David Kalākaua was elected by the legislature to assume the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i upon the death of William Charles Lunalilo. The most significant event of his reign was the promulgation of the Bayonet Constitution.

Kalākaua — born as David La‘amea Kamanakapu‘u Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and called The Merrie Monarch (November 12, 1836 - January 20, 1891) — was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. He served his office from February 12, 1874 until his death in San Francisco, California on January 20, 1891. Download high resolution version (396x612, 51 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (396x612, 51 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Jump to: navigation, search November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. ... 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani, a member of the Kalākaua Dynasty, was in line to become Queen of Hawai‘i when her kingdom was overthrown by a small group of Hawaiian citizens primarily of European descent and United States citizens with the aid of the United States Marine Corps. ... Jump to: navigation, search February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search The downtown San Francisco skyline, looking east from the central part of the city. ... Jump to: navigation, search January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Early life

He was the eldest son of Kapa‘akea and Keohokalole.

1872 election

King Kamehameha V, the last monarch of the Kamehameha dynasty, died on December 11, 1872 without naming a successor to the throne. Under the Kingdom's constitution, if the King did not appoint a successor, a new king would be appointed by the legislature. Kamehameha V was the last monarch of the House of Kamehameha. ... This article is about the Hawaiian ruler. ... Jump to: navigation, search December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1872 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ...

There were several candidates for the Hawaiian throne. However, the contest was centered mainly on two high-ranking ali‘i, or chiefs: William C. Lunalilo and David Kalākaua. Lunalilo was the more popular of the two, partially because he was a higher-ranking chief than Kalākaua and was the immediate cousin of the deceased Kamehameha V. Lunalilo was also the more liberal of the two--he promised to amend the constitution to give the people a greater voice in the government. Many believed that the government should simply declare Lunalilo as the king, however, Lunalilo refused to allow this to be done and insisted that everyone in the kingdom should take part in an election for the office of the king. William Charles Lunalilo, a minor member of the House of Kamehameha, was elected King of Hawaii upon the death of his cousin, Kamehameha V. William C. Lunalilo (January 31, 1835 - February 3, 1874) was king of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i from January 8, 1873 until February 3, 1874. ... Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism, an adherent of the ideology espousing individual liberty and private property, meaning varies country to country American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Modern liberalism, in the USA, describes a political ideology that favors government intervention to promote equality Political progressivism, a political...

Kalākaua, meanwhile, published a proclamation written in a Hawaiian poetic style. Here is an excerpt:

"O my people! My countrymen of old! Arise! This is the voice!
"Ho! all ye tribes! Ho! my own ancient people! The people who took hold and built up the Kingdom of Kamehameha.
"Arise! This is the voice.
"Let me direct you, my people! Do nothing contrary to the law or against the peace of the Kingdom.
"Do not go and vote.
"Do not be led by the foreigners; they had no part in our hardships, in gaining the country. Do not be led by their false teachings."

Kalākaua was much more conservative than his opponent, Lunalilo. At the time, foreigners dominated the Hawaiian government. Kalākaua promised to put native Hawaiians back into the Kingdom's government. He also promised to amend the Kingdom's constitution. Conservatism or political conservatism is any of several historically related political philosophies or political ideologies. ...

On January 1, 1873, a popular election was held for the office of King. Lunalilo won with an overwhelming majority. The next day, the legislature confirmed the popular vote and elected Lunalilo unanimously. Kalākaua conceded. Jump to: navigation, search January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Election of 1874

Lunalilo took the throne but passed away a year later, on February 3, 1874. Jump to: navigation, search February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

On February 4, 1874, Kalākaua announced his candidacy for the throne. His main opponent was Queen Emma, the widow of the deceased King Kamehameha IV. Jump to: navigation, search February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Alexander Liholiho assumed the title of Kamehameha IV, King of Hawai‘i in 1855. ...

This time around, most of the people in the ali‘i (the Hawaiian equivalent to royalty/nobility) and commoners supported Kalākaua over Emma. Early Polynesians settled in Hawai‘i circa A.D. 7th century, having traveled from Tahiti and Marquesas on double-hulled voyaging canoes made of koa, a wood related to mahogany Ancient Hawai‘i refers to the period of Hawaiian history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i by...

