Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Queen Liliuokalani" - New World
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==Reign== | ==Reign== | ||
| − | On September 16, 1862, at the age of 24, she married [[John Owen Dominis]], who became Governor of [[O'ahu|Oahu]] and [[Maui]]. They had no children although later she was given three ''hanai'' children. When her younger brother Prince [[William Pitt Leleiohoku]] died, Liluokalani was made heir apparent by her other brother | + | On September 16, 1862, at the age of 24, she married [[John Owen Dominis]], who became Governor of [[O'ahu|Oahu]] and [[Maui]]. They had no children although later she was given three ''hanai'' children. When her younger brother Prince [[William Pitt Leleiohoku]] died, Liluokalani was made heir apparent by her other brother, the king, thus becoming "Princess" a role that she took seriously. (Her own heir apparent for several years was her niece [[Victoria Ka'iulani|Victoria Kaiulani]], although Kaiulani ended up predeceasing her.) In 1877 she visited all of the Hawaiian islands with her husband including the [[leper colony]] on [[Molokai]] where [[Father Damien]] lived and worked with the [[leper]] population. In 1881 she was credited for helping to contain a small pox edidemic, to the island of [[O'ahu]], by ordering government ministers to stop travel between the islands. |
She served as [[regent]] when her brother, King [[Kalakaua|Kalākaua]] was gone on royal business and in that same year she served as an interpreter when she visited [[Queen Victoria]] with the Hawaiin royal entourage. | She served as [[regent]] when her brother, King [[Kalakaua|Kalākaua]] was gone on royal business and in that same year she served as an interpreter when she visited [[Queen Victoria]] with the Hawaiin royal entourage. | ||
| − | + | It was while in England, that the seeds were sewn for the controversial [[Bayonet Constitution]] which would limit the power of the monarchy in Hawaii. There were many residents of Hawaii who wished to see a monarchy that was more similar to a [[Constitutional Monarchy]], one that gave less power to reigning heads of state and more to a cabinet and legislature. Liluokalani did not agree with her brother's signing of this agreement after his visit to England. | |
| − | When Liliuokalani's brother suddently died she inherited the throne on January 17, 1891. | + | When Liliuokalani's brother suddently died she inherited the throne on January 17, 1891. Seven months later her husband, who had been her support and companion died. |
==Bayonet Constitution and the sugar trade== | ==Bayonet Constitution and the sugar trade== | ||
Revision as of 16:03, 23 April 2007
| Queen Liliuokalani | |
|---|---|
 Her Majesty Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii | |
| Birth name | Lydia Kamakaeha |
| Reign | January 20, 1891 - January 17, 1893 |
| Successor | the Last Hawaiian Monarch |
| Predecessor | Kalākaua |
| Consort | John Owen Dominis |
| Born | September 2, 1838 |
| Died | November 11, 1917 |
Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii (September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917), originally named Lydia Kamakaeha, also known as Lydia Kamakaeha Paki, had the royal name of Liliuokalani given to her by her brother, King Kalakaua when he declared her his heir apparent to the throne. Later, after she was deposed, she was required to revert back to her Christian married name, Lydia K. Dominis. Although her reign was short - only two years -. it would prove to be eventful. She was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii as Hawaii was then known. Her reign marked an important crossroads for Hawaii, which was resultantly annexed and later made a territory and then granted statehood. Although Queen Liliuokalani resisted strongly these developments, in many ways her life would prove to be an important symbol of time honored tradition merging with the newly sewn seeds of democracy.
Early life
Hawaii’s last sovereign queen was born on September 2, 1838, in Honolulu. She was born to High Chief Caesar Kapa'akea and High Chiefess Keohokalole. Her Christian name given at her baptism was, "Lydia." She became a hanai child when she was offered to High Chief Paki and H.C. Konia (a grand daughter of King Kamehameha I). Hanai is a tradition whereby a child is adopted into a royal family in order to secure a higher rank for that child. The hanai tradition also served to bond the families of chiefs to one another. Liliuokalani’s childhood years were spent studying and playing with Bernice Pauahi, the Paki's natural daughter, who she considered her hanai sister. Liliuokalani was educated at the Royal School, a boarding school run by Christian missionaries. Although, she was saddened to leave home, she excelled in her studies and became fluent in English. She also demonstrated a gift for piano and singing; talents that would be important to her throughout life. She enjoyed studying the Greek myths as she could easily relate them to her own knowledge of Hawaiian legends.
Reign
On September 16, 1862, at the age of 24, she married John Owen Dominis, who became Governor of Oahu and Maui. They had no children although later she was given three hanai children. When her younger brother Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku died, Liluokalani was made heir apparent by her other brother, the king, thus becoming "Princess" a role that she took seriously. (Her own heir apparent for several years was her niece Victoria Kaiulani, although Kaiulani ended up predeceasing her.) In 1877 she visited all of the Hawaiian islands with her husband including the leper colony on Molokai where Father Damien lived and worked with the leper population. In 1881 she was credited for helping to contain a small pox edidemic, to the island of O'ahu, by ordering government ministers to stop travel between the islands.
