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118-632: Albert Kūkaʻilimoku Kūnuiākea (June 19, 1851 – March 10, 1903) was the illegitimate son of King Kamehameha III and his mistress Jane Lahilahi . He served as a politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii . He later was baptized into the Anglican Church of Hawaii with the name Albert Fredrick Kunuiakea Oiwiaulani Koenaokalani . Kūnuiākea was born on June 19, 1851, at his mother's residence at Kuaihelani, on Beretania Street, Honolulu , where

236-544: A Privy Council and five powerful government ministers. Judd was appointed to the most powerful post of Minister of Finance. Frontier lawyer John Ricord was Attorney General , Robert Crichton Wyllie was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Richards Minister of Public Instruction, and Keoni Ana was Minister of the Interior. Kamehameha III also presided over the formalization of the court system and land titles. Cases such as those of Richard Charlton and Ladd & Co. had prompted

354-480: A Polynesian coalition, with him at the head, was influenced by both Walter M. Gibson and Italian soldier of fortune Celso Caesar Moreno . In 1879 Moreno urged the king to create such a realm with Hawaiʻi at the top of the empire by " ... uniting under your sceptre the whole Polynesian race and make Honolulu a monarchical Washington , where the representatives of all the islands would convene in Congress." In response to

472-414: A United States takeover of Hawaiʻi. In 1887, Kalākaua was pressured to sign a new constitution that made the monarchy little more than a figurehead position. After his brother William Pitt Leleiohoku II died in 1877, the king named their sister Liliʻuokalani as heir-apparent. She acted as regent during his absences from the country. After Kalākaua's death, she became the last monarch of Hawaiʻi. Kalākaua

590-567: A brief transition under the Provisional Government , the oligarchical Republic of Hawaii was established on July 4, 1894, with Sanford B. Dole as president. During this period, the de   facto government was composed largely of residents of American and European ancestry, although a few Native Hawaiians including Kūnuiākea served in political roles. He became a member of the Constitutional Convention charged with drafting

708-623: A few white officers including his brother-in-law John Owen Dominis . Each unit was subject to call for active service when necessary. The king and the governor of Oahu also had their own personal staff of military officers with the ranks of colonel and major. On October 1, 1886, the Military Act of 1886 was passed which created a Department of War and a Department of the Navy under the Minister of Foreign Affairs who would also serve as Secretary of War and of

826-419: A government-financed program to sponsor qualified students to be sent abroad to further their education. Two of his projects, the statue of Kamehameha I and the rebuilding of ʻIolani Palace , were expensive endeavors but are popular tourist attractions today. Extravagant expenditures and Kalākaua's plans for a Polynesian confederation played into the hands of annexationists who were already working toward

944-482: A guaranteed profit. When Hawaiʻi's silver coins began circulating in December 1883, the business community was reluctant to accept them, fearing they would drive US gold coins out of the market. Spreckels opened his own bank to circulate them. Business owners feared economic inflation and lost faith in the government, as did foreign governments. Political fallout from the coinage led to the 1884 election-year shift towards

1062-496: A half-sister and brother couple. He had loved his sister Nāhiʻenaʻena and planned to marry her since childhood, but the union was opposed by the missionaries due to their perceptions of incest . It was proposed in 1832 that Kamanele , the daughter of Governor John Adams Kuakini , would be the most suitable in age, rank, and education for his queen. Kamanele died in 1834 before the wedding took place. Instead Kamehameha III chose to marry Kalama Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili , against

1180-430: A new building. During the 1878 session of the legislature Finance Chairman Walter Murray Gibson , a political supporter of Kalākaua's, pushed through appropriations of $ 50,000 for the new palace. Construction began in 1879, with an additional $ 80,000 appropriated later to furnish it and complete the construction. Three architects worked on the design, Thomas J. Baker, Charles J. Wall and Isaac Moore. December 31, 1879,

1298-614: A new constitution for the Republic and was one of the five Native Hawaiian signatories of the document. Kūnuiākea died on March 10, 1903, in Honolulu, at the age of 51. As a sign of respect to his position as one of the last descendants of Kamehameha the Great, the Hawaiian territorial government held a state funeral for Kūnuiākea. After lying in state in the former throne room of the ʻIolani Palace , he

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1416-441: A personal associate and friend of Prince Lot, the future Kamehameha V, who instilled his mission of "Hawaiʻi for Hawaiians" in the young Kalākaua. In the fall of 1860, when he was Chief Clerk of the kingdom's Department of the Interior, Kalākaua accompanied Prince Lot, high chief Levi Haʻalelea and Hawaii's Consul for Peru, Josiah C. Spalding, on a two-month tour of British Columbia and California. They sailed from Honolulu aboard

1534-680: A public denial of that claim, the kingdom was divided on the issue. British Commissioner James Hay Wodehouse put the British and American forces docked at Honolulu on the alert for possible violence. The election was held on February 12, and Kalākaua was elected by the Legislative Assembly by a margin of thirty-nine to six. His election provoked the Honolulu Courthouse riot where supporters of Queen Emma targeted legislators who supported Kalākaua; thirteen legislators were injured. The kingdom

1652-584: A state dinner, and a marksmanship contest won by the Honolulu Rifles . Harper's Weekly reported in 1891 that the final cost of the jubilee was $ 75,000. During the early part of his reign, Kalākaua restored the Household Guards which had been defunct since his predecessor Lunalilo abolished the unit in 1874. Initially, the king created three volunteer companies: the Leleiohoku Guard, a cavalry unit;

1770-740: A successor, and died on February 3, 1874, setting in motion a bitter election . While Lunalilo did not think of himself as a Kamehameha, his election continued the Kamehameha line to some degree making him the last of the monarchs of the Kamehameha dynasty . Pauahi chose not to run. Kalākaua's political platform was that he would reign in strict accordance with the kingdom's constitution. Emma campaigned on her assurance that Lunalilo had personally told her he wanted her to succeed him. Several individuals who claimed first-hand knowledge of Lunalilo's wishes backed her publicly. With Lunalilo's privy council issuing

