Kamehameha V
Encyclopedia
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Kamehameha V born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch
of the Kingdom of Hawaii
from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief. His full Hawaiian name prior to his succession was Lota Liholiho Kapuāiwa Kalanimakua Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Aliiolani Kalani-a-Kekūanaōa.
and father was Mataio Kekūanāoa. His siblings included David Kamehameha
, Moses Kekūāiwa
, Alexander Liholiho, and Victoria Kamāmalu. Kapu āiwa means mysterious kapu
or sacred one protected by supernatural powers. He was adopted using the ancient Hawaiian tradition called hānai by Princess Nāhienaena
, but she died in 1836. He was then adopted by his grandmother Queen Kalākua Kaheiheimālie and step-grandfather High Chief Ulumāheihei Hoapili
. His childhood was pretty rough. He felt that his hānai parents treated him as a stranger in their house and he felt the adoption had deprived him the love of his mother. Throughout his life he would have a deep dislike for this tradition as it could be later seen by his anger at his half-sister Ruth Keelikolani giving away her second son Keolaokalani to Bernice Pauahi Bishop
.
It was planned that he would be Hoapili's heir as Governor of Maui, although this never happen. Since King Kamehameha III
declared him eligible for the throne, he was educated at the Royal School like his cousins and siblings. He was betrothed to Bernice Pauahi at birth but she eventually married Charles R. Bishop. Lot and Bernice remained friends for the rest of his life.
. He was Minister of the Interior from 1857 to 1863, chief justice of the supreme court from 1857 to 1858, and held other offices.
His more charismatic younger brother Prince Alexander was chosen to become King Kamehameha IV in 1854.
.
In May 1864 he called for a constitutional convention. On July 7, 1864 he proposed a new constitution rather than amending the old one. The convention ran smoothly until the 62nd article. It limited voters to being residents who passed a literacy test and possessed property or had income qualifications. On August 20, 1864, he signed the 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
and took an oath to protect it. The constitution was based on the original draft but 20 articles were deleted. When he appointed Charles de Varigny
as minister of finance in December 1863, Americans in Hawaii were convinced that he had adopted an anti-American policy. In reality, his foreign policy remained the same. Later de Varigny became minister of foreign affairs from 1865–1869.
He was the first king to encourage revival of traditional practices. Under his reign, the laws against "kahunaism" were repealed. A Hawaiian Board of Medicine was established, with kahuna members, and la'au lapa'au or Hawaiian medicine was again practiced. He brought kahuna practitioners to Honolulu to document their remedies.
.
came in March 1866 aboard the Ajax. He stayed for four months under his real name, Samuel Clemens, writing letters back to the Sacramento Union
describing the islands. Twain described the king:
Queen Victoria sent her second son Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
on a state visit in 1869. With these people were envoys, politicians and merchants, creating the need for hotels. The Hawaiian Hotel was proposed in 1865 but not laid down until 1871. The Hotel is located on the corner of Hotel Street and Richards Street and was formally opened by a ball on February 29, 1872. The hotel changed names to Royal Hawaiian Hotel
. During World War I
, it was converted into the present Armed Forces YMCA
. He appealed to Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, who sent Henri Berger
to organize the Royal Hawaiian Band
, a gift of music from the king to his people.
had been planned under Kamehameha IV, but construction started in 1867.
Besides these private buildings, Kamehameha V also initiated ambitious public projects. He wanted to create a credible and pleasing face for the government for those who visited.
The Kamehameha V Post Office
was begun in 1871.
The cornerstone of the Aliiōlani Hale
was laid in 1872 and the building completed in 1874. The original purpose was to replace the contemporary Iolani Palace built by Kamehameha III. Its purpose was dropped in favor of a more useful one. Currently, it is the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court
. Some other building projects included the Iolani barracks to house the royal guards, a new prison, the Royal Mausoleum, schools and warehouses, an insane asylum, a quarantine building to process the flood of immigrants, and other government structures. Because of so many new projects, there was heavy strain on Hawaii's resources and by March 31, 1874, Hawaii's national debt stood at over $355,000.
to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria Kamāmalu
had died childless in 1866 and through the remainder of his reign, Kamehameha V did not name a successor. He died on December 11, 1872 while the preparations for his birthday celebration were underway. As Lot lay bedstricken, he answered those that came to visit him: "The Good Lord cannot take me today, today is my birthday". He was buried in the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
known as Mauna Ala.