The legislature met on February 12, 1874 to choose the next monarch. The resulting vote was thirty-nine votes for Kalākaua and six for Queen Emma. When the announcement of Kalākaua's victory was heard, a mob of Queen Emma's supporters attacked members of the legislature who had left the courthouse to tell Kalākaua of his victory. The mob forced its way into the kingdom's court building and savagely beat several native legislators. One legislator was killed after he was thrown out of a window. The newly elected King Kalākaua asked marines from American and British warships to put down the mob, and peace was restored by that evening. Jump to: navigation, search February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Reign as King

Upon ascending the throne, Kalākaua named his brother, William Pitt Leleiohoku, as his heir, putting an end to the era of elected kings in Hawai‘i. Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku was the brother of King David Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani. ...

Kalākaua started his reign off with a tour of the Hawaiian islands. This improved his popularity.

In October 1874, Kalākaua sent representatives to the United States to negotiate a reciprocity treaty to help end a depression that was ongoing in Hawaii. In November, Kalākaua himself traveled to Washington DC to meet Ulysses S. Grant. An agreement was reached and the treaty was signed on January 30, 1875. The treaty allowed certain Hawaiian goods, mainly sugar and rice, to be admitted into the United States tax-free. October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... ... Jump to: navigation, search Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was a Union general in the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ... Jump to: navigation, search January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search A sugar is a carbohydrate which contains the functional group (CH2O)n). ... Jump to: navigation, search Binomial name Oryza sativa L. Rice (Oryza sativa) is a species of grass in the genus Oryza, native to tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia, where it grows in wetlands. ...

During the early part of Kalākaua's reign, the king made full use of his power to appoint and dismiss cabinets. King Kalākaua believed in the hereditary right of the ali‘i to rule. Kalākaua continually dismissed cabinets and appointed new ones. This drew criticism from people from the "Missionary Party" who wanted to reform Hawaiian government based on the model of the United Kingdom's constitutional monarchy where the monarch had very little real power over the government but had a position of great dignity and was the head of state. The party believed the legislature should control the cabinet ministers rather than the king. This struggle continued throughout Kalākaua's reign. Jump to: navigation, search A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... Jump to: navigation, search A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchical government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ...

In 1881, King Kalākaua left Hawai‘i on a trip around the world to study the matter of immigration and to improve foreign relations. He also wanted to study how other rulers ruled. In his absence, his sister and heir, Princess Lili‘uokalani, ruled as regent (Prince Leleiohoku, the former heir, had died in 1877). The King first traveled to San Francisco where he was given a royal welcome. Then he sailed to the Empire of Japan where he met with the Meiji Emperor. He continued through Qing Dynasty China, Siam, Burma, British Raj India, Egypt, Italy, Belgium, the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the French Third Republic, Spain under the Restoration, Portugal, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and back through the United States before returning to Hawai‘i. During this trip, he met with many other crowned heads of state, including Pope Leo XIII, Umberto I of Italy, and Victoria of the United Kingdom. In this, he became the first king to travel around the world. Her Majesty Lili‘uokalani, Queen of Hawai‘i Queen Lili‘uokalani of Hawai‘i (September 2, 1838 - November 11, 1917), given the Christian name Lydia Lili‘uokalani and later named Lydia K. Dominis, was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. ... // High public office A regent, from the Latin regens who reigns is anyone who acts of head of state, especially if not the Monarch (who has higher titles). ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Flag of Imperial Japan The Empire of Japan (大日本帝国; Dai-Nippon/-Nihon Teikoku) commonly refers to Japan from the Meiji Restoration until the end of World War II. Politically, it covers the period from the enforced establishment of prefectures in place of feudal domains (廃藩置県; Hai-han Chi-ken) in July 14... Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito) Mutsuhito (睦仁), the Meiji Emperor (明治天皇, literally Enlightened Rule Emperor) (3 November 1852–30 July 1912) was the 122nd Emperor of Japan. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Qing Dynasty (Manchu: daicing gurun; Chinese: 清朝; pinyin: qÄ«ng cháo; Wade-Giles: ching chao), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China expanded into China proper and the surrounding territories... From 1768 to 1932 the area of modern Thailand was dominated by Siam, an absolute monarchy with capitals briefly at Thonburi and later at Rattanakosin, both in modern-day Bangkok. ... Jump to: navigation, search The British Raj is an informal term for the British colonial administration of most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, also included from 1886 was Burma. ... Jump to: navigation, search The term German Empire commonly refers to Germany, from its consolidation as a unified nation-state on January 18, 1871, until the abdication of Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II on November 9, 1918. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... A map of France under the Third Republic, featuring colonies. ... History of Spain Series Prehistoric Spain Roman Spain Medieval Spain Age of Reconquest Age of Expansion Age of Enlightenment Reaction and Revolution First Spanish Republic The Restoration Second Spanish Republic Spanish Civil War The Dictatorship Modern Spain Topics Economic History Military History Social History The Restoration was the name given... The Union Flag, in its modern form, was first adopted in 1801. ... The President of the Philippines meets with the President of the United States. ... His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci (March 2, 1810–July 20, 1903), was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having succeeded Blessed Pius IX on February 20, 1878 and reigning until his own death. ... Umberto I or Humbert I of Italy (Umberto Ranieri Carlo Emanuele Giovanni Maria Ferdinando Eugenio of Savoy), (14 March 1844 – 29 July 1900). ... Jump to: navigation, search Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ...