1888-640: A system of land ownership was implemented under the Mahele in 1848. The 1839 declaration of rights, the 1840 constitution, and various laws enacted from 1840 to 1842 came to be collectively called the Kumu Kānāwai or "foundation of law." They were published together in a dual Hawaiian/English book with a blue cover, similar to the statutory laws of the New England states at the time, and like them became known in English as

2006-471: A treaty of annexation with Wyllie by August 1854. It was never signed, and might not have been ratified by the Senate . Although there was some support in the U.S., it would take 105 more years before full statehood of Hawaii. Kamehameha III died suddenly on December 15, 1854, after a brief illness, which may have been related to a stroke . He was succeeded by his nephew and adopted son Alexander Liholiho, who

2124-564: A two-week jubilee. Gibson had by this time joined the King's cabinet as prime minister of Hawaiʻi. He and Minister of the Interior Luther Aholo put forth a motion for the legislature to form a committee to oversee the birthday jubilee on September 20. The motion was approved, and at Gibson's subsequent request, the legislature appropriated $ 15,000 for the jubilee. An announcement was made on November 3 that all government schools would be closed

2242-453: A two-week period. A special octagon-shaped pavilion and grandstand were built for the February 12, 1883, ceremony. Preparations were made for an anticipated crowd exceeding 5,000, with lawn chairs to accommodate any overflow. Before the actual event, a procession of 630 adults and children paraded from downtown to the palace. Kalākaua and Kapiʻolani, accompanied by their royal retinue, came out of

2360-510: Is called the Great Mahele of 1848 which redistributed land between the government, king, nobles, and commoners. Foreigners were allowed to own land fee simple in Hawaii for the first time. Many commoners were unaware of the program and lost out on the distribution. The domination of his cabinet by Americans (balanced only by Scot Wyllie and half-Hawaiian Keoni Ana) also discouraged the people. This

2478-564: Is preserved as a monument at Keauhou Bay. He was given to Kaikioʻewa to raise. He was torn between the Puritan Christian guidelines imposed on the kingdom by the kuhina nui (Queen Regent) who was his stepmother Kaʻahumanu , and the desires to honor the old traditions. Under the influence of Oʻahu's then governor, Boki , and a young Hawaiian-Tahitian former priest named Kaomi , Kauikeaouli's aikāne partner, he rebelled against his partial Christian upbringing. When Kauikeaouli came to

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2596-630: The Hawaiian language , his name Kūnuiākea means "Kū the Supreme One" while his second name Kūkaʻilimoku means "Kū the Snatcher of Land" and honor the war god Kū , the patron deity of his grandfather King Kamehameha I who conquered and unified the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. Sources are disputed on the name and exact fate of his twin brother. Under the name Kīwalaʻō, it was claimed he was taken by Kamehameha III and his wife Queen Kalama to raise while Kūnuiākea

2714-621: The Kuokoa (independent) Party in the legislature. It passed the Currency Act to restrict acceptance of silver coins as payment for debts under $ 10. Exchange of silver for gold at the treasury was then limited to $ 150,000 a month. In 1903, the Hawaiʻi silver coins were redeemed for US silver and melted down at the San Francisco Mint. Kalākaua's 50th birthday on November 16, 1886, was celebrated with

2832-556: The Marquesas to Samoa and Tonga . Boyd was killed in Guadalcanal shortly after. Hawaii became a popular winter destination for frustrated prospectors in the 1850s. Some were rumored to be filibusters hoping to profit from a rebellion. One of the first was a group led by Samuel Brannan , who did not find the popular support for an uprising that they expected. By the end of 1853 the threats, whether real or imagined, caused petitions for

2950-509: The Royal Guards of Hawaiʻi in September 1873, Kalākaua was suspected to have incited the native guards to rebel against their white officers. Lunalilo responded to the insurrection by disbanding the military unit altogether, leaving Hawaiʻi without a standing army for the remainder of his reign. The issue of succession was a major concern especially since Lunalilo was unmarried and childless at

3068-626: The Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi in 1877. Kalākaua's various military, government and court positions prevented him from fully completing his legal training. He received his earliest military training under the Prussian officer, Major Francis Funk , who instilled an admiration of the Prussian military system. In 1852, Prince Liholiho, who would later reign as Kamehameha IV, appointed Kalakaua as one of his aide-de-camp on his military staff. The following year, he commissioned Kalākaua as brevet captain in

3186-571: The hula , which had hitherto been banned in public in the kingdom, became a celebration of Hawaiian culture. During Kalākaua's reign, the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 brought great prosperity to the kingdom. Its renewal continued the prosperity but allowed United States to have exclusive use of Pearl Harbor . In 1881, Kalākaua took a trip around the world to encourage the immigration of contract sugar plantation workers. He wanted Hawaiians to broaden their education beyond their nation. He instituted

3304-502: The "Keawe-a-Heulu line", although later historians would refer to the family as the House of Kalākaua . The second surviving child of a large family, his biological siblings included his elder brother James Kaliokalani , and younger siblings Lydia Kamakaʻeha (later renamed Liliʻuokalani) , Anna Kaʻiulani , Kaʻiminaʻauao , Miriam Likelike and William Pitt Leleiohoku II . Given the name Kalākaua, which translates into "The Day [of] Battle,"

3422-519: The 175th anniversary of the restoration of Hawaiian sovereignty in 1843. The statue was created by Oregon artist Thomas Jay Warren for $ 250,000 allotted by the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts and is part of Mayor Kirk Caldwell 's plans to revamp the park. Kal%C4%81kaua Kalākaua ( David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Māhinulani Nālaʻiaʻehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua ; November 16, 1836 – January 20, 1891),

