All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 5. A prospectus by the military Chazal and Brialmont, The Importance of General Chazal in Colonial Politics. Minister Chazal to Prince Leopold about a booklet he wrote "Completion of the work of 1830" in which he openly pleads for the invasion of the Netherlands, for the reunification of Catholics under one crown, and his ambitions to create a colonial overseas empire, disregarding the neutral status of the newly born Belgian state. KMLKG, Papiers Chazal, 65/1, Chazal to the Duke of Brabant, June 28, 1859. The work may have been commissioned by Leopold I, who had sent his son to the study so that he could gain experience with the complex political landscape.
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I think sire, that you would be wrong to give the slightest publicity to this writing, and even to communicate it to the person who asked you for it.

— Leopold II of Belgium

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "I think sire, that you would be wrong to give the slightest publicity to this writing, and even to communicate it to the person who asked you for it." in the context of "All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 5. A prospectus by the military Chazal and Brialmont, The Importance of General Chazal in Colonial Politics. Minister Chazal to Prince Leopold about a booklet he wrote "Completion of the work of 1830" in which he openly pleads for the invasion of the Netherlands, for the reunification of Catholics under one crown, and his ambitions to create a colonial overseas empire, disregarding the neutral status of the newly born Belgian state. KMLKG, Papiers Chazal, 65/1, Chazal to the Duke of Brabant, June 28, 1859. The work may have been commissioned by Leopold I, who had sent his son to the study so that he could gain experience with the complex political landscape." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Leopold II of Belgium" (Quotes addressed to Leopold II) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Leopold II of Belgium

About Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold Lodewijk Philip Maria Victor (Brussels, April 9, 1835 – Laeken, December 17, 1909), Prince of Belgium, Duke of Saxony, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Brabant and Senator of Belgium, was the second King of the Belgians. He was the second but eldest surviving son of Belgium's first king Leopold I of Belgium and Queen Louise Marie of Orléans. He succeeded his father to the throne on December 17, 1865 and remained king until his death in 1909. Leopold II was also the founder and King sovereign of the Congo Free State, which he obtained through the Berlin Conference.