Chapter 1
The fragile mind on the throne
Chapter 2
Playing pretend in the palace
Chapter 3
Obsessive builders and magic seekers
Chapter 4
The self-declared monarchs
Ch 4 · The self-declared monarchs
Glossary
pretender (noun)
A person who claims a right to a title or throne. In 1859, San Francisco resident Joshua Norton declared himself the sovereign of the United States.
A person who claims a right to a title or throne. In 1859, San Francisco resident Joshua Norton declared himself the sovereign of the United States.
Fun Fact
Emperor Norton: When Joshua Norton died in 1880, over 10,000 citizens of San Francisco attended the funeral of their beloved self-proclaimed emperor.
Quiz
Which famous French Enlightenment writer featured King Theodore as a character in his satirical masterpiece 'Candide'?
Quiz
What was the real name of the Englishwoman who successfully pulled off the 'Princess Caraboo' hoax in 1817?
Quiz
Which major modern infrastructure project did Emperor Norton I decree should be built, decades before it actually happened?
Quiz
How did the exiled King Theodore of Corsica secure his release from a London debtors' prison in 1755?
Quiz
The physical island of Redonda, central to this bizarre literary kingdom, is currently a dependency of which Caribbean nation?
Quiz
How did the police department of San Francisco react after an overzealous officer arrested Emperor Norton in 1867?
Quiz
Which famous Spanish novelist was appointed as the 'King of Redonda' in 1997, actively keeping the literary kingdom's tradition alive?