3540-520: The 18th-century aliʻi nui Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku . From his biological parents, he descended from Keaweaheulu and Kameʻeiamoku , two of the five royal counselors of Kamehameha I during his conquest of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi . Kameʻeiamoku, the grandfather of both his mother and father, was one of the royal twins alongside Kamanawa depicted on the Hawaiian coat of arms. However, Kalākaua and his siblings traced their high rank from their mother's line of descent, referring to themselves as members of

3658-570: The 45th birthday of Queen Kapiʻolani, was the date Kalākaua chose for the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone . Minister of Foreign Affairs John Mākini Kapena delivered the ceremony's formal address in Hawaiian. As Master of the Freemason Lodge Le Progres de L'Oceanie, Kalākaua charged the freemasons with orchestrating the ceremonies. The parade preceding the laying of the cornerstone involved every civilian and military organization in Hawaiʻi. The Pacific Commercial Advertiser noted it

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3776-676: The Blue Laws. The Kumu Kānāwai was primarily based on Hawaii's indigenous traditions , various laws enacted since 1823, and the principles of the Christian Bible. Over the next few years, Kamehameha III moved the capital from Lahaina to Honolulu . In September 1840 Charles Wilkes arrived on the United States Exploring Expedition . Kamehameha III was happy to support the explorers, and appointed missionary doctor Gerrit P. Judd to serve as translator. Judd treated many of

3894-476: The Central Union Church now stands. He and his twin brother were born to King Kamehameha III and his mistress Jane Lahilahi . Lahilahi was married to Joshua Kaʻeo by whom she had a son named Peter Kaʻeo , his older half-brother. From his mother's family, he was the grandson of John Young , the British advisor of Kamehameha I, and Kaʻōanaʻeha , the daughter of Kamehameha I's brother Keliʻimaikaʻi . In

4012-599: The Hawaiian Kingdom neutral in the Crimean War in Europe. The present crises had passed, but the king's health declined, often attributed to his renewed drinking. The annexation question also did not go away. The British minister William Miller and French representative Louis Emile Perrin objected to the plan. New U.S. Commissioner David L. Gregg received instructions from Secretary of State William L. Marcy and negotiated

4130-486: The Hawaiian government, and the rioters were arrested. It was speculated that Kūnuiākea would have been the natural choice for heir to his childless cousin if Emma had won the election. After the controversial 1874 election, Emma's former supporters formed the political opposition party to undermine the new dynasty. Kūnuiākea became a member of this Queen Emma Party and joined with Representatives Joseph Nāwahī of Hilo and George Washington Pilipō of North Kona in forming

4248-405: The Hawaiian throne including Bernice Pauahi Bishop , who had been asked to succeed to the throne by Kamehameha V on his deathbed but had declined the offer. However, the contest was centered on the two high-ranking male aliʻi , or chiefs: Lunalilo and Kalākaua. Lunalilo was more popular, partly because he was a higher-ranking chief than Kalākaua and was the immediate cousin of Kamehameha V. Lunalilo

4366-479: The Hawaiʻi business community were willing to cede Pearl Harbor to the United States in exchange for the treaty, but Kalākaua was opposed to the idea. A seven-year treaty was signed on January 30, 1875, without any Hawaiian land being ceded. San Francisco sugar refiner Claus Spreckels became a major investor in Hawaiʻi's sugar industry. Initially, he bought half of the first year's production; ultimately he became

4484-636: The House of Nobles, the upper body of the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi in 1858, serving there until 1873. He served as 3rd Chief Clerk of the Department of the Interior in 1859 under Prince Lot who was Minister of the Interior before becoming king in 1863. He held this position until 1863. On June 30, 1863, Kalākaua was appointed Postmaster General and served until his resignation on March 18, 1865. In 1865, he

4602-617: The Legislature. He is a quiet, dignified, sensible man, and would do no discredit to the kingly office. The King has power to appoint his successor. If he does such a thing, his choice will probably fall on Kalakaua. Kalākaua was briefly engaged to marry Princess Victoria Kamāmalu , the younger sister of Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V. However, the match was terminated when the princess decided to renew her on-and-off betrothal to her cousin Lunalilo. Kalākaua would later fall in love with Kapiʻolani ,

4720-474: The Leleiohoku Guard. In 1890, another military act further restricted the army to just the King's Royal Guards with a maximal recruitment of 36-100 men. The idea of Hawaiʻi's involvement in the internal affairs of Polynesian nations had been around at least two decades before Kalākaua's election, when Australian Charles St Julian volunteered to be a political liaison to Hawaiʻi in 1853. He accomplished nothing of any significance. Kalākaua's interest in forming

4838-604: The Navy. Dominis was appointed lieutenant general and commander-in-chief and other officers were commissioned while the king was made the supreme commander and generalissimo of the Hawaiian Army. Around this time, the government also bought and commissioned His Hawaiian Majesty's Ship (HHMS) Kaimiloa , the first and only vessel of the Hawaiian Royal Navy, under the command of Captain George E. Gresley Jackson. After 1887,

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4956-677: The Prince's Own, an artillery unit; and the Hawaiian Guards, an infantry unit. By the latter part of his reign, the army of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi consisted of six volunteer companies including the King's Own, the Queen's Own, the Prince's Own, the Leleiohoku Guard, the Mamalahoa Guard and the Honolulu Rifles , and the regular troops of the King's Household Guard. The ranks of these regiments were composed mainly of Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian officers with

5074-530: The Privy Council as the official birthday in its meeting of March 16, 1846. He was of the highest kapu lineage. Kauikeaouli was about 16 years younger than his brother Liholiho, who ruled as Kamehameha II starting in 1819. He was named Kauikeaouli (placed in the dark clouds) Kaleiopapa Kuakamanolani Mahinalani Kalaninuiwaiakua Keaweaweʻulaokalani (the red trail or the roadway by which the god descends from heaven) after his maternal grandfather Kīwalaʻō . He