He was the last ruling monarch of the House of Kamehameha
. According to his Constitution of 1864, Article 24: "The Crown is hereby permanently confirmed to His Majesty Kamehameha V, and to the Heirs of His Body Lawfully Begotten, and to their Lawful Descendents in a Direct Line..." The legislature chose to use a later part of that same article to select a new king. The legislature declared an election for the office, won by Kamehameha V's cousin William Charles Lunalilo.
society on April 11, 1865 named to honor his grandfather.
The Prince Lot Hula Festival is named for him. It was held the third Saturday in July since 1977 at his former home called Moanalua Gardens
.
Since some female students of the Royal School such as Abigail Maheha
were expelled with hastily arranged marriages, due to scandalous pregnancies, some speculate that the 16-year-old Kamehameha V or any of the other sexually matured male students at the school might have had a child, including his brothers, Moses Kekūāiwa
(aged 18) and Alexander Liholiho (aged 12.5), and Lunalilo
(aged 12), if the last two had a really early puberty. Thus he might have some descendants alive today.
Kamehameha V born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief. His full Hawaiian name prior to his succession was Lota Liholiho Kapuāiwa Kalanimakua Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Aliiolani Kalani-a-Kekūanaōa.
Early life
He was born and given the name Lot Kapuāiwa December 11, 1830. His mother was Elizabeth KīnauKaahumanu II
Princess Kalani Ahumanu i Kaliko o Iwi Kauhipua o Kīnau, also known as Elizabeth Kīnau was Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Hawaii as Kaahumanu II, Queen regent and Dowager Queen.-Life:...
and father was Mataio Kekūanāoa. His siblings included David Kamehameha
David Kamehameha
David Kamehameha was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Biography:Born May 20th, 1828, he was the firstborn and eldest son of Mataio Kekūanāoʻa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of King Kamehameha I through his mother and was named in his grandfather's honor and after the...
, Moses Kekūāiwa
Moses Kekuaiwa
Moses Kekūāiwa Keawenui was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.He was the second son of Mataio Kekūanāoa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of Kamehameha I through his mother who was known as Kaahumanu II when she was regent...
, Alexander Liholiho, and Victoria Kamāmalu. Kapu āiwa means mysterious kapu
Kapu
Kapu refers to the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations. The kapu system was universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics, religion, etc. An offense that was kapu was often a corporal offense, but also often denoted a threat to spiritual power, or theft of mana. Kapus were...
or sacred one protected by supernatural powers. He was adopted using the ancient Hawaiian tradition called hānai by Princess Nāhienaena
Nahienaena
Harriet or Harrieta Keōpūolani Nāhienaena was a high ranking princess during the founding of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the conversion of its royalty to Christianity.-Life:...
, but she died in 1836. He was then adopted by his grandmother Queen Kalākua Kaheiheimālie and step-grandfather High Chief Ulumāheihei Hoapili
Hoapili
Ulumāheihei Hoapili was a member of the nobility during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a trusted military and political advisor to King Kamehameha I, known as "Kamehameha the Great"...
. His childhood was pretty rough. He felt that his hānai parents treated him as a stranger in their house and he felt the adoption had deprived him the love of his mother. Throughout his life he would have a deep dislike for this tradition as it could be later seen by his anger at his half-sister Ruth Keelikolani giving away her second son Keolaokalani to Bernice Pauahi Bishop
Bernice Pauahi Bishop
Bernice Pauahi Bishop , born Bernice Pauahi Pākī, was a Hawaiian princess, philanthropist, alii, and direct descendant of the royal House of Kamehameha. She was the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I and last surviving heir...
.
It was planned that he would be Hoapili's heir as Governor of Maui, although this never happen. Since King Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
declared him eligible for the throne, he was educated at the Royal School like his cousins and siblings. He was betrothed to Bernice Pauahi at birth but she eventually married Charles R. Bishop. Lot and Bernice remained friends for the rest of his life.
Career
From 1852 to 1855 he served on the Privy Council, and from 1852 to 1862 in the House of NoblesLegislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
The Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom was the bicameral legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. A royal legislature was first provided by the 1840 Constitution and the 1852 Constitution was the first to use the term "Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom", and the first to subject the monarch to...
