The 1886 Katanga Expedition: Belgium's Bloody Land Grab

Before the rubber terror, before the Force Publique mutinies, Belgium had to conquer Katanga — a copper-rich region the size of France, ruled by the formidable Msiri. In this episode of The History of Belgium, Lucas and Luna unravel the 1886–1891 Stairs Expedition: a mercenary-led invasion that ended with Msiri's decapitation and the birth of Belgian Katanga. They explore the tangled web of Cecil Rhodes, the British South Africa Company, and the Yeke kingdom's gun-running empire. They discuss the role of the Scottish mercenary William Stairs, the Belgian officer Jules Lefèvre, and the brutal execution of Msiri's son. Along the way, they confront a painful legacy: the 17 skulls sent back to Belgium for phrenological study, some of which were only repatriated in 2021. This is a story of greed, diplomacy, and genocide — and how a single bullet changed the map of Central Africa. #History #FexingoHistory #Belgium #Congo #Katanga #Msiri #StairsExpedition #CecilRhodes #YekeKingdom #WilliamStairs #JulesLefèvre #ScrambleForAfrica #CopperBelt #ColonialGenocide #Phrenology #Repatriation #1880s #Africa Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo