All hail!

February 26, 2019 (bigthink.com)
San Francisco’s monarch who once “ruled” America.
 
Joshua Norton lost his wealth and his mind before declaring himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico in 1859.

His first act as emperor was to abolish Congress and the Republican and Democratic parties. He also requested the formation of the League of Nations, demanded a bridge and tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland (both of which now exist), and issued his own currency – which people in the area accepted.

While Emperor Norton’s decrees were not respected in the capitol, his royal personage was absolutely sacrosanct in San Francisco.
 He was a popular character, sporting a royal blue uniform with gold epaulettes, a hat set off with a peacock feather and a decorative rose, and a sabre on his hip. Businesses gave him free goods, others paid him “taxes”.
 
When a security guard arrested Emperor Norton for vagrancy, the public outcry was immense. According to one daily newspaper, “since he has worn the Imperial purple he has shed no blood, robbed nobody, and despoiled the country of no one, which is more than can be said for his fellows in that line.” Emperor Norton was quickly freed, and from then on, all police officers saluted him in the streets.
 
When he died in 1880, 10,000 people attended his funeral.
 
He was the first and last Emperor of the United States of America.
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