Kamehameha II

Kamehameha II, born Liholiho, was the second monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, reigning from 1819 to 1824. His full birth name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu ʻIolani, which was later lengthened upon his ascension to Kalani Kaleiʻaimoku o Kaiwikapu o Laʻamea i Kauikawekiu Ahilapalapa Kealiʻi Kauinamoku o Kahekili Kalaninui i Mamao ʻIolani i Ka Liholiho. The name Liholiho, meaning glowing, is a contraction of Kalaninuiliholiho or Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu, signifying "the great chief with the burning back kapu." The honorific ʻIolani translates to "royal hawk," referencing the Hawaiian hawk (ʻio) whose elevated flight symbolized royalty.

Born in November 1797 in Hilo, on the island of Hawaiʻi, Liholiho was the eldest son of Kamehameha I and his high-ranking wife, Keōpūolani. Although initially intended to be born at the Kūkaniloko birth site on Oʻahu, his mother's illness prevented the journey. He was initially placed under the care of Hanapi, a trusted servant of his father, in Kalaoa, Hilo Paliku. However, after five or six months, his maternal grandmother, Kekuʻiapoiwa Liliha, took him back, concerned about his diet. Subsequently, Kamehameha I entrusted Liholiho to Queen Kaʻahumanu, another of his wives, who became his official guardian. During his youth, Liholiho was taught French by Jean Baptiste Rives, a Frenchman who became a close companion. Other notable companions included Charles Kanaʻina, Kekūanaōʻa, and Laʻanui.

Liholiho officially ascended to the throne in May 1819 following the death of his father, Kamehameha I. However, his authority was significantly curtailed by Queen Kaʻahumanu, who had no intention of relinquishing her power. Upon Liholiho's arrival in Kailua-Kona, the then-capital, Kaʻahumanu famously declared, "We two shall rule the land," effectively establishing herself as the first Kuhina Nui (co-regent) of Hawaii. This arrangement relegated Kamehameha II to a largely ceremonial role, with administrative power vested in Kaʻahumanu. Despite taking the title "King Kamehameha II," he preferred to be addressed as ʻIolani.

Kamehameha II's reign is most notably remembered for the ʻAi Noa, the abolition of the ancient kapu (taboo) system of religious laws. This pivotal event occurred approximately six months into his reign when he publicly shared a meal with Kaʻahumanu and his mother, Keōpūolani. This act directly violated the strict prohibitions of the Hawaiian religion, signaling a profound shift away from traditional cultural practices. The breaking of the kapu system led to a prolonged period of taboo-breaking, the disbandment of the priestly class, and the destruction of temples and religious images. This period also coincided with increased European contact, leading to the emergence of Christianity and Western influence in the Hawaiian Kingdom.

The abolition of the kapu system was not without opposition. Kamehameha I had designated his war god Kūkaʻilimoku and its temples to his cousin, Kekuaokalani. Kekuaokalani demanded that Liholiho revoke his decrees against the Hawaiian priesthood, allow the rebuilding of temples, and dismiss Kalanimōkū and Kaʻahumanu. Kamehameha II refused, leading to the Battle of Kuamoʻo on the island of Hawaiʻi. In this conflict, the king's forces, led by Kalanimōkū and equipped with superior weaponry, decisively defeated the last proponents of the ancient organized religion. The arrival of the first Christian missionaries in the Hawaiian Islands occurred just a few months after this significant religious upheaval.

Despite the growing influence of Christianity, Kamehameha II never officially converted, choosing instead to retain his five wives and his fondness for alcohol. He continued the practice of polygamy, marrying several high-ranking relatives, a tradition that ended with his reign. His favorite wife was his sister, Kamāmalu. His second wife was Kīnaʻu, Kamāmalu's full-blood sister, who later remarried and became Kuhina Nui. Princess Kalani Pauahi, his niece through his half-brother Pauli Kaōleiokū, later gave birth to Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani. Kekāuluohi, a half-sister to Kamāmalu and Kīnaʻu through their mother Kaheiheimālie (another of Kamehameha I's wives), was also among his spouses. Princess Kekauʻōnohi, Liholiho's niece and granddaughter of Kamehameha I, would later serve as royal governor of Maui and Kauaʻi.

Kamehameha II was known for his impulsive nature. A notable example is his purchase of the Royal Yacht Cleopatra's Barge on November 16, 1820, for 8,000 piculs of sandalwood, an amount estimated to be worth approximately US$80,000 at the time. The ship, previously sold for $15,400, became a source of great pride for the king. He used it to offer free passage to missionaries and to entertain foreign visitors with alcoholic beverages. However, the ship required a major overhaul by April 18, 1822, due to extensive rot. After repairs using wood shipped from the Pacific Northwest, it was renamed Haʻaheo o Hawaiʻi ("Pride of Hawaii") and relaunched on May 10, 1823, only to be wrecked less than a year later.

