Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico

“Norton wrenched hold of the San Francisco spotlight in September of 1859, when he spontaneously distributed letters to the city’s newspapers declaring himself Emperor of the United States. He expressed frustration with the country as a whole, an attitude probably cultivated by his experiences with the Supreme Court after the rice debacle.

…Norton strutted about town in an elaborate blue and gold uniform accented with peacock feathers and numerous festive hats. He was a fixture of San Francisco’s social scene, regularly wined and dined by the famous and well-to-do, even going so far as to present local businesses with his seal of approval in the form of a brass plaque. He was a frequent attendee at San Francisco’s theaters and issued his own bizarre local currency…

…At the time of his antics, San Francisco was suffering from bout after bout of ferocious anti-Chinese demonstrating. Norton is reported to have attended one such demonstration and inserted himself between the rioters and their Chinese victims. He allegedly bowed his head and proceeded to repeat the Lord’s Prayer over and over until both sides dispersed of their own volition.”

This guy sounds awesome. Read more at Daily Revelry