5192-500: The Tahitian nieces of Ninito Sumner from the Salmon family. He would marry Mary Lonokahikini, the widow of Reverend Z. Poli, instead. In 1872, Kamehameha V died without naming an heir and his cousin Lunalilo was unanimously elected to the throne. The new king died in 1874 after a short reign, also without naming a successor, causing the legislators to convene and elect a new monarch again. From

5310-536: The US duty-free. He led the Reciprocity Commission consisting of sugar planter Henry A. P. Carter of C. Brewer & Co. , Hawaiʻi Chief Justice Elisha Hunt Allen , and Minister of Foreign Affairs William Lowthian Green . Kalākaua became the first reigning monarch to visit America . The state dinner in his honor hosted by President Ulysses S. Grant was the first White House state dinner ever held. Many in

5428-405: The United States through her marriage to wealthy American businessman Charles Reed Bishop who also served as one of Lunalilo's cabinet ministers. When Lunalilo became ill several months after his election, Native Hawaiians counseled with him to appoint a successor to avoid another election. However he may have personally felt about Emma, he never put it in writing. He failed to act on the issue of

5546-587: The Western ideas of rule of law and economics. Their first act was a declaration of human rights in 1839. In 1839, under a French threat of war, Roman Catholicism was legalized in the Edict of Toleration and the first statutory law code was established. Kamehameha III also enacted the Constitution of 1840 , Hawaii's first. This laid the groundwork for the establishment of judicial and executive branches of government, and

5664-539: The activities of Germany and Great Britain in Oceania , Gibson's Pacific Commercial Advertiser urged Hawaiʻi's involvement in protecting the island nations from international aggression. Gibson was appointed to Kalākaua's cabinet as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1882. In 1883, he introduced the approved legislation to convey in writing to foreign governments that Hawaiʻi fully supported the independence of Polynesian nations. The subsequent "Hawaiian protest" letter he drafted

5782-448: The backing of others who blamed him for not containing the disease (or had other political reasons to want him out of power). Judd was forced to resign on September 3 and was replaced by Elisha Hunt Allen as Minister of Finance. In 1851, Scottish-Australian entrepreneur and sailor Benjamin Boyd convinced King Kamehameha III to become regent of a Pacific empire ranging from Hawaii and

5900-610: The boys. After the Cookes retired and closed the school in 1850, Kalākaua briefly studied at Joseph Watt's English school for native children at Kawaiahaʻo and later joined the relocated day school (also called Royal School) run by Reverend Edward G. Beckwith. Illness prevented him from finishing his schooling and he was sent back to Lāhainā to live with his mother. Following his formal schooling, he studied law under Charles Coffin Harris in 1853. Kalākaua would appoint Harris as Chief Justice of

6018-529: The choir singing, and a prayer. A planned post-coronation reception by Kalākaua and Kapiʻolani was cancelled without advance notice. Today, Kalākaua's coronation pavilion serves as the bandstand for the Royal Hawaiian Band . Following the ceremony, Kalākaua unveiled the Kamehameha Statue in front of Aliiolani Hale , the government building, with Gibson delivering the unveiling speech. This statue

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6136-436: The coronation. By this point, Gibson's role in the kingdom's finances and his influence on Kalākaua were beginning to come under scrutiny: "Our versatile Premier ... is pulling another string in this puppet farce." At the same time, the newspaper rebuked many of the recent actions and policies not only of Gibson but of the King's cabinet in general. The coronation ceremony and related celebratory events were spread out over

6254-614: The date of his birth coincided with the signing of the unequal treaty imposed by British Captain Lord Edward Russell of the Actaeon on Kamehameha III . He and his siblings were hānai (informally adopted) to other family members in the Native Hawaiian tradition. Prior to birth, his parents had promised to give their child in hānai to Kuini Liliha , a high-ranking chiefess and the widow of High Chief Boki . However, after he

6372-466: The day. In the afternoon, the doors of the palace were opened to all the officials and organizations, and the public. In the evening, the palace was aglow with lanterns, candles and electric lighting throwing "a flood of radiance over the Palace and grounds". The evening ended with a Fireman's Parade and fireworks. Throughout the next two weeks, there was a regatta, a Jubilee ball, a luau, athletic competitions,

6490-588: The following day, in a ceremony witnessed by government officials, family members, foreign representatives and some spectators. This inauguration ceremony was held at Kīnaʻu Hale, the residence of the Royal Chamberlain, instead of Kawaiahaʻo Church , as was customary. The hastiness of the affair would prompt him to hold a coronation ceremony in 1883. Upon ascending to the throne, Kalākaua named his brother, William Pitt Leleiohoku, Leleiohoku II , as his heir-apparent. When Leleiohoku II died in 1877, Kalākaua changed

6608-419: The government as $ 22,500, although his personal correspondence indicates he exceeded that early on. 'Iolani Palace is the only royal palace on US soil. The first palace was a coral and wood structure which served primarily as office space for the kingdom's monarchs beginning with Kamehameha III in 1845. By the time Kalākaua became king, the structure had decayed, and he ordered it destroyed to be replaced with

6726-626: The government. President James A. Garfield in Washington, D.C., had been assassinated in their absence. On their return trip to the United States, Kalākaua paid a courtesy call on Garfield's successor President Chester A. Arthur . Before embarking on a train ride across the United States, Kalākaua visited Thomas Edison for a demonstration of electric lighting, discussing its potential use in Honolulu. They departed for Hawaiʻi from San Francisco on October 22, arriving in Honolulu on October 31. His homecoming celebration went on for days. He had brought

6844-487: The incidents of 1843 and subsequent litigation. Under Kamehameha III, Hawaii rapidly transitioned from indigenous traditions to a new legal system based on Anglo-American common law. Lorrin Andrews became a judge for foreign cases in 1845. William Little Lee (the first to actually graduate from law school) became the first chief justice. A commission to Quiet Land Titles was formed on February 10, 1846. This led to what

