Royal Family mourning Keopuolani's death (right side)

Kaukuna Kahekili, often called Kehikili or Kehikiri in earlier sources, was a Hawaiian high chief during the early period of the

Kingdom of Hawaii The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...

. His parentage and ancestry are disputed. Most source said he was descended from the Kings of Maui, although it doesn't tell how. While another source claim that not only was he descended from the last king of Maui, probably

Kalanikūpule Kalanikūpule (1760–1795) was the Alii nui of Maui, Mōī of Maui and King of Oahu, Oahu. He was the last king to physically fight with Kamehameha I over the Hawaiian Islands. Kalanikūpule was the last of the longest line of ''aliʻi nui'' in th ...

Kahekili II Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiʻahumanu, (c. 1737–1794) was an ali'i (''Moʻi'') of Maui. His name was short for Kāne-Hekili after the Hawaiian god of thunder. Because Kāne-Hekili was believed to be black on one side, Kahekili tattooed o ...

, but that he had Spanish blood in his vein, citing the legend of a shipwreck Spanish captain and his daughter who married into the aliʻi class. One source says he was the son of Kawelookalani and

Peleuli Peleuli ( fl. 19th century), formally Peleuli-i-Kekela-o-kalani, was a Queen consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii as a wife of king Kamehameha I. Biography She was a daughter of High Chief Kamanawa and High Chiefess Kekelaokalani. Her father, alon ...

. Peleuli was the daughter of High Chief

Kamanawa ''For other persons with this name, please see Kamanawa II.'' Kamanawa (died c. 1802?) was a Hawaiian high chief and early supporter of King Kamehameha I, known as one of the royal ''Nīʻaupiʻo'' twins with his brother Kameeiamoku. He later bec ...

, one of the royal twin and trusted advisor of

Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...

, and his wife Kekelaokalani. Peleuli was a former queen of Kamehameha I. Kawelookalani's was Kamehameha's half-brother and son of High Chief

Keōua Keōua Kalanikupuapaīkalaninui Ahilapalapa, sometimes called Keōua Nui ("Keōua the Great") (died c. 1750s–1760s) was an Ancient Hawaiian noble and the father of Kamehameha I, the first King of united Hawaii. He was progenitor of the Ho ...

kupuapāikalani and High Chiefess Kamakaeheukuli. He had a brother by the name of Kaiko (sometimes written Kakio) who later married

Haʻaheo Kaniu Haʻaheo Kaniu or Kaniuʻopiohaʻaheo (late 18th century – ) was a high chiefess (aliʻi) and member of the royal family of the Hawaiian Kingdom. She was also known as Lydia Haʻaheo Kaniu. Genealogy and family Haʻaheo Kaniu was born i ...

, the future foster mother of

Kalākaua Kalākaua (David Laʻamea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua; November 16, 1836 – January 20, 1891), sometimes called The Merrie Monarch, was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kin ...

. They became the ''punahele'' of close companions of

Kamehameha II Kamehameha II (November 1797 – July 14, 1824) was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu ʻIolani. It was lengthened to Kalani Kaleiʻaimoku o Kaiwikapu o Laʻ ...

. He and his brother had absolutely no power and served no significant governmental post under Queen Kaʻahumanu or King Kamehameha II. Although Kahekili led an army of a thousand men alongside

Hoapili Ulumāheihei Hoapili (c. 1775 – January 3, 1840) was a member of the nobility during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a trusted military and political advisor to King Kamehameha I, known as "Kamehameha the Great". Although trusted w ...

and

Kaikioʻewa Kaikioʻewa ( - April 10, 1839) was a cousin of Kamehameha I and the first governor of Kauai The Governor of Kauai ( haw, Kiaaina o Kauai) was the Governor, royal governor or viceroy of the Kauai, island of Kauai and Niʻihau, island of Niihau dur ...

to reinforce

Kalanimoku William Pitt Kalanimoku or Kalaimoku ( – February 7, 1827) was a High Chief who functioned similarly to a prime minister of the Hawaiian Kingdom during the reigns of Kamehameha I, Kamehameha II and the beginning of the reign of Kamehameha III. ...

and Kahalaiʻa Luʻuanu in Kauaʻi against

Humehume Humehume (c. 1798–1826), known by many different names during his time, such as George Prince, George Prince Kaumualii, Tamoree or Kumoree by American writers, was a son of the king of part of the Hawaiian Islands. He traveled widely, served in t ...

and his rebels in 1824. Placed in charge of small

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

Lahaina Lahaina ( haw, Lāhainā) is the largest census-designated place (CDP) in West Maui, Maui County, Hawaii, United States and includes the Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a resident population of 12,702. Laha ...

under Governor Hoapili, he was noted as a stern warrior with great strength and many battle scars – "a savage in countenance, in form and muscle ... a perfect

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

" – and was a greatly trusted member of court. Kahekili was one of the founding members of the House of Nobles in 1841. His name was mentioned in the

1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii The 1840 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom titled was the first fully written constitution for the Hawaiian Kingdom. The need for a constitution was originally intended as a manner of laws set forth to control the Native Hawaiian population wi ...

. Kahekili married Kahakuhaʻakoi Wahinepio as her fourth husband. They had no known children. He converted to Christianity in the 1820s alongside many of his relatives. He died in the 1840s and willed all his lands to his stepdaughter

Kekauʻōnohi Keahikuni Kekauʻōnohi (c. 1805–1851) was a Hawaiian high chiefess who was a member of the House of Kamehameha. She was granddaughter to King Kamehameha I and one of the wives of Kamehameha II. Her Christian name is disputed; it is given as Mik ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kahekili, Kaukuna Royalty of the Hawaiian Kingdom House of Kekaulike 1840s deaths Hawaiian Kingdom politicians Members of the Hawaiian Kingdom House of Nobles Converts to Christianity from pagan religions Hawaiian military personnel Year of birth unknown