. He was Minister of the Interior from 1857 to 1863, chief justice of the supreme court from 1857 to 1858, and held other offices.
His more charismatic younger brother Prince Alexander was chosen to become King Kamehameha IV in 1854.
A new constitution and new laws
He came to power on November 30, 1863, but refused to uphold the previous constitution of 18521852 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1852 served as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1852 through 1864. It was passed during the reign of King Kamehameha III...
.
In May 1864 he called for a constitutional convention. On July 7, 1864 he proposed a new constitution rather than amending the old one. The convention ran smoothly until the 62nd article. It limited voters to being residents who passed a literacy test and possessed property or had income qualifications. On August 20, 1864, he signed the 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1864 of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a rewrite of the 1852 constitution issued by King Kamehameha III. It dramatically changed the way Hawaii's government worked by increasing the power of the king and changing the way the kingdom's legislature worked...
and took an oath to protect it. The constitution was based on the original draft but 20 articles were deleted. When he appointed Charles de Varigny
Charles de Varigny
Charles Victor Crosnier de Varigny was a French adventurer, diplomat, and writer.He was born November 25, 1829 in Versailles.He was educated at Lycée Bourbon. He came with his father to the California Gold Rush...
as minister of finance in December 1863, Americans in Hawaii were convinced that he had adopted an anti-American policy. In reality, his foreign policy remained the same. Later de Varigny became minister of foreign affairs from 1865–1869.
He was the first king to encourage revival of traditional practices. Under his reign, the laws against "kahunaism" were repealed. A Hawaiian Board of Medicine was established, with kahuna members, and la'au lapa'au or Hawaiian medicine was again practiced. He brought kahuna practitioners to Honolulu to document their remedies.
Alcohol
In 1865 a bill was brought before the legislature permitting the sale of liquor to the native Hawaiians. Kamehameha V surprised the supporters of the bill, saying "I will never sign the death warrant of my people." Alcoholism was one of the many causes of the already declining population of the native HawaiiansNative Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
.
Growth in travel to Hawaii
Growth in travel to the islands increased during Kamehameha's reign. Mark TwainMark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
came in March 1866 aboard the Ajax. He stayed for four months under his real name, Samuel Clemens, writing letters back to the Sacramento Union
Sacramento Union
The Sacramento Union was a daily newspaper founded in 1851 in Sacramento, California. It was the oldest daily newspaper west of the Mississippi River before it closed its doors after 143 years in January 1994, no longer able to compete with The Sacramento Bee, which was founded in 1857, just six...
describing the islands. Twain described the king:
" He was a wise sovereign; he had seen something of the world; he was educated & accomplished, & he tried hard to do well by his people, & succeeded. There was no trivial royal nonsense about him; He dressed plainly, poked about Honolulu, night or day, on his old horse, unattended; he was popular, greatly respected, and even beloved."
Queen Victoria sent her second son Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
on a state visit in 1869. With these people were envoys, politicians and merchants, creating the need for hotels. The Hawaiian Hotel was proposed in 1865 but not laid down until 1871. The Hotel is located on the corner of Hotel Street and Richards Street and was formally opened by a ball on February 29, 1872. The hotel changed names to Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Royal Hawaiian Hotel, also known as the Pink Palace of the Pacific, is a hotel located at 2259 Kalākaua Avenue in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. One of the first hotels established in Waikiki, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is considered one of the flagship hotels in Hawaii tourism...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, it was converted into the present Armed Forces YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. He appealed to Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, who sent Henri Berger
Henri Berger
Henry or Henri Berger was a Prussian Kapellmeister composer and royal bandmaster of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1872 to his death....
to organize the Royal Hawaiian Band
Royal Hawaiian Band
The Royal Hawaiian Band is the oldest and only full-time municipal band in the United States. At present a body of the City & County of Honolulu, the Royal Hawaiian Band has been entertaining Honolulu residents and visitors since its inception in 1836 by Kamehameha III...
, a gift of music from the king to his people.
Building projects under Kamehameha V's reign
St. Andrew's CathedralCathedral Church of Saint Andrew, Honolulu
The Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, also commonly known as St. Andrew's Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church in the United States located in the State of Hawaii...
had been planned under Kamehameha IV, but construction started in 1867.
Besides these private buildings, Kamehameha V also initiated ambitious public projects. He wanted to create a credible and pleasing face for the government for those who visited.