6962-489: The independence of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and that too became a national holiday, Lā Kūʻokoʻa — Independence Day. Through the 1840s a formal legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom and cabinet replaced the informal council of chiefs. The chiefs became the House of Nobles, roughly modeled on the British House of Lords . Seven elected representatives would be the start of a democratic government. The cabinet consisted of

7080-413: The infantry. In the army, Kalākaua served as first lieutenant in his father Kapaʻakea's militia of 240 men and later worked as military secretary to Major John William Elliott Maikai , the adjutant general of the army. He was promoted to major and assigned to the personal staff of Kamehameha IV when the king ascended to the throne in 1855. He was promoted to the rank of colonel in 1858. He became

7198-542: The institutions available in Hawaiʻi at that time. Between 1880 and 1887, Kalākaua selected 18 students for enrollment in a university or apprenticeship to a trade, outside the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. These students furthered their education in Italy, England, Scotland, China, Japan and California. During the life of the program, the legislature appropriated $ 100,000 to support it. When the Bayonet Constitution went into effect,

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7316-524: The king to consider annexation to the United States. Wyllie and Lee convinced the king to insist that annexation would only be acceptable if Hawaii became a U.S. state. In 1852 a group of missionaries set out from Hawaii for the islands of Micronesia. They carried with them a letter of introduction that bore the official seal of King Kamehameha III, the then-ruling monarch of the Hawaiian Islands. This letter, originally written in Hawaiian and addressed to

7434-426: The kingdom was restored on July 31. It was at the end of this period of uncertainty that the king uttered the phrase Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono , "the sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness". July 31 was celebrated thereafter as Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea , Sovereignty Restoration Day, an official national holiday of the kingdom. Later that year, on November 28, Britain and France officially recognized

7552-403: The kingdom. On July 21, 1886, ʻIolani Palace led the way with the first electric lights in the kingdom, showcasing the technology. The monarch invited the public to attend a lighting ceremony on the palace grounds, attracting 5,000 spectators. The Royal Hawaiian Band entertained, refreshments were served, and the king paraded his troops around the grounds. The total cost of building and furnishing

7670-412: The last chain of oppression. He gave them a voice in his councils and in the making of the laws by which they are governed. He was a great national benefactor, and has left the impress of his mild and amiable disposition on the age for which he was born. On July 31, 2018, a 12-foot bronze statue of Kamehameha III and a flagpole flying the Hawaiian flag was unveiled at Thomas Square in a ceremony honoring

7788-470: The legislature passed a currency law that allowed it to purchase bullion for the United States mint to produce Hawaiʻi's own coins. The design would have the King's image on the obverse side, with Hawaiʻi's coat of arms and motto " Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono " on the reverse. In a deal with Claus Spreckels, he sponsored the minting by purchasing the required silver. In return, he was guaranteed an equal amount of six percent gold bonds, thereby giving him

7906-409: The long trips around Cape Horn or from Europe meant infected sailors were either recovered or buried at sea by the time they arrived. The short voyage from California brought several waves of diseases that decimated the native Hawaiians who had no immunity. In the summer of 1853, an epidemic of smallpox caused thousands of deaths, mostly on the island of Oʻahu. Judd, always at odds with Wyllie, lost

8024-467: The military commissions creating Dominis and his staff officers were recalled for economic reasons and the Military Act of 1886 was later declared unconstitutional. The Military Act of 1888 was passed reducing the size of the army to the King's Guards, a permanent force with a cap of 65 members, and five volunteer companies: the Honolulu Rifles, the King's Own, the Queen's Own, the Prince's Own, and

8142-536: The name of his sister Lydia Dominis to Liliuokalani and designated her as his heir-apparent. From March to May 1874, he toured the main Hawaiian Islands of Kauai, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokai and Oahu and visited the Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement . Within a year of Kalākaua's election, he helped negotiate the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 . This free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaiʻi, allowed sugar and other products to be exported to

8260-404: The native opposition against Kalākaua. Kūnuiākea was elected to the House of Representative , representing the district of Honolulu on Oahu in 1880. On January 17, 1893, the monarchy was overthrown and Queen Liliʻuokalani was deposed by the Committee of Safety with the covert support of United States Minister John L. Stevens and the landing of American forces from the USS Boston . After

8378-400: The new palace was $ 343,595. Kalākaua and Kapiʻolani had been denied a coronation ceremony in 1874 because of the civil unrest following the election. Under Finance Chairman Gibson, the 1880 legislature appropriated $ 10,000 for a coronation. Gibson was believed to be the main proponent behind the event. On October 10, 1882, the Saturday Press indicated that not all the public was in favor of

8496-446: The new palace, Kalākaua had seen how other monarchs lived. He wanted ʻIolani to measure up to the standards of the rest of the world. The furnishing and interiors of the finished palace were reflective of that. Immediately upon completion, the king invited all 120 members of Lodge Le Progres de L'Oceanie to the palace for a lodge meeting. Kalākaua had also seen during his visit to Edison's studio how effective electric lighting could be for

8614-403: The official mourning period for King Kamehameha IV. The marriage remained childless. King Kamehameha V, died on December 12, 1872, without naming a successor to the throne. Under the 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi , if the king did not appoint a successor, a new king would be appointed by the legislature to begin a new royal line of succession. There were several candidates for

8732-449: The original statue was salvaged and restored. It was sent to Kohala, Hawaiʻi , Kamehameha's birthplace, where it was unveiled by the king on May 8. The legislature had allocated $ 10,000 for the first statue and insured it for $ 12,000. A further $ 7,000 was allocated for the second statue with an additional $ 4,000 from the insurance money spent to add four bas relief panels depicting historic moments during Kamehamena's reign. That evening,

