Albania In 1928,
Ahmet Zogu, a president of
Albania, proclaimed himself "King Zog I". He ruled for 11 years in a nominally constitutional
monarchy that was overthrown in the
Italian invasion of Albania.
Andorra In 1934,
Boris Skossyreff declared himself "Boris I, King of
Andorra". His pretended reign only lasted a few days. He was expelled when he declared war on
Justí Guitart i Vilardebó, Bishop of Urgell and ex officio
co-prince of Andorra.
Australia In 1970, after a dispute over wheat production quotas,
Leonard Casley proclaimed his wheat farm in
Western Australia the "
Principality of Hutt River", styling himself as "HRH Prince Leonard I of Hutt". The Australian government did not recognize his claim of independence. Casley abdicated in 2017, passing the principality to his son, "
Prince Graeme I". The principality formally dissolved in 2020.
Cameroon Lekeaka Oliver was a separatist rebel commander who fought in the
Anglophone Crisis. In 2019, he proclaimed himself "Paramount Ruler" or "King" of
Lebialem, a
department of Cameroon. This move was condemned both by Cameroonian loyalists as well as other rebels.
Central African Republic In 1976, a short-lived 'Imperial' monarchy, the "
Central African Empire", was created when dictator
Jean-Bédel Bokassa of the
Central African Republic proclaimed himself "Emperor Bokassa I". The following year, he held a
lavish coronation ceremony. He was deposed in 1979.
Chile with the Mapuche warriors In 1860, a
French adventurer,
Orélie-Antoine de Tounens, proclaimed the "
Kingdom of Araucanía" in
Chile with the support of local
Mapuche chiefs. He called himself "Orélie-Antoine I". In 1862, he was arrested and deported by the Chilean government.
China Hong Xiuquan proclaimed himself the leader of the
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the
Taiping Rebellion in 1851. In 1915, the president of
China,
Yuan Shikai, declared a
restoration of the Chinese monarchy, with himself as emperor. The plan failed, and he was
forced to step down. Since then, there have been repeated attempts by individuals to declare themselves Chinese emperor or empress. In the 1920s and 1930s, there were several peasant rebels who declared themselves members of
House of Zhu and tried to restore the
Ming dynasty, such as the self-proclaimed emperors "Chu the Ninth" (1919–1922, backed by the
Yellow Way Society), "Wang the Sixth" (1924), and Chu Hung-teng (1925, backed by the
Heavenly Gate Society). In course of the
Spirit Soldier rebellions (1920–1926), a former farm worker and rebel leader named Yuan declared himself the "
Jade Emperor". Following the
Chinese Civil War, there have been hundreds of monarchist pretenders who oppose the
Chinese Communist Party and often gathered small groups of supporters. Notable self-proclaimed monarchs include: Li Zhu, declared a new dynasty in 1954; Song Yiufang, leader of the Nine Palaces Way (crowned by his followers after sneaking into the
Forbidden City in 1961); Yang Xuehua, empress of the Heavenly Palace Sect (arrested in 1976 and executed after allegedly planning a rebellion); Chao Yuhua, empress of the "Great Sage Dynasty" (crowned in 1988 in a factory); Tu Nanting, ex-soldier and emperor (believed in his emperorship after reading several books on prophecies, the arcane, and morals); Yang Zhaogong who attempted to establish a new dynasty with alleged backing of
CCCPC members. In general, these self-proclaimed monarchs were not very successful and quickly arrested by security forces. However, one self-proclaimed emperor,
Li Guangchang, organized a large sect of supporters and factually governed a small territory in
Cangnan County, called the "Zishen Nation", from 1981 to 1986 in
de facto independence from China. He was eventually arrested, reportedly after attempting to organize a wider rebellion.
Congo Within days of being independent from Belgium, the new
Republic of the Congo found itself torn between competing political factions, as well as by foreign interference. As the situation deteriorated,
Moise Tshombe declared the independence of
Katanga Province as the
State of Katanga on 11 July 1960.
Albert Kalonji, claiming that the
Baluba were being persecuted in the Congo and needed their own state in their traditional
Kasai homeland, followed suit shortly afterwards and declared the autonomy of
South Kasai on 8 August, with himself as head. On 12 April 1961, Kalonji's father was granted the title
Mulopwe (which roughly translates to "emperor" or "god-king"), but he immediately "abdicated" in favor of his son. The move was controversial with members of Kalonji's own party and cost him much support. Shortly thereafter, as preparation for the invasion of Katanga, Congolese government troops invaded and occupied South Kasai, and Kalonji was arrested. Although this imperial regime ended with his fall from power, Napoleon's nephew,
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was elected in 1848 as
President of France. In 1852, he declared himself "
Emperor Napoleon III"; he was deposed in 1870.
Haiti ,
Emperor of Haiti, 1804 In 1804, in
Haiti, the governor general,
Jean-Jacques Dessalines, proclaimed himself "Emperor Jacques I". He ruled for two years. In 1811, the president,
Henri Christophe, proclaimed himself "
King Henri I" and ruled until 1820. In 1849, the president,
Faustin Soulouque, proclaimed himself "
Emperor Faustin I" and ruled until 1859.
Mexico On 19 May 1822,
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu, was crowned as
Emperor of Mexico. He was a Mexican-born general who had served in the Spanish Army, during the
Mexican War of Independence, but switched sides and joined the Mexican rebels in 1820. He was proclaimed president of the Regency in 1821. When
King Ferdinand VII of Spain refused to become a constitutional monarch, Iturbide was crowned Emperor. He ruled
Mexico for less than as a year as he abdicated and went into exile during a revolt in March 1823. He returned to Mexico on 14 July 1824 and was executed by the
Provisional Government of Mexico.
Romania Florin Cioabă proclaimed himself
King of the Roma Everywhere. He died in 2013.
Philippines In 1823, in
Manila,
Philippines, a regimental captain,
Andrés Novales, staged a mutiny and proclaimed himself "Emperor of the Philippines". After one day,
Spanish troops from
Pampanga and
Intramuros removed him.
Trinidad In 1893,
James Harden-Hickey, an admirer of Napoleon III, crowned himself "James I of the
Principality of Trinidad". For two years he tried but failed to assert his claim.
United States In 1850,
James J. Strang, who claimed to be
Joseph Smith's successor as leader of the
Latter Day Saint movement, proclaimed himself king of his followers on
Beaver Island, Michigan. On 8 July 1850, he was crowned in an elaborate
coronation ceremony. Strang evaded Federal government charges of
treason and continued to rule until 1856, the year he was assassinated by two disgruntled "
Strangites". In 1859,
Joshua Abraham Norton, a failed businessman from
San Francisco, declared himself "Emperor of the United States", followed by assuming the additional title "Protector of Mexico" in 1863 in the wake of
France's invasion of the country; he became and remained a local celebrity for the rest of his life. ==Current self-proclaimed monarchies==