Back in the 18th century, plenty of grifters attempted to pass themselves off as royalty, but no one did it quite like Scepan Mali, aka ‘Stephen the Small,’ who somehow convinced the citizens of Montenegro to hand over their country to him
Nobody seemed to be able to find the Dominion of Melchizedek on a map. So just where was this mysterious nuclear power, and why was it at war with France?
Imagine if a person tried to live their dreams only to discover that they actually were a charismatic leader, a talented pirate, and a surprisingly good escape artist. That's the story of Willam Augustus Bowles, aspiring King of Florida, who lived one of the coolest lives of the 18th century before his own delusions of grandeur ate him alive ...
What if you could find a loophole so good that it effectively lets you start your own country, free from the rule of law? Well, that’s happened exactly once in modern memory, and oh boy, did it get weird.
Over the years, a surprising number of Americans have tried to set themselves up as kings and queens. James Strang, the Mad King of Lake Michigan, was more successful than most.