8850-549: The other twin Albert Kūnuiākea survived and was later adopted by Kamehameha and his wife Queen Kalama. Kūnuiākea lived to adulthood but died childless (1851–1902). Kamehameha III led the development of Hawaii's first formal written laws. In 1838, senior advisor Hoapili convinced former missionary William Richards to resign from the church and become a political advisor. Richards (although he had no legal training himself) gave classes to Kamehameha III and his councilors on

8968-409: The palace onto the event grounds. The coronation was preceded by a choir singing and the formal recitation of the King's official titles. The news coverage noted, "The King looked ill at ease." Chief Justice of Hawaiʻi's Supreme Court Albert Francis Judd officiated and delivered the oath of office to the king. The crown was then handed to Kalākaua, and he placed it upon his head. The ceremony ended with

9086-408: The plantations' major shareholder. Spreckels became one of Kalākaua's close associates. When it expired, an extension of the treaty was negotiated, giving exclusive use of Pearl Harbor to the United States. Ratifications by both parties took two years and eleven months, and were exchanged on December 9, 1887, extending the agreement for an additional seven years. Over the term of Kalākaua's reign,

9204-411: The pool of eligible aliʻi's, only three candidates were considered seriously – Bernice Pauahi Bishop (who did not actively seek the throne), David Kalākaua , and Queen Emma. Kalākaua won the legislative election, and Emma's defeated supporters instigated the Honolulu Courthouse riot immediately after. In order to quell the civil disruption, American and British troops were landed with the permission of

9322-421: The reign of Kamehameha V. He met the young Kalākaua and other members of the legislature and noted: Hon. David Kalakaua, who at present holds the office of King's Chamberlain, is a man of fine presence, is an educated gentleman and a man of good abilities. He is approaching forty, I should judge—is thirty-five, at any rate. He is conservative, politic and calculating, makes little display, and does not talk much in

9440-445: The royal children John Papa ʻĪʻī to bring Kaliokalani and Kalākaua to see Kamanawa for the last time. It is not known if their sister was also taken to see him. Later sources, especially in biographies of Kalākaua indicated that the boys witnessed the public hanging of their grandfather at the gallows. Historian Helena G. Allen noted the indifference the Cookes' had toward the request and the traumatic experience it must have been for

9558-404: The royal couple hosted a state dinner, and there was a luau at a later day. The hula was performed nightly on the palace grounds. Regattas , horse races and a number of events filled the celebration period. Due to weather conditions, the planned illumination of the palace and grounds for the day of the coronation happened a week later, and the public was invited to attend. Fireworks displays lit up

9676-569: The sailors who suffered from altitude sickness on their ascent of Mauna Loa . Wilkes vastly underestimated the task and did not leave until March 1841. In February 1843, British Captain Lord George Paulet pressured Kamehameha III into surrendering the Hawaiian kingdom to the British crown, but Kamehameha III alerted London of the captain's rogue actions which eventually restored the kingdom's independence. Less than five months later, British Admiral Richard Thomas rejected Paulet's actions and

9794-528: The same person as Kīwalaʻō. When this brother died as an infant, Kūnuiākea was hānai (adopted) to the royal couple and raised at the Royal Palace . Kamehameha III died in 1854 and was succeeded by his nephew and adopted heir Alexander Liholiho as Kamehameha IV . Kūnuiākea was not eligible for the throne since the Hawaiian constitution only permitted succession through legitimate lines. Later, non-contemporary sources claimed Kamehameha III wanted Kūnuiākea in

9912-470: The signing of both the 1840 Constitution , which was the first Hawaiian Language Constitution, and the 1852 Constitution . He was the longest reigning monarch in the history of the Kingdom, ruling for 29 years and 192 days, although in the early part of his reign he was under a regency by Queen Kaʻahumanu and later by Kaʻahumanu II . His goal was the careful balancing of modernization by adopting Western ways while keeping his nation intact. Kauikeaouli

10030-424: The sky at the palace and at Punchbowl Crater . A grand ball was held the evening of February 20. Although exact figures are unknown, historian Kuykendall stated that the final cost of the coronation exceeded $ 50,000. The Kalākaua coinage was minted to boost Hawaiian pride. At this time, United States gold coins had been accepted for any debt over $ 50; any debt under $ 50 was payable by US silver coins. In 1880,

10148-408: The small island nation to the attention of world leaders, but the trip had sparked rumors that the kingdom was for sale. In Hawaiʻi there were critics who believed the labor negotiations were just his excuse to see the world. Eventually, his efforts bore fruit in increased contract labor for Hawaiʻi. Thomas Thrum's Hawaiian Almanac and Annual for 1883 reported Kalākaua's tour expense appropriated by

10266-402: The south at 19°33′31″N 155°57′41″W  /  19.55861°N 155.96139°W  / 19.55861; -155.96139  ( Kaleiopapa Street ) . His successor described his reign: The age of Kamehameha III was that of progress and of liberty—of schools and of civilization. He gave us a Constitution and fixed laws; he secured the people in the title to their lands, and removed

10384-1158: The students were recalled to Hawaiʻi. King Kalākaua and his boyhood friends William Nevins Armstrong and Charles Hastings Judd , along with personal cook Robert von Oelhoffen, circumnavigated the globe in 1881. The purpose of the 281-day trip was to encourage the importation of contract labor for plantations. Kalākaua set a world record as the first monarch to travel around the world. He appointed his sister and heir-apparent Liliuokalani to act as Regent during his absence. Setting sail on January 20, they visited California before sailing to Asia. There they spent four months opening contract labor dialogue in Japan and China, while sightseeing and spreading goodwill through nations that were potential sources for workers. They continued through Southeast Asia , and then headed for Europe in June, where they stayed until mid-September. Their most productive immigration talks were in Portugal , where Armstrong stayed behind to negotiate an expansion of Hawaiʻi's existing treaty with

