25. Idi Amin’s Bonkers Death Toll
Idi Amin’s bonkers behavior led to a rupture with Britain, and a severing of diplomatic relations. After, Amin declared that he defeated Britain, and awarded himself a CBE (“Conqueror of the British Empire“) medal. Additionally, he conferred upon himself a VC, or Victorious Cross, a copy of the better-known British medal. He also showered himself with titles, including “His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular“. He also declared himself King of Scotland.
A Bizarre Personal Life
Amin’s personal life was just as bizarre. A polygamist, he married at least 6 women, at least one of whom he murdered and dismembered. In 1975, a 19-year-old go-go dancer caught his eye, so he had her boyfriend beheaded, then married her in a lavish wedding that cost about 10 million dollars – this, at a time when much of Uganda was hungry and malnutrition was widespread. Estimates of his victims range from 100,000 to half a million. A boneheaded attempt to seize a province of neighboring Tanzania led to a war which Amin swiftly lost. He was forced to flee in 1979, first to Libya, and then to Saudi Arabia, whose royal family gave him asylum, refused to honor requests for his extradition, and paid him generous subsidies until his death in 2003.
