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King David Kalakaua
Articles and information about King David Kalakaua
of Hawaii. Includes the dates of his birth and death,
when he ruled as king, and some of the highlights
and notable events during his reign.
Facts About King David Kalakaua
Born: November 16, 1836
Wife:
Queen Kapiolani
Descended from the Keaweaheulu line
Ruled from February 12, 1874 until his death in 1891
Died: January 20, 1891
Full Name: David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalakaua
How he Became King
When
King Lunalilo died after only a year as king,
the Hawaiian legislature considered
appointing Dowager Queen Emma as the new ruler of Hawaii,
but they ended up selecting David Kalakaua, a descendant
of King Kamehameha I, instead. Queen Emma and her supporters
were not pleased with the choice, because they felt
her lineage was more royal then Kalakaua's.
Trade Reciprocity Treaty of 1876
King Kalakaua traveled to U.S. to secure a reciprocity treaty
to eliminate U.S. tariffs. The agreement was implemented in
1876 and it led to an expansion of sugar industry and a high
demand for laborers, causing spike in Hawaii's population
of immigrants from all over the world.
The Death of King Kalakaua
King Kalakaua died of kidney disease in 1891, while he was
visiting San Francisco. He is buried at the Mauna Ala Royal
Mausoleum at 2261 Nuuanu Avenue in Honolulu.
More About King Kalakaua
At the time he ascended the thrown in 1874 there were
fewer then 48,000 Hawaiians. he was proud of his
people and their heritage and his motto was
"Hooulu Lahui" which has been translated as
"Increase the Race" or "Let the Hawaiian Race Flourish".
King Kalakaua and his wife Queen Kapiolani traveled
a great deal of the time, all over the world, and while
he was away, his sister, Queen Liliuokalani ruled as regent.
In 1881 he embarked on a trip around that world that
included visits to the heads of state of many different countries.
He was known for establishing new orders and
for bestowing awards of merit on Hawaiian
subjects and foreigners. During his travels he exchanged orders with heads
of state, and those exchanges were symbolic
of their friendship and respect
King Kalakaua established a warm bond between Kingdom of Hawaii
and Japan when he presented the Royal Order of Kalakaua to his
Japanese interpreter, Seigo Nagasaki during a visit to Japan in 1881.
That royal order medallion was presented to the Bishop
Museum by Takeo and Sueko Morimura and today it is
Item 1992.375.001a in the museum collection.
During his 1881 trip to Japan King Kalakaua presented
the Royal Order of Kalakaua to his official Japanese
interpreter, Seigo Nagasaki.
That royal order medallion was given to the Bishop
Museum by Takeo and Sueko Morimura (item 1992.375.001a
in the museum)
The Iolani Palace was built during his reign. It took
three years to build and it was completed in 1882.
A coronation ceremony for him was performed on the
grounds of the new Iolani Palace on February 12, 1883.
He composed the lyrics for the song "Hawaii Ponoi"
Inventions by King Kalakaua
In addition to being known as an intelligent and distinguished gentleman,
scholar, musician, and composer, King Kalakaua was also an inventor.
he invented an improved double screw and an
improved bottle stopper and cover in 1872 and he
proposed a new type of fish ram in 1875.
The Bayonet Constitution
King Kalakaua tried to increase the power of the Hawaiian monarchy
and this angered many foreigners, who intimidated Kalakaua into accepting a
new constitution, known as the "Bayonet Constitution".
That constitution stripped the king of his power, and gave
foreigners the right to vote in Hawaiian elections.
In 1889 a man named Robert Wilcox led a revolt against
the new constitution. The uprising was put down, but Robert
Wilcox became a hero to many Native Hawaiians. At his
conspiracy trial he was found not guilty by an all-Hawaiian jury.
Awards, Memorials, and Honors
Merrie Monarch Festival King Kalakaua Profile
Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Inductee
Ukulele Hall of Fame Inductee
Waikiki King Kalakaua Statue (Standing)
Hilo King Kalakaua Statue (Sitting)
Waikiki's Kalakaua Avenue was named in his honor
Books About King Kalakaua
Kalakaua: Hawaii's Last King
David Kalakaua
See also:
Rulers of the Hawaiian Kingdom
The Hawaiian Royal Family
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Related Links
The Hawaiian Monarchy - Main Menu
Islands of Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
Elsewhere on the Web
Wikipedia David Kalakaua Article
Honolulu Advertiser 2006 King Kalakaua Article
King Kalakaua's 1881 Visit to Siam
Aloha Hawaii King David Kalakaua Article
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