Royal Order of Kalakaua I
Encyclopedia
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
to commemorate his accession to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi
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...
on 12 February 1874. This order was granted to both native Hawaiians and foreigners for superlative service to the monarch and to the kingdom. It was last conferred by Queen Lili'uokalani on 1 August 1892; in 1893, the Order became obsolete.
Grades
The Order was awarded in four grades with an additional superior class:- Knights Grand Cross with Collar
- Knights Grand Cross
- Grand Officer
- Commander
- Companion
Granting the insignia and awards of the Order was determined by the number of living members of the Order. At any given time there could only be:
- Knights Grand Cross - 12 individuals
- Grand Officer - 20 individuals
- Commander - 50 individuals
- Companion (Knight) - 60 individuals
In the duration the Order, it was granted 239 times by King Kalākaua I, and 15 times by his sister Queen Liliʻuokalani.
Number of awards in the history of the Order:
- Knights Grand Cross - 38 recipients
- Grand Officer Star - 49 recipients
- Commander Cross - 95 recipients
- Companion Cross - 73 recipeients
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Badge
The badge of the Order is a Maltese cross in gold or silver with prussian blue and white enamel, surmounted by a Hawaiian crown. The arms of the cross have a border strip of white enamel, the center being blue - separated by a thin band of gold or silver. A gold or silver wreath and a puloulou (kapu sticks - ball and stick insignia) is found between the arms connecting them. On the cross is a blue and white enamel locket. On a white strip, the inscription "KALAKAUA FEBRUARY 12 1874" circles a kahili (feathered standard of royalty) on a background of blue. The reverse comprises a locket of blue and white. At the center of the locket is the date 1874, surrounded by the inscription "KEOLA" (eternal life) - both in gold.Knights Grand Cross with Collar
The insignia are a collar chain and a breast star. The collar chain is composed of alternating monograms "K.I.K." and kahili of red and yellow enamel. The central component of the chain, from which is hung the badge of the Order, is the monogram "K.I.K." surrounded by a gold wreath. The breast star is identical to that of the Knights Grands Cross, as detailed below.Knights Grand Cross
The insignia of the Knights Grand cross comprises a breast star, the badge of the Order and a grand cordon sash. The breast star is an octagonal silver star to which is affixed the badge of Order without the crown - in gold. The sash is deep blue. The badge of the Order is fastened to a bow on the sash on a bow, resting on the left hip.Grand Officer Star
The insignia of Grand Officer Star is only a breast star. Intiailly the size of the cross affixed to the star was smaller that that of the Knights Grand Cross; however from 1879 onwards, both were identical in size. The wreath of Grand Officer Star is silver.Commander Cross
The insignia of the Commander Cross is identical that of the Grand Officer Star, except it is worn on a neck ribbon of five alternating white and blue stripes.Companion Cross
The Companion Cross comprises a breast badge suspended by a ribbon of white and blue stripes.----
Annuity
Recipients of the Order who were residents in the Hawaiian islands received a yearly salary depending upon their grade: $150 for the Knights Grand Cross, $125 for the Grand Officer Star, $100 for the Commander Cross and $50 for the Knight.Grand Council
The Grand Council of Order, which consists of the Order's Cavaliers resident on the Hawaiian islands, convened yearly on 12 February. Members absent from the annunal meeting and without a written message stating as such without a valid reason, were penalized $20. Of all the Royal Hawaiian Orders, only this one and the Royal Order of Kamehameha IRoyal Order of Kamehameha I (decoration)
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I was founded on 11 April 1865 by King Kamehameha V in memory of his grandfather King Kamehameha I and in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of Hawaii. This Order was granted to both native Hawaiians and foreigners for distinguished...
gathered at regular intervals.
Recipients
Among those awarded with Knights Grand Cross were:- Emperor of Austria-Hungary, Franz Joseph I (1878)
- King of Serbia, Milan I Obrenović (1882)
- Prince of Wales, Albert EdwardEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
(1881) - President of France, Marie François Sadi CarnotMarie François Sadi CarnotMarie François Sadi Carnot was a French statesman and the fourth president of the Third French Republic. He served as the President of France from 1887 until his assassination in 1894.-Early life:...
(1889) - President of Venezuela, Antonio Guzmán BlancoAntonio Guzmán BlancoAntonio Leocadio Guzmán Blanco was President of Venezuela for three separate terms, from 1870–1877, from 1879–1884, and from 1886–1887....
(1878) - Presidents of Mexico, Manuel González and José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz MoriPorfirio DíazJosé de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
(both 1884)
The Knights Grand Cross with Collar was bestowed twice in the Order's history - both times by King Kalākaua I - first to the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward, and second to King Kalākaua I by himself.