The Empire of the Sahara
In June 1903 a French sugar millionaire, one Jacques Lebaudy, a dapper little man with a sharp nose and a shrill high-pitched voice who was said to have a personal fortune of some pounds 3m, recruited a dozen Breton sailors and landed them on the coast of Spanish Morocco, commanding them to go forth and establish an empire. Lebaudy then informed the French authorities that he was henceforth to be addressed as Jacques I, Najin-al-Den, Emperor of the Sahara, Commander of the Faithful, King of Tarfaia, Duke of Arleuf and Prince of Chal-Huin.
Full account here, including his inglorious death.
Wikipedia entry here.
Comments
Since I live near Westbury I wanted to see if I could find a photo of the estate. Closest I got so far is the Washington Times. It also has a nice illustration of him being shot on the stairs:
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/80681722/
This is a better read than the Wiki:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/24-karat-crazy-sugar-scion-met-bitter-hands-wife-article-1.133493
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/80681722/
This is a better read than the Wiki:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/24-karat-crazy-sugar-scion-met-bitter-hands-wife-article-1.133493
Posted by S. Norman on 05/12/17 at 08:17 AM
Excellent sleuthing, S. Norman!
Posted by Paul on 05/12/17 at 09:04 AM
But wait! There's more! ... this article here says that the shooting was near a place called 'The Box' where Blanca Errazuriz gunned down her ex-husband John L. de Saulles:
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/cgi-bin/colorado?a=d&d=THD19190112-01.2.15#
That's a good read also:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanca_Errázuriz
which led to people with more time on their hands than me:
http://jackdesaulles.blogspot.com/2011/10/box.html
which led to a blog about Goldcoast homes that had photos of 'The Box'
but not the Phoenix Lodge:
http://www.oldlongisland.com/2011/07/box.html
Too many news articles about Jacques are behind paywalls. I would love to read this one about his escape from the asylum:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E3DB1138E633A25752C2A96E9C946496D6CF&legacy=true
I suppose I have too much time on my hands as well.
https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/cgi-bin/colorado?a=d&d=THD19190112-01.2.15#
That's a good read also:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanca_Errázuriz
which led to people with more time on their hands than me:
http://jackdesaulles.blogspot.com/2011/10/box.html
which led to a blog about Goldcoast homes that had photos of 'The Box'
but not the Phoenix Lodge:
http://www.oldlongisland.com/2011/07/box.html
Too many news articles about Jacques are behind paywalls. I would love to read this one about his escape from the asylum:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E3DB1138E633A25752C2A96E9C946496D6CF&legacy=true
I suppose I have too much time on my hands as well.
Posted by S. Norman on 05/12/17 at 09:39 AM
Was he reincarnated as Donnie?
Posted by F.U.D. on 05/12/17 at 11:47 AM
It seems that every country has pretenders to the throne. In California, we had Emperor Norton I, Emperor Of The United States and Protector Of Mexico. He wasn't rich like this guy but everyone accepted his "money."
Posted by KDP on 05/12/17 at 04:53 PM
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Category: Bombast, Bloviation and Pretentiousness | Dictators, Tyrants and Other Harsh Rulers | Eccentrics | 1900s | Africa | Europe