History Main / KingOfThieves

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': Before he obtained the Triforce of Power and became the Prince of Darkness/King of Evil, Ganondorf was the King of Thieves of the [[DesertBandits Gerudo.]] The position goes to the one male born to the tribe every 100 years.

* ''VideoGame/UnchartedAThiefsEnd'' is about the search for Libertalia, where many pirates retired to a golden pirate paradise. All the evidence points to Henry Avery being the King of Thieves among the pirates, having come up with the idea and built most of the riddles leading to the paradisal settlement. [[spoiler: The prestige was fine, but being surrounded by thieves and cutthroats drove Avery to insane paranoia, and he ended up orchestrating the death of everyone else in the settlement, before dying in a MutualKill to his right-hand man.]]

The King of Thieves doesn't have to be a part of true monarchy or kingship. They might have reached their position through KlingonPromotion as a result of their hard work and/or ruthlessness. Or it might just be a title they get for being the [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority strongest around]]. They [[WeirdTradeUnion may actually command the loyalty of either all of the pirates on the seas]], or another type of ThievesGuild, or they may simply be the captain of a single notorious pirate ship or some other small group of outlaws [[AuthorityInNameOnly who prefers an impressive-sounding title.]]

Can overlap with ElectiveMonarchy. Compare KlingonPromotion, AsskickingEqualsAuthority. See also TheDon for modern urban gangsters, SupernaturalElite for the fantastic equivalent, and JustLikeRobinHood who is sometimes known as the Prince of (or among) Thieves.

* ''VideoGame/ForTheKing'': The Bandit King is a Scourge whose influence doubles the price of goods and services across the map while he's active. He fights with a pair of bandit henchmen and claims to have won his title through AsskickingEqualsAuthority:

* Atomsk of ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' is referred to as the "King of Pirates" and has the power to steal a solar system.

* Katarina Dante in ''ComicBook/{{Nikolai Dante}}'' is known as the Queen of Pirates. It's not an official position, it's just that she's the best and baddest pirate around.

* In ''Film/TheIsland1980'', John David Nau is undisputed ruler of pirate settlement on the uncharted island in the Caribbean: the descendant of the buccaneer who first founded it.
* ''Film/TheLegendOfFrenchieKing'': the titular Frenchie King is considered the king of outlaws in the Wild West, though she (yes, it's a woman) doesn't seem to have any sort of authority and just got the title as a hand-me-down from her father and for being an ace at what she does.

* In ''Literature/TheBaroqueCycle'' Jack Shaftoe gets two titles like this during the course of the trilogy, "King of the Vagabonds" and "King of the Coiners" (Counterfeiters).
* ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'': This idea is explored a little in ''God Stalk''. Theocandi is the lord of the ThievesGuild, but Penari is considered the greatest thief in the city. And they're brothers. They're old men now, and Penari doesn't care, but to Theocandi, the SiblingRivalry is still strong.

[[caption-width-right:267:[[Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI It's good to be the queen!]]]]

[[caption-width-right:267:It's good to be the queen!]]

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Bangladesh [=DuPree=] the Pirate Queen, PsychoForHire under the Baron's employ. The novels reveal that she really is a queen, a genuine blue-blooded member of the Fifty Families forced to piracy due to her family's failing fortunes. The rest of the Fifty Families look down on her because of this. Not because she's a pirate, but because she does ''work''.

* Clopin from ''Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' is the King of Truands (which can mean either "petty criminals" or simply [[KingOfTheHomeless "beggars"]]). The [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Disney version]] calls him "King of the Gypsies", but that's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_the_Gypsies something else entirely]].

[[quoteright:268:[[ComicBook/DestinyQueenOfThieves https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/destiny_3.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:268:It's good to be the queen!]]

* In ''Literature/TheBaroqueCycle'' Jack Shaftoe gets two titles like this during the course of the trilogy, "King of the Vagabonds" and "King of the Coiners" (Counterfeiters).

* ''Videogame/{{Fable}}'' has Twinblade the Bandit King, who is fought as a boss during a quest in which your hero must infiltrate a bandit camp.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
** The leader of the ThievesGuild in each game where it appears qualifies. Naturally, the PlayerCharacter can always rise up to that rank by finishing the Guild quest line.

