Did the largest and the greatest democracy of the world ever have an emperor? The answer to that would be a resounding no. However, one person did get to be known as “Emperor of United States”, even if it was for a very short span of time in the county’s history, and that too by a handful of people, and only in a jocular way. That person was – Joshua Abraham Norton or Emperor Norton, as he was called fondly by people around him. This is his story.
Born in London to English Jewish parents in 1818, Norton’s family moved to South Africa in 1820. His parents were simple merchants and in no way linked to the royalty. He spent his youth in South Africa, the details of which are not known. After the death of his parents, Joshua Norton moved to the west in search of a better future.
He arrived in San Francisco on 23rd November 1849. In contrast to many people who emigrated to the United States in that period, Joshua Norton did not exactly enter the country, empty-handed. He arrived with $ 40,000, an inheritance that he received from his parents. Using his business skill, in real estate dealings, he soon increased this sum into $250,000, a fortune by the standards of the time. This did establish him as a successful businessman and by 1852, he was one of the notable and prosperous members of San Francisco’s society. However, no good thing lasts forever and his luck would run out soon.
It was a gamble in business, that led to his financial doom. A severe famine in China had stopped all export of rice, causing the cost of this essential commodity to skyrocket in the city’s market. Believing it to be the opportunity of a lifetime, he purchased the entire content of a ship (bringing rice from Peru) at a very high price. Unknown to him, many other ships full of rice, also arrived in the city at the same time, causing the price of rice to hit rock bottom. He tried to get the help of the law, to recover his losses & initiated litigation against the dealers, but to no avail. The Supreme Court of California ruled against him and he went totally bankrupt.
As Joshua Norton lost his money, he lost his mental balance as well. He went off the public’s eye for quite some time before resurfacing again in 1859. Maybe his brooding regarding, what he believed to be an unfair legal & political system of the country, would radically change his belief system. He believed that the only way he could change the complete infrastructure was only by becoming the Emperor of the United States, and that was what he decided to become, at least on his own mind. On 17th September 1859, many newspapers in San Francisco received a letter from Joshua Norton, where he had declared himself the Emperor of United States; with San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin being the first media outlet to print the ‘humorous’ news.
Every city in the world has its own share of eccentrics, irrespective of the period of history. Joshua Norton was rather a well-known person in San Francisco’s society and the people sympathized with his condition. Amused by the whole situation, they decided to play along, with what appeared to be antics of well-mannered man, who had lost it all. However, Joshua Norton rechristened Norton I, believed with all his heart that he was indeed the new Emperor of the United States, who had been sent by God himself, for the deliverance of the people.
The Emperor of United States, who soon added “Protector of Mexico” to his title (his benevolence surpassed national and geographical barriers, when the French invaded America’s neighbour in the south) and began to pass many royal decrees, which were later recorded as a part of his 21 year “rule” over America.
Norton I, the Emperor of United States, spent most of his time, inspecting the streets of San Francisco, in his royal uniform. The uniform consisted of a blue dress complete with epaulets, which were gold plated. Attired in his royal uniform, with a hat decorated with peacock feathers on his head and cane or umbrella in hand, he tried his best to maintain a regal appearance.
During his inspection of the streets, he examined the cable cars and sidewalks, to check their condition. He would also observe if the public property were maintained properly or not, and if damaged, whether the repair works were being done in a satisfactory way. He would even observe if the police officers were doing their job responsibly or not. Sometimes, the curious onlookers would also benefit from the philosophical discourse, that he would offer anyone in close range.
Accusing the politicians of fraud and corruption, he passed a royal decree on 12 October 1859, to abolish the United States Congress. When the orders were ignored by the Congress, he passed another royal decree the following month, in which he ordered the army to forcefully remove the elected members of the US Congress. The army reacted in the same way as the Congress – they ignored the ramblings of a desperate lunatic. Further decrees by Norton I also had similar effects. However, that did not dissuade ‘The Emperor’ to keep on passing similar orders, for the remainder of his life.
Keeping up with his so-called ‘duty’ of removing corruption from the political system, he declared the abolition of both of the major political parties of the country on 12th August 1869. Not one to take sides, he decided that both – the Democratic and Republican parties had to go. Unfortunately for him, even this order given by him was ignored.
The harmless old man loved his city and did everything in his power to make the city better, in a way that he believed. His love for his adopted home city, was also obvious by another of his official orders, which he declared in 1872, where people who did not treat the city with respect (and shortened the city’s name by calling it as Frisco), would be subjected to a fine of $25.
When not passing royal decrees, he spent his time playing chess, reading in libraries, attending religious services, or going for long walks to survey his empire. For a man with such remarkable ambitions, he did not have any large Palaces to stay and lived his life in a tiny unremarkable rented room.