10502-479: The succession. According to an 1883 publication of the Hawaiian newspaper Ka Nupepa Kuokoa , Kamehameha III wanted to make Kūnuiākea his second heir after Alexander Liholiho. However, Kūnuiākea's maternal uncle Keoni Ana , who was the Kuhina Nui (premier or co-ruler), opposed this plan and insisted that Alexander Liholiho be followed by Lot Kapuāiwa. Keoni Ana's opposition stopped Kamehameha III's plan. In 1862, he

10620-539: The throne in 1825, the native population numbered about 150,000, which was already less than one-third of the Hawaiian population at the time of Captain Cook 's arrival to Hawaii in 1778. During his reign, that number would be halved again, due to a series of epidemics. In ancient Hawaii , the upper classes considered a marriage with a close royal family member to be an excellent way to preserve pure bloodlines. His brother Liholiho (King Kamehameha II) and his Queen Kamāmalu were

10738-414: The throne of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. His classmates included his siblings James Kaliokalani and Lydia Kamakaʻeha and their thirteen royal cousins including the future kings Kamehameha IV , Kamehameha V and Lunalilo . They were taught by American missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and his wife, Juliette Montague Cooke. At the school, Kalākaua became fluent in English and the Hawaiian language and

10856-454: The throne, he would submit to an election for the good of the kingdom. On January 1, 1873, a popular election was held for the office of King of Hawaiʻi. Lunalilo won with an overwhelming majority while Kalākaua performed extremely poorly receiving 12 votes out of the more than 11,000 votes cast. The next day, the legislature confirmed the popular vote and elected Lunalilo unanimously. Kalākaua conceded. Following Lunalilo's ascension, Kalākaua

10974-416: The time. Queen Dowager Emma , the widow of Kamehameha IV, was considered to be Lunalilo's favorite choice as his presumptive heir. On the other hand, Kalākaua and his political cohorts actively campaigned for him to be named successor in the event of the king's death. Among the other candidates considered viable as Lunalilo's successor was the previously mentioned Bernice Pauahi Bishop. She had strong ties to

11092-472: The treaty had a major effect on the kingdom's income. In 1874, Hawaiʻi exported $ 1,839,620.27 in products. The value of exported products in 1890, the last full year of his reign, was $ 13,282,729.48, an increase of 722%. The export of sugar during that period grew from 24,566,611 pounds to 330,822,879 pounds. The Education of Hawaiian Youths Abroad was a government-funded educational program during Kalākaua's reign to help students further their education beyond

11210-668: The various rulers of the Pacific Islands, said in part: "There are about to sail for your islands some teachers of the Highest God, Jehovah, to make known unto you His Word for your eternal salvation. . . . I commend these good teachers to your esteem and friendship and exhort you to listen to their instructions. . . . I advise you to throw away your idols, take the Lord Jehovah for your God, worship and love Him and He will bless and save you." On May 16, 1854, King Kamehameha III proclaimed

11328-528: The week of November 15. Gifts for the king began arriving on November 15. At midnight, the jubilee officially began with fireworks at the Punchbowl Crater. At sunrise, the kingdom's police force arrived at ʻIolani Palace to pay tribute, followed by the king's Cabinet, Supreme Court justices, the kingdom's diplomats, and officials of government departments. School student bodies and civic organizations also paid tribute. The Royal Hawaiian Band played throughout

11446-484: The wishes of Kīnaʻu. Kalama's father was Naihekukui . After his sister's death in late 1836, he married Kalama on February 14, 1837, in a Christian ceremony. Kamehameha III and Kalama had two children: Prince Keaweaweʻulaokalani I and Prince Keaweaweʻulaokalani II who both died while infants. He and his mistress Jane Lahilahi , a daughter of his father's advisor John Young , had twin illegitimate sons: Kīwalaʻō, who Kamehameha initially took to raise, died young, while

11564-514: The yacht Emma Rooke , on August 29, arriving on September 18 in Victoria, British Columbia , where they were received by the local dignitaries of the city. In California, the party visited San Francisco , Sacramento , Folsom and other local areas where they were honorably received. In 1856, Kalākaua was appointed a member of the Privy Council of State by Kamehameha IV. He was also appointed to

11682-425: The young widow of Bennett Nāmākēhā , the uncle of Kamehameha IV's wife Queen Emma . A descendant of King Kaumualiʻi of Kauai , Kapiʻolani was Queen Emma's lady-in-waiting and Prince Albert Edward Kamehameha 's nurse and caretaker. They married on December 19, 1863, in a quiet ceremony conducted by a minister of the Anglican Church of Hawaiʻi . The timing of the wedding was heavily criticized since it fell during

11800-405: Was "one of the largest seen in Honolulu for some years". A copper time capsule containing photographs, documents, currency, and the Hawaiian census was sealed inside the cornerstone. After speeches had been made, the freemasons presented the king with "the working tools of a mason", a plumb bob , level , square tool, and a trowel . In between the laying of the cornerstone and the finishing of

11918-605: Was a chief of lesser rank; he took Kalākaua to live in Lāhainā on the island of Maui . Kinimaka would later marry Pai, a subordinate Tahitian chiefess, who treated Kalākaua as her own until the birth of her own son. At the age of four, Kalākaua returned to Oʻahu to begin his education at the Chiefs' Children's School (later renamed the Royal School). He and his classmates had been formally proclaimed by Kamehameha III as eligible for

12036-513: Was a second replica. Originally intended for the centennial of Captain James Cook 's landing in Hawaiʻi, the statue, which was the brainchild of Gibson, had been cast by Thomas Ridgeway Gould but had been lost during shipment off the Falkland Islands . By the time the replica arrived, the intended date had passed, and it was decided to unveil the statue as part of the coronation ceremony. Later,

12154-400: Was also the more liberal of the two—he promised to amend the constitution to give the people a greater voice in the government. According to historian Ralph S. Kuykendall , there was an enthusiasm among Lunalilo's supporters to have him declared king without holding an election. In response, Lunalilo issued a proclamation stating that, even though he believed himself to be the rightful heir to