Kalākaua also built ‘Iolani Palace, the only royal palace that exists on American soil today. Many of the furnishings in the palace were ordered by Kalākaua while he was in Europe. Iolani Palace was the official residence of King David Kalakaua and Queen Julia Kapiolani and then Queen Liliuokalani and Prince Consort John Owen Dominis. ... World map showing Europe (geographically) When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ...

King Kalākaua is said to have wanted to build a Polynesian Empire. In 1886, legislature granted the government $30,000 for the formation of a Polynesian confederation. The King sent representatives to Sāmoa, where Malietoa Laupepa agreed to a confederation between the two kingdoms. This confederation did not last very long, however, since King Kalākaua lost power the next year to the Bayonet constitution, and thus a reformist party came into power that ended the alliance. Polynesia is generally defined as the islands within the triangle Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesos = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Independent State of Samoa (conventional long form) or Samoa (conventional short form) is a country comprising a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. ...

By 1887, the Missionary party had grown very frustrated with Kalākaua. They blamed him for the Kingdom's growing debt and accused him of being a spendthrift. Some foreigners wanted to force King Kalākaua to abdicate and put his sister Lili‘uokalani onto the throne, while others wanted to end the monarchy altogether and annex the islands to the United States. The people who favored annexation formed a group called the Hawaiian League. In 1887, members of the League armed with guns assembled together. The King was frightened by this show of force and offered to transfer his powers to the foreign ministers representing the United States, the United Kingdom, or Portugal. The members of the league instead asked him to sign a new constitution. Jump to: navigation, search 1887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ...

This new constitution, nicknamed the Bayonet Constitution of 1887, removed much of the King's executive power. The legislature was now able to override a veto by the King, and King was no longer allowed to take action without approval of the cabinet. The House of Nobles, the house of legislature appointed by the King, was to be elected. It also inserted a provision that allowed non-Hawaiian citizens to vote. A counter-revolution, led by a man named Robert Wilcox, aimed at restoring the King's power, but this revolution failed. Queen Liliuokalanis protest of the Bayonet Constitution, that her brother was forced to promulgate at gunpoint, led to the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii by a committee of American citizens. ... Robert William Wilcox led unsuccessful rebellions to restore the monarchy. ...

By 1890, the King's health began to fail. Under the advice of his physician, he traveled to San Francisco. His health continued to worsen, and he died on January 20, 1891. His remains were returned to Honolulu aboard the American cruiser, USS Charleston (C-2). His sister, Lili‘uokalani, succeeded him to the Hawaiian throne. 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The second USS Charleston (C-2) was a United States Navy protected cruiser. ... Her Majesty Lili‘uokalani, Queen of Hawai‘i Queen Lili‘uokalani of Hawai‘i (September 2, 1838 - November 11, 1917), given the Christian name Lydia Lili‘uokalani and later named Lydia K. Dominis, was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. ...

Legacy

King Kalākaua earned the nickname "the Merry Monarch," because of his love for gay, festive elements of life. Under his reign, hula was revived, which had been banned by the missionaries in the 1820s after being deemed immoral. Today, his name lives on in the Merrie Monarch Festival, a hula festival named in his honor. Jump to: navigation, search Events and Trends Nationalistic independence movements helped reshape the world during this decade: Greece declares independence from the Ottoman Empire (1821). ... The Merrie Monarch Festival is a week-long hula festival that takes place annually in Hilo, Hawaii. ...

William Charles Lunalilo, a member of a collateral branch to the main line of the House of Kamehameha, was elected King of Hawaii upon the death of his cousin, Kamehameha V, the last descendant of Kamehameha I on the throne. ... Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani, a member of the Kalākaua Dynasty, was in line to become Queen of Hawai‘i when her kingdom was overthrown by a small group of Hawaiian citizens primarily of European descent and United States citizens with the aid of the United States Marine Corps. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search == == == == == == == == == == Her Majesty Lili‘uokalani, Queen of Hawai‘i Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii (September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917), given the Christian name Lydia Lili‘uokalani and later named Lydia K. Dominis, was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. ...