One of the true originals, the Emperor Norton is still a legend in San Francisco. A simple google search of his name will turn up ample info about this dude, but let it be said that after losing his shirt, he did not go down, but named himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico. Once arrested by the local constabulary for loitering, he was issued a formal apology by the Chief of Police, and thereafter, the good men of the shield took to saluting the Emperor as he ambled about the city, inspecting the buildings and holding court. The City Council paid for new clothes when his became ratty, and more than 10,000 viewed his casket upon his death.
As the aforementioned Police Chief once noted, "he had shed no blood; robbed no one; and despoiled no country; which is more than can be said of his fellows in that line."
A dude for all ages...
And also adopted by my other favourite religion the Erisians. ;D
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I know this is an old thread but I just had to revive it because I recently learned about Emperor Norton I. There's a lot that wasn't included in the first post that I just had to add.
- He was Emperor for 21 years!
- He issued Imperial Decrees that actually came to fruition later after his death. He proposed the cities of San Francisco and Oakland perform a survey of a suspension bridge and a tunnel system. In 1936, construction was completed on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The Transbay Tube was completed in 1969.
- Emperor Norton issued his own money that was accepted currency in San Francisco.
- His occupation was listed as 'Emperor' in the census.
- He's considered a patron saint of Discordianism, a religion and subsequent philosophy worshiping Eris (a.k.a. Discordia, the Goddess of chaos)
Whoa. I just saw an episode of Bonanza about this dude. He was visiting Virginia City from San Francisco. He wore a uniform with epaulets, insisted on being called emperor, and was a wacky inventor who came up with an idea rather redolent (predictive?) of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Cartwrights were weirdly accepting of his eccentricities. He got some odd acquittal of criminal charges because Hoss was able to ride a horse across the bridge a bunch of chinamen built across a very, very small rivulet.