12272-536: Was appointed as colonel on the military staff of the king. He kept politically active during Lunalilo's reign, including leadership involvement with a political organization known as the Young Hawaiians; the group's motto was "Hawaiʻi for the Hawaiians". He had gained political capital with his staunch opposition to ceding any part of the Hawaiian islands to foreign interests. During the ʻIolani Barracks mutiny by

12390-626: Was appointed the King's Chamberlain and served until 1869 when he resigned to finish his law studies. In 1870, he was admitted to the Hawaiian bar and was hired as a clerk in the Land Office, a post he held until he came to the throne. He was decorated a Knight Companion of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I in 1867. American writer Mark Twain , working as a traveling reporter for the Sacramento Daily Union , visited Hawaiʻi in 1866 during

12508-625: Was baptized Albert Fredrick Kunuiakea Oiwiaulani Koenaokalani into the newly established Anglican Church of Hawaii founded by his cousin Queen Emma and her husband Kamehameha IV . Kūnuiākea was betrothed to Miriam Likelike , the younger sister of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani . However, she married Scottish businessman Archibald Scott Cleghorn and became the mother Princess Kaʻiulani . In 1876, his cousin Queen Emma considered other possible royal brides for him including Elizabeth Keomailani Crowningburg, Theresa Owana Laʻanui , and possibly

12626-510: Was born at Keauhou Bay , on Hawaiʻi island , the largest island of the Hawaiian Islands archipelago. He was the second son of King Kamehameha I and his highest ranking wife, Queen Keōpūolani , born in Maui. Early historians suggested June or July 1814, but one accepted date is August 11, 1813. Biographer P. Christiaan Klieger cites 17 March 1814 as his birthday, which is the date declared by

12744-471: Was born at 2:00 a.m. on November 16, 1836, to Caesar Kaluaiku Kapaʻakea and Analea Keohokālole in the grass hut compound belonging to his maternal grandfather ʻAikanaka , at the base of Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu . Of the aliʻi class of Hawaiian nobility, his family was considered collateral relations of the reigning House of Kamehameha , sharing common descent from

12862-407: Was born, High Chiefess Haʻaheo Kaniu took the baby to Honuakaha, the residence of the king. Kuhina Nui (regent) Elizabeth Kīnaʻu , who disliked Liliha, deliberated and decreed his parents to give him to Haʻaheo and her husband Keaweamahi Kinimaka. When Haʻaheo died in 1843 she bequeathed all her properties to him. After Haʻaheo's death, his guardianship was entrusted to his hānai father, who

12980-449: Was brought back to his maternal family to be reared. The Hawaiian custom of hānai is an informal form of adoption between extended families practiced by Hawaiian royals and commoners alike. Other genealogy of the Young family name a son by Lahilahi and Kaʻeo called Alebada Keliʻimaikaʻi. He was adopted by their maternal uncle James Kānehoa and died on October 13, 1851. This may or may not be

13098-475: Was laid to rest at the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla . His remains were moved along with political advisor Robert Crichton Wyllie and other members of Queen Emma's family to the newly-built Wyllie Tomb in June 1904. [REDACTED] Media related to Albert Kūnuiākea at Wikimedia Commons Kamehameha III Under his reign, Hawaii evolved from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy with

13216-521: Was not the end of foreign conflicts either. In 1849, Admiral Louis Tromelin led a French invasion of Honolulu . The French sacked and looted the city after the king refused his demands. In September 1849, Judd was sent with the heir apparent Prince Alexander Liholiho and Kamehameha V on a diplomatic mission. They returned with a new treaty with the United States but failed in visits to London and Paris. The Constitution of 1852 and subsequent legislation continued to liberalize politics. The court system

13334-403: Was noted for his fun and humor rather than his academic prowess. The strong-willed boy defended his less robust elder brother Kaliokalani from the older boys at the school. In October 1840, their paternal grandfather Kamanawa II requested his grandsons to visit him on the night before his execution for the murder of his wife Kamokuiki . The next morning the Cookes allowed the guardian of

13452-418: Was promised to Kuakini in adoption , but as at birth he appeared to be delivered stillborn, Kuakini did not wish to take him. But Chief Kaikioʻewa summoned his kaula (prophet) Kapihe who declared the baby would live. Kauikeaouli was cleansed, laid on a rock, fanned, prayed over and sprinkled with water until he breathed, moved and cried. The prayer of Kapihe was to Kaʻōnohiokalā , "Child of God". The rock

13570-423: Was styled as King Kamehameha IV . In 1865, Kamehameha III was reburied in the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii known as Mauna ʻAla. The access to his birthplace at Keauhou Bay is via Kamehameha III Road from the north from Hawaii Belt Road , at 19°34′7″N 155°57′41″W  /  19.56861°N 155.96139°W  / 19.56861; -155.96139  ( Kamehameha III Road ) and Kaleiopapa Street from

13688-475: Was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi , reigning from February 12, 1874, until his death in 1891. Succeeding Lunalilo , he was elected to the vacant throne of Hawaiʻi against Queen Emma . Kalākaua was known as the Merrie Monarch for his convivial personality – he enjoyed entertaining guests with his singing and ukulele playing. At his coronation and his birthday jubilee,

13806-401: Was unified, instead of having separate courts for Hawaiians and foreigners. Local Hawaiian magistrates became Circuit Judges, and a Supreme Court was formed with Lee, Andrews, and John Papa ʻĪʻī as members. Voting rules were formalized and the role of the House of Representatives was strengthened. The California Gold Rush brought increased trade, but also some unwelcome visitors. Previously

13924-403: Was without an army since the mutiny the year before and many police officers sent to quell the riot joined the mob or did nothing. Unable to control the mob, Kalākaua and Lunalilo's former ministers had to request the aid of American and British military forces docked in the harbor to put down the uprising. Given the unfavorable political climate following the riot, Kalākaua was quickly sworn in

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