Léon Rom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Léon Rom
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Portrait photograph of Rom
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| Born | April 2, 1859 Mons, Belgium
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| Died | January 30, 1924 (aged 64) Ixelles, Belgium
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| Nationality | Belgian |
| Occupation | Soldier, colonial official |
Léon Auguste Théophile Rom (1859–1924) was a Belgian soldier and colonial official who became prominent in the administration of the Congo Free State during the late 19th century.
Career
Rom was born to a poor family in Mons, Belgium, in 1859 and entered the Belgian Army at the age of 16. He subsequently worked as a customs official before leaving Belgium for the new Congo Free State in 1886 as one of the few hundred whites working in the colony's administration.
Receiving a series of rapid promotions, Rom commanded the station at Stanley Falls (now Boyoma Falls) and was eventually promoted District Commissioner of Matadi. He later transferred to the colonial military, the Force Publique, where he served as a captain. He was praised for his conduct during the Congo Arab War (1892–94) in which he personally negotiated the surrender of an Arab stronghold. After retiring from the Force Publique, he worked as an official for the Compagnie du Kasai in central Congo.
Rom became most famous for the alleged brutality of his administration in the Stanley Falls area.
Still working for the Compagnie du Kasai, Rom died in Brussels in 1924.
See also
In Spanish: Léon Rom para niños
