated 10 million Congolese. International outrage eventually forced Leopold to cede control of the Congo to the Belgian government in 1908.
