The Berlin Conference and the Lobogo Treaty of 1883

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Lobogo Treaty of 1883, a largely forgotten agreement that preceded the Berlin Conference by a year. They discuss how King Leopold II of Belgium, through his agent Henry Morton Stanley, negotiated a series of dubious treaties with local chiefs along the Congo River. The Lobogo Treaty, signed with Chief Ngaliema, exemplifies the pattern of deception and exploitation that characterized Leopold's early acquisitions. Lucas unpacks the specific terms of the treaty, the role of interpreters, and how Leopold used such agreements to claim 'effective occupation' before the Berlin Conference even began. The episode sheds light on the legal fictions and coercive diplomacy that facilitated the colonization of the Congo Basin, setting the stage for the horrors of the Congo Free State. #LobogoTreaty #HenryMortonStanley #KingLeopoldII #ChiefNgaliema #CongoRiver #CongoBasin #EffectiveOccupation #BerlinConference #ScrambleForAfrica #ColonialTreaties #BelgianColonialism #CentralAfrica #1883 #19thCentury #DiplomaticHistory #ColonialHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo