Norton I, self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States, was born Joshua Abraham Norton on February 4, 1818. Born in England and raised in South Africa, he arrived in San Francisco in 1849 during the Gold Rush. He worked as a commodities trader and real estate speculator until an attempt to corner the rice market failed, bankrupting him and apparently driving him mad.
In 1859, he proclaimed himself Emperor of the United States, and sent decrees to Congress demanding it disband and turn over all authority to him (so he could get to work on fixing certain political tensions), which were ignored. San Francisco being San Francisco, the city basically decided to go along with it. His proclamations were widely read, and many local businesses sold souvenirs of his reign. He issued his own paper money, which was accepted by local restaurant owners, who would then boast of having the Imperial patronage. After the incident of him being arrested (which culminated in the Chief of Police making an official apology), SFPD officers saluted him on the street. Depictions of him often show him with a pair of stray dogs called Bummer and Lazarus; the dogs did not belong to him, and the association may be mostly due to a caricature artist who often depicted them together.
Among his proclamations were one penalizing anyone using the name "Frisco", and one demanding the construction of a bridge between San Francisco and Oakland. Many locals refer to the Bay Bridge as the Emperor Norton Bridge for this reason. After France's invasion of Mexico, he proclaimed himself Protector of Mexico, but later repudiated the title, claiming that nobody could protect such an unsettled land.
He was a beloved element of the city until his death in 1880. Over 10,000 people came to view his body before his funeral, and the stone at his gravesite reads, "Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico".
That's what happened in our reality, at least. In many a Alternate History version of San Francisco between 1860 and 1880, there's a good chance that Emperor Norton will somehow be in charge of at least part of California. As his time in San Francisco overlapped with Mark Twain's life, the two of them often interact in fiction.
Tropes as portrayed in media:
- Authority in Name Only: His status in reality, and in some fictional works. He proclaimed himself Emperor but nobody truly recognized his authority; they humored him where it seemed amusing or useful to do so.
- Obfuscating Insanity: In settings where he is placed in charge, it is often because he's considered a harmless and easily-controlled madman. Once he is in charge, however, he is generally a much more effective ruler than expected.
Appears in the following works:
Comic Books- The Sandman (1989): "Three Septembers and a January" is based on his life, with Dream giving him hope which he can use to survive the attacks of Despair, Desire, and Delirium.
- Norton was the inspiration for L'Empereur Smith in Lucky Luke.
Literature
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: The Con Man called "The King" was inspired by Emperor Norton, and claims to be a long-lost king. This is a rare negative portrayal of Norton.
- Illuminatus!: Norton is mentioned as a Discordian saint, and the Norton Cabal in San Francisco is inspired by him.
Live-Action TV
- Bonanza: In the episode "The Emperor Norton", Norton calls for improved safety for mine workers, leading to his opponents attempting to have him committed. Mark Twain and the series regulars testify in his defense.
Tabletop Games
- Castle Falkenstein: Norton is Emperor of the Bear Flag Empire, having been placed in charge as a figurehead who turned out to be less controllable than expected. In this timeline, he, like, Mad King Ludwig, is not actually mad, and he is a useful ally on the side of the Second Compact.
- Deadlands:
- In the main Deadlands timeline, Norton is an advisor and figurehead ruler for General Kwan, one of the Chinese warlords controlling California. It's unclear just what his role is, how much control he has, and how sane he is, but he seems to be moderating Kwan's brutality.
- In the Deadlands Noir timeline, set many years later, the Norton family was specifically allowed to keep their titles when Northern California joined the US, albeit without any formal power. Emperor Norton IV is the current governor.
Video Games
- West of Loathing: A character loosely based on Norton (and named for him) is the Final Boss.
Webcomics
- Skin Horse: Zombie Emperor Norton rules the Necropolis of Colma, fueled by belief in him.
