Alapaiwahine was a

Princess Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a subs ...

of the

Island of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of th ...

and great-grandmother of King David Kalākaua and Queen Lydia Liliuokalani. She was a ''Naha'' chiefess: the product of a rare father and daughter marriage uncommon in Hawaiian history.

Biography

She was probably born in the late 18th century prior to the landing of

Captain James Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and ...

on the Hawaiian Islands. She was born into the most powerful family in the island of Hawaii at the time. Her father was

Kalaninuiamamao Kalaninuiamamao (sometimes called Ka-I-i-Mamao or Kaeamamao) was a prince of the Big Island of Hawaii, or 1st Alii Nui of Kaū, an ancestor of the Queen Liliuokalani.District of Kaū, son of

Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku Keaweīkekahialiiokamoku (c. 1665 – c. 1725) was the king of Hawaii Island in the late 17th century. He was the great-grandfather of Kamehameha I, the first king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a progenitor of the House of Keawe. Biography He ...

and

Lonomaʻaikanaka Lonomaʻaikanaka was a Queen consort of Hawaii island in ancient Hawaii. She was also High Chiefess of Hilo by birth. She was also considered a Chiefess of Maui. Family Lonomaʻaikanaka was a daughter of High Chief Ahu-a-ʻI, belonging to the ...

. He was once in line to succeed, but due to the contention between him and his higher-ranking brother, Keeaumoku Nui, which led to a war that split the island of Hawaii into separate district kingdoms until

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. Th ...

, Keeaumoku’s grandson, united it and the rest of the major islands. The war between the two brothers gave a chance for his cousin, the King Alapai Nui, to take the throne. Alapai was a common name of the Alii family. Although her father lost the throne, her siblings soon regained power. Her brother Chief Kalaniōpuu a Kaiamamao ruled Kohala District,

Kona District Kona is a ''moku'' or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, known for its Kona coffee and the location of the Ironman World Championship Triathlon. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the ''moku'' ...

and Kaū which encompassed the western half of Hawaii island; her brother

Keawemauhili Keawemaʻuhili (1710–1790) was an important member of the Hawaiian nobility at the time of the founding of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a son of Kalaninuiamamao and his half-sister Kekaulike-i-Kawekiuonalani. He first married Ululani, the '' ...

married high chiefess

Ululani Ululani was a Hawaiian chiefess, 7th ''Aliʻi Nui'' (ruler) of Hilo Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaii. The population was 4 ...

of Hilo and became joint-ruler of Hilo alongside her. She was the first cousin once removed of the King

. Her husband was the High Chief Kepookalani, first cousin of Kamehameha, and they had two sons. Her sons were

Kamanawa II Kamanawa II known as Kamanawa Ōpio or Kamanawa Elua ( – October 20, 1840) was a Hawaiian high chief and grandfather of the last two ruling monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawaii, King David Kalākaua and Queen Lydia Makaeha Liliuokalani. His fa ...

(ca. 1785–1840) and Kapelakapuokakae. The

House of Kalākaua The House of Kalākaua, or Kalākaua Dynasty, also known as the Keawe-a-Heulu line, was the reigning family of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi between the assumption of King David Kalākaua to the throne in 1874 and the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokala ...

descends from her son Kamanawa. Kamawana II is sometimes called Kamanawa Ōpio (meaning "younger" or "junior" in the Hawaiian language).

References

{{reflist 18th-century births Year of death missing Royalty of the Hawaiian Kingdom House of Keawe