Hawaiian Monarch. Born Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke Kapuʻiolani, the son of Kamehameha the Great and his consort, Keopuolani, in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. At the age of five he was named his father's successor and began training to rule. When his father died in 1819, he met with the Council of Chiefs, and was appointed his to father's ceremonial role as monarch. Six months later, he rather spectacularly broke the ancient kapu (taboo) system of religious laws when he sat down with his favorite wife and his mother and ate a meal with them, a violation of the kapu. He then abolished the ancient kapu system. He was forced to fight his cousin, Keaoua Kekuaokalani, who led forces supporting the kapu system against the king. The king's troops overwhelmed the rebellion and put it down. In 1820 he admitted the first Christian missionaries from New England to his kingdom. Within two years, he had learned their language, spoken and written, but had no interest in converting, instead enjoying a hedonistic court. His reign was also marked by his effort to ensure the lasting independence of his kingdom. In 1823, he and his favorite wife, Kamamalu, sailed to England in an attempt to finalize his father's negotiations to protect the Hawaiian islands from foreigners with King George IV. The royal party, which also included Governor Boki of Oahu, his wife, and the king's secretary and interpreter, John Rives, sailed November 27 on the English whaling ship L'Aigle. They arrived in May 1824 and, as the first Hawaiians to visit the kingdom, became the darlings of English society. They stayed at Osborne Hotel, and visited the theater, sitting in the royal boxes. While awaiting an audience with the king, however, the delegation fell ill with measles. The Hawaiians had little defense against the disease and succumbed rapidly. King George sent his personal physician to their aid, but Kamamalu died within days, and Liholiho died less than a week later. George IV arranged for a 46-gun British naval frigate to take the delegation accompanying the royal coffins home. A mausoleum, Pohukaina, was built on the grounds of the royal palace to house the remains of the king and his consort.
Hawaiian Monarch. Born Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke Kapuʻiolani, the son of Kamehameha the Great and his consort, Keopuolani, in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. At the age of five he was named his father's successor and began training to rule. When his father died in 1819, he met with the Council of Chiefs, and was appointed his to father's ceremonial role as monarch. Six months later, he rather spectacularly broke the ancient kapu (taboo) system of religious laws when he sat down with his favorite wife and his mother and ate a meal with them, a violation of the kapu. He then abolished the ancient kapu system. He was forced to fight his cousin, Keaoua Kekuaokalani, who led forces supporting the kapu system against the king. The king's troops overwhelmed the rebellion and put it down. In 1820 he admitted the first Christian missionaries from New England to his kingdom. Within two years, he had learned their language, spoken and written, but had no interest in converting, instead enjoying a hedonistic court. His reign was also marked by his effort to ensure the lasting independence of his kingdom. In 1823, he and his favorite wife, Kamamalu, sailed to England in an attempt to finalize his father's negotiations to protect the Hawaiian islands from foreigners with King George IV. The royal party, which also included Governor Boki of Oahu, his wife, and the king's secretary and interpreter, John Rives, sailed November 27 on the English whaling ship L'Aigle. They arrived in May 1824 and, as the first Hawaiians to visit the kingdom, became the darlings of English society. They stayed at Osborne Hotel, and visited the theater, sitting in the royal boxes. While awaiting an audience with the king, however, the delegation fell ill with measles. The Hawaiians had little defense against the disease and succumbed rapidly. King George sent his personal physician to their aid, but Kamamalu died within days, and Liholiho died less than a week later. George IV arranged for a 46-gun British naval frigate to take the delegation accompanying the royal coffins home. A mausoleum, Pohukaina, was built on the grounds of the royal palace to house the remains of the king and his consort.
Bio by: Iola
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