The 1891-1892 Arab Campaign: Belgium's War for the Congo

Long before the rubber terror and the forced labor scandals, Belgium's grip on the Congo was tested in a brutal military campaign against Arab and Swahili slave traders in the eastern Congo. This episode follows the 1891-1892 Arab Campaign, a series of battles led by Belgian commander Francis Dhanis and his largely Congolese Force Publique army against the powerful trading empire of Tippu Tip and his son Sefu bin Hamid. We explore the key siege of Kasongo, the use of Tetela and Manyema soldiers, the political maneuvering of Leopold II, and the aftermath that left Belgium in control of the eastern Congo but at a terrible human cost. Learn about the shifting alliances, the Maxim guns, and the forgotten Congolese warlord Ngongo Lutete who fought for both sides. #ArabCampaign #FrancisDhanis #SefubinHamid #TippuTip #ForcePublique #CongoFreeState #LeopoldII #NgongoLutete #Kasongo #Manyema #Tetela #MaximGun #BelgianColonialism #CongoHistory #1890s #EastAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo