Photo of King Kamehameha III    Portrait drawing of  Princess Nahienaena

Kauikeaouli was the last son of Kamehameha the Great to rule Hawai'i.
He was only ten years old when he ascended the throne as 
Kamehameha III. Once again now regent Kaahumanu pulled the strings
from the background, for a while. Nevertheless the kingdom was 
transformed into a constitutional monarchy under his rule and he signed 
the Great Mahele which opened the way to private ownership of land.
 Until then all lands were the property of the king. There's a little known
fact about him, he actually asked the United States to annex Hawai'i.
The papers were being readied for signing when he died. His successor
Kamehameha IV withdrew the offer and never signed them.

He was deeply in love with his sister Nahienaena, a practice encouraged 
by royalty in the old days, to preserve and strengthen the "mana", or
 supernatural power of the elite. Nahienaena died at the age of 
twenty one, torn between her love for her brother and her already 
christian religion. The king never recovered completely from the loss.

BACK / MUSIC / STORE / HOME

CAT# 25/HS, 26/HS