Msidi's realm
Msidi's empire (Msiri's empire, Garenganze, called Katanga by the Arabs ) was an empire in the interior of Africa , which lay between the upper Lualaba and Luapula , i.e. the 8th and 12th degrees south latitude . It was founded by the chief Msidi (also spelled M'Siri , Mziri , Msiri ), who immigrated from Unjamwesi , and was originally ruled despotic .
The predominant landscape character is the bush savannah , where sorghum , cassava , peanuts , potatoes and rice were grown. There was already a lot of copper and iron found at that time . Msidi's residence was Mukurru (Bunkeja or Unkäa). Not far east who founded Belgian station Lufui (Lofoi).
Paul Reichard was the first European to travel to the Reich with Richard Böhm, who died there, from 1883 to 1884 . He was followed by Frederick Stanley Arnot (1885), Le Marinel (1890) and Alfred Sharpe (1890–91). Alexandre Delcommune (from October 1891 to July 1892), William Grant Stairs (late 1891), Bia , Cornet and Francqui (1892) took part in other expeditions . The latter followed the course of the Lualaba from its source to its confluence with Lake Kisale .
Stairs expedition was armed and accompanied by 400 mercenaries. Her mission was to take possession of Katanga (area of today's Katanga province ) in the name of King Leopold of Belgium . After an attempt was first made to negotiate a contract with Msiri, Msiri was killed by participants in the expedition under unclear circumstances during the negotiations.
In 1902 a Compagnie du chemin de fer du Katanga was founded with a capital of 1 million francs.