* Subverted and downplayed in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't bow to each other, and having a ''capo di capi'' (boss of bosses in Italian) ran against this idea. Those declaring themselves as one often met a violent end, as Salvatore Maranzano learned this the hard way in 1931 when he was whacked by rivals who wanted a power-sharing arrangement called the Commission. Since then, nobody has declared himself as one despite media portrayals. The Commission serves as the mob's board of trustees and still exists despite increased scrutiny. While there is a nominal chairman (usually headed up by the Genovese, Gambino, or Bonanno family bosses), his powers are limited. Smaller families also have a seat, but since they don't come to New York that often, one of the bigger families usually holds their proxy vote. Currently, the bosses of the Five Families of New York and the Chicago Outfit serve as the board members.

* Subverted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't bow to each other, and having a ''capo di capi'' (boss of bosses in Italian) ran against this idea. Those declaring themselves as one often met a violent end, as Salvatore Maranzano learned this the hard way in 1931 when he was whacked by rivals wanting a power-sharing arrangement called the Commission. Since then, nobody has declared himself as one despite media portrayals. The Commission serves as the mob's board of governors and still exists despite increased scrutiny. While there is a nominal chairman (usually headed up by the Genovese, Gambino, or Bonanno family bosses), his powers are limited. Smaller families also have a seat, but since they don't come to New York that often, one of the bigger families usually holds their proxy vote. Currently, the bosses of the Five Families of New York and the Chicago Outfit serve as the board members.

* Subverted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't bow to each other, and having a ''capo di capi'' (boss of bosses in Italian) ran against this idea. Those declaring themselves as one often met a violent end, as Salvatore Maranzano learned this the hard way in 1931 when he was whacked by rivals wanting a power-sharing arrangement called the Commission. Since then, nobody has declared himself as one despite media portrayals. The Commission serves as a board of governors for the Mafia and still exists despite increased scrutiny. While there is a nominal chairman (usually headed up by the Genovese, Gambino, or Bonanno family bosses), his powers are limited. Smaller families also have a seat, but since they don't come to New York that often, one of the bigger families usually holds their proxy vote. Currently, the bosses of the Five Families of New York and the Chicago Outfit serve as the board members.

* Subverted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't bow to each other, and having a ''capo di capi'' (boss of bosses in Italian) ran against this idea. Those declaring themselves as one often met a violent end, as Salvatore Maranzano learned the hard way in 1931 when he was whacked by rivals wanting a power-sharing arrangement called the Commission in 1931. Since then, nobody has declared himself as one despite media portrayals. The Commission is the final governing body on mob matters, and still exists despite increased scrutiny.

* Subverted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Mob bosses don't kowtow to each other, and having a mob overlord aka ''capo di tutti capi'' ran against this. To declare themselves as one risks the possibility of being challenged by rival alphas, as Salvatore Maranzano learned the hard way when he was killed off by his foes, who wanted a power-sharing arrangement called the Commission in 1931. Since then, nobody has openly declared himself as one despite media portrayals. This arrangement has worked off despite increased scrutiny in recent years, as the Commission is the final governing body on mob matters.

* Averted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't kowtow to each other, and having a mob overlord aka ''capo di tutti capi'' ran against this idea. The only boss to declare himself as one was Sal Maranzano, who only got to enjoy it for a few months before he was killed off by rivals who wanted a power-sharing arrangement. The Commission functions as a governing body to oversee the Mafia's activities, and is headed up by a nominal chairman, who is not seen as the alpha of the pack despite media portrayals. Lucky Luciano became the first chairman in 1931. Bosses such as Carlo Gambino, John Gotti, Chin Gigante, and Joe Massino were also confirmed chairmen, but their tenures are unknown. Despite being the most famous gangster of all time (barring John Gotti), UsefulNotes/AlCapone never wielded influence outside of the Chicago Outfit. Though the Commission used to meet more often, increased scrutiny after a disastrous CriminalConvention in 1957[[note]]it took place in upstate New York to discuss the growing drug trade and a brewing cold war within the Five Families since Luciano was exiled to Italy in 1947. About 100 mafiosi attended this summit, but things became worse when cops raided the party and nabbed 60 of them on the spot. Vito Genovese, who aspired to become the mob's unofficial kingmaker and set up the summit in the first place despite being warned not to do so, took most of the blame. Plus, the police raid opened up public awareness about the Mafia's inner workings.[[/note]] forced it underground, and the families now send emissaries to discuss things in secret.

