The Frisco Emperor

Frisco Emperor is a timeline and title made by Nathan1123. The contents of this timeline is entirely written by my brother, who is known on the Alternate History forums as jonriter.

This is a timeline that explores what would happen if Joshua Norton was actually monarch of the United States as he styled himself.

In the year 1829, the southern states took advantage of Andrew Jackson assuming office to assert state sovereignty. Jackson’s violent, ill-considered response sparked the American Civil War, which lasted until 1832. The successful succession of the Confederate States sparked a process of gradual political disintegration which, over the next twenty years, saw the collapse of the United States of America into an anarchic collection feuding, minor states, little better then warlord territories, fighting to reunite the nation under their rule, or just to stay alive.

By 1859, Joshua Norton had become completely disgruntled with collapse of the legal and political structures of the United States. On September 17, 1859, he took matters into his own hands and united all the former territories of the United States under his rule through a combination of grass roots rebellions, clever alliances, and a brilliantly led private army, proclaiming himself "Emperor of these United States": "At the peremptory request and desire of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I, Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last 9 years and 10 months past of S. F., Cal., declare and proclaim myself Emperor of these U. S.; and in virtue of the authority thereby in me vested, do hereby order and direct the representatives of the different States of the Union to assemble in Musical Hall, of this city, on the 1st day of Feb. next, then and there to make such alterations in the existing laws of the Union as may ameliorate the evils under which the country is laboring, and thereby cause confidence to exist, both at home and abroad, in our stability and integrity."