It would be King Leopold II of Belgium that saw the nation of Congo as an opportunity for Belgium to acquire its first colony and compete with other European powers in imperialism and colonization race in the world. He was known for his harsh and cruel treatment to the native inhabitants in Congo.
They were both autocratic ruled by emperors who wielded absolute power.
Both were underdeveloped industrially compared to major western powers, with agrarian based economies at the beginning of the 20th century.
Both had dynasties that had ruled their respective empires since the 17th century. <span />
