In March 1871, Leopold II once told his cabinet members, "Belgium is small in area and lacking in resources, while we are wedged between great powers. If we Belgians wish to gain a foothold in this era, we must possess vast colonies of our own!"
King Leopold II of Belgium had dreamed of being the ruler of a great power since childhood, but Belgium's size made that dream difficult to achieve. Thus, Leopold II believed that Belgium's way out lay in colonies.
Then, in 1872, East Africa achieved an unprecedented victory in South Africa. This news left Leopold II, who had been watching Africa closely ever since ascending the throne, utterly unable to sit still.
Leopold II said, "The Kingdom of East Africa! Does any of you understand it?"
Huh? The ministers looked at one another, each staring blankly at the next. None of them knew the Kingdom of East Africa's actual circumstances; even if they knew the name, they had merely heard of it.
Looking at these ministers, Leopold II said with the frustration of one who hated iron for not becoming steel, "I have always stressed that Belgium's future lies in colonies, yet you have merely treated my words as wind passing your ears."
"Your Majesty, it is not that we do not care about this matter. It is simply that colonization is exceedingly expensive. If the colony is not prosperous, there is little value in occupying it."
Leopold II said, "That is utter bullshit! Every piece of land has its own value; only those with wisdom can discover it. In this world, the only two people who possess wisdom equal to mine are Prince Constantin of Hohenzollern-Hechingen."
"I have detailed information on the Kingdom of East Africa here. These are data I obtained through extensive investigation. Starting