She served as regent when her brother, King Kalākaua was gone on royal business and in that same year she served as an interpreter when she visited Queen Victoria with the Hawaiin royal entourage. It was while in England, that the seeds were sewn for the controversial Bayonet Constitution which would limit the power of the monarchy in Hawaii. There were many residents of Hawaii who wished to see a monarchy that was more similar to a Constitutional Monarchy, one that gave less power to reigning heads of state and more to a cabinet and legislature. Liluokalani did not agree with her brother's signing of this agreement after his visit to England.
When Liliuokalani's brother suddently died she inherited the throne on January 17, 1891. Seven months later her husband, who had been her support and companion died.
Bayonet Constitution and the sugar trade
Shortly after she gained power, she tried to abrogate the existing "Bayonet Constitution," so named because it had been signed by the previous monarch under the threat of force, and draft a new constitution that would restore power to the monarchy. American and European subjects of the Kingdom of Hawaii, threatened by the elimination of suffrage by the queen's proposed constitution, asserted that the queen had "virtually abdicated" by trying to subvert the constitution and organized to depose her. Besides the threatened loss of suffrage, business interests within the Kingdom were concerned about the removal of foreign tariffs in the American sugar trade due to the McKinley Act (which effectively eliminated the favored status of Hawaiian sugar due to the Reciprocity Treaty), and considered the possibility of annexation to the United States (and enjoying the same sugar bounties as domestic producers) as a welcome side effect of ending the monarchy. During the overthrow in 1893 the American minister in Hawaii at the time, John L. Stevens, ordered troops from the U.S.S. Boston ashore, to protect American businesses and property. The Queen was deposed on January 17, 1893, and a provisional government was instituted.
Republic of Hawaii is established
The administration of Grover Cleveland commissioned the Blount Report, and based on its findings, concluded that the overthrow of Liliuokalani was illegal and offered November 16, 1893 to give the throne back to her if she granted amnesty to everyone responsible. She initially refused, and it was reported that she said she would have them beheaded - she denied that specific accusation, but admitted that she intended them to suffer the punishment of death.[1] With this development, then-President Grover Cleveland sent the issue to the United States Congress. Although she changed her mind on December 18, 1893, and U.S. Minister Willis demanded her reinstatement by the Provisional Government, the Provisional Government refused. Congress responded to Cleveland's referral with another investigation, and submitted the Morgan Report by the U.S. Senate on February 26, 1894, which exonerated both Minister Stevens and the U.S. troops from any responsibility for the overthrow. On July 4, 1894, the Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed and Sanford B. Dole, one of the first people who originally called on the institution of the monarchy to be abolished, became President. The Republic of Hawaii was recognized immediately by the United States government, although Walter Q. Gresham, Cleveland's Secretary of State, remained antagonistic towards the new government.[2]
Abdication
Liliuokalani was arrested on January 16, 1895 (several days after a failed rebellion by Robert Wilcox) when firearms were found in the gardens of her home, of which she denied any knowledge. She was sentenced to five years of hard labor in prison and fined $5000, but the sentence was commuted to imprisonment in an upstairs bedroom of Iolani Palace until she was released in 1896, with the establishment of the Republic of Hawaii. After eight months, she abdicated her throne in return for the release of her jailed supporters. Failing in her appeals to the American government to regain her throne, she unsuccessfully entered against the federal government claims totaling $450,000 for property and other losses, making personal claim to the crown lands. The territorial legislature of Hawaii finally voted her an annual pension of $4,000 and permitted her to receive the income from a sugar plantation of 6,000 acres (24 km²). She went home to Washington Place, where she lived as a private citizen until her death in 1917 due to complications from a stroke. She was 79.
Annexation
Along with Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, Hawaii was annexed to the United States as a result of the Spanish-American War through a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1898. Cuba, where the precipitating event of the war occurred (the explosion of the battleship USS Maine in Havana), was never annexed by the United States.
Legacy
Liliuokalani was an accomplished author and songwriter. Her book, Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, gave her view of the history of her country and her overthrow. Some of her best-known musical compositions include the song, Aloha Oe.
Footnotes and citations
- ↑ Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, CHAPTER XL
- ↑ The Pacific Historical Review, Vol. 52, No. 3 (Aug. 1983), pp. 292-311 "Morality and Spite: Walter Q. Gresham and U.S. Relations with Hawaii"
External links
- "Queen Lydia Liliuokalani", Retrieved April 4, 2007.
| Preceded by: Kalākaua as King of Hawaii |
Leader of Hawaii 1891 - 1893 |
Succeeded by: Sanford B. Dole as President of the Republic of Hawaii |
| Monarchs of Hawaiʻi | Kingdom of Hawai'i | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Kamehameha I | Kamehameha II | Kamehameha III | Kamehameha IV Kamehameha V | Lunalilo | Kalākaua | Liliʻuokalani | |
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