The Kamehameha V Post Office
Kamehameha V Post Office
Kamehameha V Post Office at the corner of Merchant and Bethel Streets in Honolulu, Hawaii was the first building in the Hawaiian Islands to be constructed entirely of precast concrete blocks reinforced with iron bars. It was built by J.G. Osborne in 1871 and the success of this new method was...
was begun in 1871.
The cornerstone of the Aliiōlani Hale
Aliiolani Hale
Aliiōlani Hale is a building located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, currently used as the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. It is the former seat of government of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii....
was laid in 1872 and the building completed in 1874. The original purpose was to replace the contemporary Iolani Palace built by Kamehameha III. Its purpose was dropped in favor of a more useful one. Currently, it is the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court
Hawaii State Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Hawaii is the highest court of the State of Hawaii in the United States. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the Hawaii State Judiciary. The principal purpose of the Supreme Court is to review the decisions of the trial courts in which appeals have been granted...
. Some other building projects included the Iolani barracks to house the royal guards, a new prison, the Royal Mausoleum, schools and warehouses, an insane asylum, a quarantine building to process the flood of immigrants, and other government structures. Because of so many new projects, there was heavy strain on Hawaii's resources and by March 31, 1874, Hawaii's national debt stood at over $355,000.
Choosing an heir to the Hawaiian throne
His sister and only named Heir ApparentHeir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria Kamāmalu
Kaahumanu IV
Victoria Kamāmalu Kaahumanu IV , was Kuhina Nui of Hawaii and its crown princess. Princess Kamāmalu is one of Hawaii's less notable historical figures...
had died childless in 1866 and through the remainder of his reign, Kamehameha V did not name a successor. He died on December 11, 1872 while the preparations for his birthday celebration were underway. As Lot lay bedstricken, he answered those that came to visit him: "The Good Lord cannot take me today, today is my birthday". He was buried in the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
The Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii, known as Mauna Ala in the Hawaiian language, is the final resting place of Hawaii's two prominent royal families: the Kamehameha Dynasty and the Kalākaua Dynasty.-Description:...
known as Mauna Ala.
He was the last ruling monarch of the House of Kamehameha
House of Kamehameha
The House of Kamehameha , or the Kamehameha Dynasty, was the reigning family of the Kingdom of Hawaii between the unification of the islands by Kamehameha I in 1810 and the death of Kamehameha V in 1872...
. According to his Constitution of 1864, Article 24: "The Crown is hereby permanently confirmed to His Majesty Kamehameha V, and to the Heirs of His Body Lawfully Begotten, and to their Lawful Descendents in a Direct Line..." The legislature chose to use a later part of that same article to select a new king. The legislature declared an election for the office, won by Kamehameha V's cousin William Charles Lunalilo.
Legacy
He founded the Royal Order of Kamehameha IRoyal Order of Kamehameha I
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I was a society established in 1865 by King Kamehameha V in defense of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-History:...
society on April 11, 1865 named to honor his grandfather.
The Prince Lot Hula Festival is named for him. It was held the third Saturday in July since 1977 at his former home called Moanalua Gardens
Moanalua Gardens
Moanalua Gardens is a privately owned public park in Honolulu, Hawaii. The park is the site of Kamehameha V Cottage which used to be the home of Prince Lot Kapuāiwa, who would later become King Kamehameha V...
.
Since some female students of the Royal School such as Abigail Maheha
Abigail Maheha
Abigail Maheha was a member of the royal family during the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:Maheha was the daughter of High Chief Namaile and High Chiefess Kuini Liliha. Her mother was the royal governor of O'ahu during the regency of Queen Kaahumanu. She was descended from Kahekili II, Moi of Maui, and...
were expelled with hastily arranged marriages, due to scandalous pregnancies, some speculate that the 16-year-old Kamehameha V or any of the other sexually matured male students at the school might have had a child, including his brothers, Moses Kekūāiwa
Moses Kekuaiwa
Moses Kekūāiwa Keawenui was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.He was the second son of Mataio Kekūanāoa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of Kamehameha I through his mother who was known as Kaahumanu II when she was regent...
(aged 18) and Alexander Liholiho (aged 12.5), and Lunalilo
Lunalilo
Lunalilo, born William Charles Lunalilo , was king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 8, 1873 until February 3, 1874...
(aged 12), if the last two had a really early puberty. Thus he might have some descendants alive today.