* Averted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't kowtow to each other, and having a mob overlord aka ''capo di tutti capi'' ran against this idea. The only boss to declare himself as one was Sal Maranzano, who only got to enjoy it for a few months before he was killed off by rivals who wanted a power-sharing arrangement. The Commission functions as a governing body to oversee the Mafia's activities. It is headed up by a nominal Chairman, who is not seen as the alpha of the pack despite media portrayals. Lucky Luciano became the first chairman in 1931. Bosses such as Carlo Gambino, John Gotti, Chin Gigante, and Joe Massino were also confirmed chairmen, but their tenures are unknown. Despite being the most famous gangster of all time (barring John Gotti), UsefulNotes/AlCapone never wielded influence outside of the Chicago Outfit. Though the Commission used to meet more often, increased scrutiny after a disastrous CriminalConvention in 1957[[note]]it took place in upstate New York to discuss the growing drug trade and a brewing cold war within the Five Families since Luciano was exiled to Italy in 1947. About 100 mafiosi attended this summit, but things became worse when cops raided the party and nabbed 60 of them on the spot. Vito Genovese, who aspired to become the mob's unofficial kingmaker and set up the summit in the first place despite being warned not to do so, took most of the blame. Plus, the police raid opened up public awareness about the Mafia's inner workings.[[/note]] forced it underground, and the families now send emissaries to discuss things in secret.

* Averted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't kowtow to each other, and having a mob overlord aka ''capo di tutti capi'' ran against this idea. The only boss to declare himself as one was Sal Maranzano, who only got to enjoy it for a few months before he was killed off by rivals who wanted a power-sharing arrangement. The Commission functions as a governing body to oversee the Mafia's activities. It is headed up by a nominal Chairman, who is not seen as the alpha of the pack despite media portrayals. Lucky Luciano became the first chairman in 1931. Bosses such as Carlo Gambino, John Gotti, Vincent Gigante, and Joe Massino were also confirmed chairmen, but their tenures are unknown. Despite being the most famous gangster of all time (barring John Gotti), UsefulNotes/AlCapone never wielded influence outside of the Chicago Outfit. Though the Commission used to meet more often, increased scrutiny after a disastrous CriminalConvention in 1957[[note]]it took place in upstate New York to discuss the growing drug trade and a brewing cold war within the Five Families since Luciano was exiled to Italy in 1947. About 100 mafiosi attended this summit, but things became worse when cops raided the party and nabbed 60 of them on the spot. Vito Genovese, who aspired to become the mob's unofficial kingmaker and set up the summit in the first place despite being warned not to do so, took most of the blame. Plus, the police raid opened up public awareness about the Mafia's inner workings.[[/note]] forced it underground, and the families now send emissaries to discuss things in secret.

* Averted in UsefulNotes/TheMafia. Bosses don't kowtow to each other, and having a mob overlord aka ''capo di tutti capi'' ran against this idea. The only boss to declare himself as one was Sal Maranzano, who only got to enjoy it for a few months before he was killed off by rivals who wanted a power-sharing arrangement. The Commission functions as a governing body to oversee the Mafia's activities. It is headed up by a nominal Chairman of the Mafia Commission, who is not seen as the kingmaker despite media portrayals. Charles Luciano became the first chairman in 1931. Bosses such as Carlo Gambino, Vincent Gigante, and Joe Massino were also confirmed chairmen, but their exact tenures are unknown. Though the Commission used to meet more often, increased scrutiny after a disastrous CriminalConvention in 1957[[note]]it took place in upstate New York to discuss the growing drug trade and a brewing cold war within the Five Families since Luciano was exiled to Italy in 1947. About 100 mafiosi attended this summit, but things became worse when cops raided the party and nabbed 60 of them on the spot. Vito Genovese, who aspired to become the mob's unofficial kingmaker and set up the summit in the first place despite being warned not to do so, took most of the blame. Plus, the police raid opened up public awareness about the Mafia's inner workings.[[/note]] forced it underground, and the families now send emissaries to discuss things in secret.