As has been said earlier, the people of San Francisco knew that Joshua Norton was a mentally imbalanced man. He was downright eccentric, but in no way harmful or dangerous to anybody. This was evident, as massive outrage that followed, when some policemen arrested Norton, to forcibly subject him to treatment for mental illness. The citizens of the city were angry and asked for his immediate release. Various editorials appeared in the Newspapers. The Daily Alta wrote, “that he shed no blood, robbed no one, and despoiled no country, which is more than can be said of fellows in that line.” The Police Chief apologized and Norton was released. Later the police officers of the city saluted him, whenever he passed them by.
Norton issued his own money, of denomination between 50 cents and $10 dollars, that was accepted by some shops &restaurants, whenever he visited them. The 1870 US census, which described his age, address & even mental condition (insane), listed his occupation as – “Emperor”. When his uniform, began to deteriorate with constant use, Army officers along with officials of the city even brought him a suitable replacement, for which Norton thanked them.
The good-humored people of San Francisco played along with the emperor’s wishes. They would greet him with bows when he passed by in the streets. In the latter part of his life, he had become the unofficial mascot of the city. His dolls were sold in shops as souvenirs, he could ride free of charge in the local trains & ferry companies, and sometimes even seats were reserved for him in opening nights of play in the theatres.
The people knew that in truth the Emperor was a pauper and some people helped him financially, which they said were taxes to the emperor. Owners of many eateries, allowed him food free of charge, in lieu of the emperor’s “seal of approval” for their business. It was all a light-hearted affair, with people entertaining a person who had lost everything in his life – including his sanity.
On 8th January 1880, in his way to lecture at the California Academy of Sciences, he collapsed due to stroke, in front of Old Cathedral of St. Mary. The police officers present nearby tried their best to shift him fast to a hospital for better care, but he died before a carriage could arrive. His death was described in detail, by Newspapers as how – “The Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico” had died alone in a dark moonless night in the pavement of a street.
After death, it was clearly evident that Joshua Norton had died a pauper. Although a thorough search of his house, revealed many (fake) letters as evidence of his communications with the royal houses of Europe, nothing of real value was ever found. It was clearly evident, that his funeral proceedings would never amount to much.
However, the so-called self-declared Emperor of the greatest democracy of the world did manage to win over the hearts of its people. The members of San Francisco’s businessmen’s association created a funeral fund for a dignified farewell, for a person who was loved by all. The funeral held on 10th January was attended by a large number of people, cutting across societal boundaries. 10,000 people lined the streets, as the funeral procession passed, which reportedly was 2 miles long. Norton I, was finally buried in a handsome rosewood casket, in Masonic Cemetery at the expense of the city. Joshua Norton, may not have lived as a real emperor in real life, but in his death, he did reach his dream goal to a great extent.
His actions were clearly evident of the fact that he was not of a balanced mind, but in midst of all this insanity, there was a heart of a man, that really felt for others, in a very unselfish way. This fact had been evident many times in his life by many of his actions. In the 1860s and 1870s, there occurred many demonstrations against the Chinese in San Francisco city, and ensuing riots caused many unfortunate deaths. During one such incident, Norton I placed himself between the rioters and their Chinese victims & with head bowed started loudly reciting Christian prayers, which made the unruly mob disperse without any violent incident.
Although generally considered as a harmless mad man with no touch with ground realities, some of the decrees passed by Norton I revealed a great vision. One of these was his instructions to form a League of Nations, for better relations between different people of different countries. He also forbade any confrontation between different religions or their sects.
He also passed orders for construction of tunnel or suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland. Even this royal edict of 1872 was ignored by the government officials. It would take many more decades before the structures envisioned by Norton I was finally created in the form of, San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge and the underwater rail tunnel - Transbay Tube. Unfortunately, Joshua Norton would not be alive to see his visions come true.
His legacy manifested itself in works of many literary geniuses and common people alike. Mark Twain who came to know about Norton, during his stay in the city, was inspired by him & wrote the character of King, on his novel – Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, based on him. Similarly, Robert Louis Stevenson & his stepdaughter wrote about him in their own work. As far as ordinary people are concerned, they still share the loving memory of their beloved “Emperor”. Many campaigns were made to name the San Francisco – Oakland Bridge in his name. Although not successful to date, but it proves that the people still love & remember him for what he really was – a good man.
It is not strange, to find people in every part of the world, who have some degree of mental abnormality. Most of the time, these people are ignored by their friends, families & society as a whole. But in the case of the self-declared Emperor of the United States, the person was not humiliated or banished from society. This speaks a lot about the person concerned & the society that he was livingin. Even the mentally imbalanced person in the context came with the grand ideas of – League of Nations & the concept of San Francisco – Oakland bridge, proving once again that brilliant ideas do not always come from socially acclaimed genius minds.
Joshua Norton – The Only Emperor of the United States, did lead a life of a person, who was out of his mind. However, for all the people who came in contact with him, he symbolized the inherent goodness of human nature, which wants to improve the condition of people & the society surrounding a person. This is evident by his place in the country’s history even after a century of his death. In spite of his limitations in life, maybe, Norton I – The Emperor of the United States, will always continue to rule the hearts of the people, he once aspired to govern.