Another instance of his impulsiveness occurred in the summer of 1821. While on a small boat with several nobles, including Chiefess Kapiʻolani and Governor Boki, and about 30 men, he unexpectedly ordered the vessel to cross a dangerous channel to the island of Kauaʻi, despite lacking navigational tools or provisions. They miraculously reached Kauaʻi, where Chief Kaumualiʻi welcomed the young king. After the Royal Yacht was dispatched to retrieve them, the royal party spent over a month on Kauaʻi. One night, after inviting Kaumualiʻi aboard, Kamehameha II abruptly ordered the yacht to sail away, returning to Honolulu. Upon their return, he arranged for Kaumualiʻi to "marry" Kaʻahumanu and kept him under house arrest in exile until his death.

His final and most tragic voyage was to Great Britain. In April 1822, English missionary William Ellis arrived with the schooner Prince Regent, a gift from King George IV of Great Britain. Kamehameha II wrote to thank George IV and expressed a desire for closer diplomatic ties, wishing to travel to London. Despite opposition from his advisors, including Keōpūolani and Kaʻahumanu, he resolved to go after his mother's death on September 16, 1823.

In November 1823, Kamehameha II and Queen Kamāmalu embarked on the British whaling ship L'Aigle (French for "the Eagle"), captained by Valentine Starbuck, bound for London. They were accompanied by High Chief Boki, his wife Kuini Liliha, and other chiefs and retainers. Jean Baptiste Rives served as their translator. In February 1824, they stopped in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Emperor Pedro I received them. Kamehameha II was presented with a diamond-encrusted sword, and in return, he offered an ʻahu ʻula (feather cloak). Queen Kamāmalu received a diamond ring and reciprocated with a yellow feather necklace.

Upon their arrival in Portsmouth, England, on May 17, 1824, they proceeded to the Caledonian Hotel in London. Foreign Secretary George Canning appointed Frederick Gerald Byng to oversee their visit. Their presence generated considerable curiosity and some derision in the local press, which struggled with the spelling of "Liholiho" and made puns related to Byng's nickname and the "Sandwich Islands."

On May 28, a reception was held in their honor. They toured London, visiting Westminster Abbey, though the king declined to enter out of respect for the British royal burial ground. They attended opera and ballet at the Royal Opera House and the Theatre Royal. Kamehameha II and the over six-foot-tall Kamāmalu were an unusual sight for the British, who had rarely encountered Native Hawaiians. Portraits of several court members were painted by the Hayter family.

Tragically, a scheduled meeting with King George IV on June 21 was postponed due to Queen Kamāmalu's illness. The Hawaiian delegation had contracted measles, a disease to which they had no immunity, likely during a visit to the Royal Military Asylum on June 5. Queen Kamāmalu succumbed to the illness on July 8, 1824, followed by Kamehameha II six days later on July 14, 1824.

Their bodies were laid in state at the Caledonian Hotel, drawing vast crowds. On July 18, they were interred in the crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields church, awaiting transportation back to Hawaii. Boki assumed leadership of the delegation and eventually met with King George IV. James Young Kānehoa, with his superior English skills, became the new translator, while Rives and Starbuck were accused of mismanaging the royal treasury and departed.

In August 1824, the Royal Navy frigate HMS Blonde, under Captain George Anson Byron, transported their remains back to Hawaii. The Blonde arrived in Honolulu on May 6, 1825. Kalanimōkū, having been informed of their deaths, gathered Hawaiian royalty at his home for the funeral. A formal procession by the ship's marines and crew, an Anglican prayer by the ship's chaplain, and a prayer in Hawaiian by an American missionary marked the solemn occasion. They were subsequently buried on the grounds of Mauna ʻAla Royal Mausoleum.

Kamehameha II's reign, though brief, was a period of immense transformation for the Hawaiian Kingdom. His decision to abolish the kapu system, influenced by Kaʻahumanu and Keōpūolani, irrevocably altered Hawaiian society and paved the way for new religious and cultural influences. While his impulsiveness and tragic death in London overshadowed his direct political leadership, his actions initiated a new era, marking a departure from ancient traditions and opening Hawaii to increased Western contact and the eventual establishment of Christianity. His legacy is complex, characterized by both the dismantling of old ways and the unintentional ushering in of new ones, fundamentally shaping the future trajectory of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He is remembered as the monarch who, despite his short reign, presided over one of the most significant cultural shifts in Hawaiian history. His journey to London, though fatal, highlighted the growing diplomatic engagement of the Hawaiian Kingdom with global powers. His name, ʻIolani, meaning "royal hawk," continues to symbolize his royal lineage and his place in Hawaiian history.