Kalanikūpule (1760–1795) was the Mōī of Maui and King of
Oahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
. He was the last king to physically fight with
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 ...
over the Hawaiian Islands. Kalanikūpule was the last of the longest line of '' aliʻi nui'' in the Hawaiian Islands. In Hawaiian his name means "the heavenly prayer of Kū".
Early life
Kalanikūpule was the eldest son of
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 on ...
and his wife Kauwahine. His father had gained control all of the Hawaiian Islands except 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 ...
. His father had overthrown the king of Oahu and had established his base at
Waikīkī
Waikiki (; haw, Waikīkī; ; also known as Waikiki Beach) is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii.
Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, which is one of six beaches in the district ...
. Kamehameha declared war on Maui and fought Kalanikūpule at the Battle of Kepaniwai. Kalanikūpule, facing imminent defeat, fled over a narrow mountain pass along with his high chiefs, and they sailed to Oahu. Kahekili began his war preparations. Kamehameha's troops returned to Hawaii Island, and soon Kahekili was able to gain Maui Molokai back. In July 1794 Kahekili died.
Reign
Following the death of his father, Kalanikūpule took Oahu while his uncle Kaeokulani gained control of Maui, Lānai, and Molokai. When his uncle decided to visit his wife's home on Kauai, he sailed from Maui by way of Oahu, taking his army with him. When his uncle reached Oahu he stopped at Waimanalo. Disputes — partly over inheritance of the Kingdom of Maui — arose between him and Kalanikūpule, resulting in war. Kalanikūpule was in a desperate situation.
At this time, three foreign ships arrived. Two of these vessels, the ''
Jackal
Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...
'' and the ''
Prince Lee Boo
Prince Lee Boo or Lebu (1764 – 27 December 1784) was the second son of Abba Thulle (Ibedul), the ruler of Koror in the Pelew Islands, now called Palau. Prince Lee Boo was one of the first people from the Pacific Islands to visit Great Britain. W ...
'' were
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
sloops under the command of Captain William Brown and Captain Robert Gordon. The third vessel, the ''
Lady Washington
''Lady Washington'' is a ship name shared by at least four different 80-100 ton-class Sloop-of-war and merchant sailing vessels during two different time periods. The original sailed during the American Revolutionary War and harassed British shi ...
'', was an American
snow
Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
with Captain John Hendrick in command. These were not strangers in the islands as foreign trading vessels were frequent visitors to Hawaii. It was Captain Brown who was given credit for discovering the harbor of
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
and naming it '' Fair Haven''. Jackal and Prince Lee Boo were the tenders to the ship Butterworth, and were the first Western vessels to enter Honolulu harbor.
Kalanikūpule asked Captain Brown for assistance to his army. The Captain decided to help him, as did the two mates of the ''Jackal'' and the ''Prince Lee Boo''. These men aided Kalanikūpule’s force in what was later called the Battle of Kalauao. The muskets of the sailors drove Kaeo’s warriors into hills that overshadowed Honolulu. They finally retreated into a little
ravine
A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.ahu ula'', his scarlet and yellow
feather cloak
Feather cloaks have been used by several cultures.
Hawaii
Elaborate feather cloaks called '' ʻahuʻula'' were created by early Hawaiians for the '' alii'' ( royalty).
Feathers were also used in women's skirts called ''pāū''.
The ''iiw ...
, and fired at Kaeo from their boats in the harbor to show his position to Kalanikūpule’s men. The Oahu warriors killed Kaeo along with his wives and chiefs.
This was a successful move, and the battle ended with Kalanikūpule as the victor. Captain Brown fired a salute to celebrate the victory. At least one gun was loaded with shot which pierced the side of the American ship ''Lady Washington'', killing Captain Hendrick and several of his crew.
Encouraged by the victory over his uncle, Kalanikūpule decided to acquire the ''Jackal'' and the ''Prince Lee Boo'' and military hardware to aid in his attack on Kamehameha on the island of Hawai'i. Kalanikūpule killed Brown and Gordon and abducted the remainder of his crew.
Kalanikūpule's demise
Kalanikūpule planned an immediate attack on the island of Hawaii. The crews of the two ships were ordered to get the ships ready to sail. This was done. He, his wife, and their retinue then went on board and took possession of their new vessels. The two mates of the English ships decided that they, with their crews, would try to recapture the ships. This was a daring venture, but they succeeded. The natives were either killed or driven from the ships, with the exception of Kalanikūpule and his queen and their personal attendants. Near dawn, the ships were put out to sea. While still ashore, the king and queen were placed in a canoe and set afloat. The ships sailed on to the island of Hawaii, where the two mates secured supplies. They left a letter for
John Young John Young may refer to:
Academics
* John Young (professor of Greek) (died 1820), Scottish professor of Greek at the University of Glasgow
* John C. Young (college president) (1803–1857), American educator, pastor, and president of Centre Col ...
and Isaac Davis, informing to them of the situation on Oahu, and sailed at once for Canton.
Knowing his enemy's disadvantage, Kamehameha used his strong army and his fleet of canoes and small ships to conquer Maui, Lānai, and Molokai from Kalanikūpule's rule in 1794. Kamehameha's next target was the Kalanikūpule's base at Oahu. As Kamehameha prepared for war, one of his former allies, a chief named Kaʻiana, turned on him and joined forces with Kalanikūpule. Kamehameha's warriors and Kalanikūpule fought a great battle at the summit of Nuuanu Pali which is known as the Battle of Nuuanu. Following his defeat, Kalanikūpule hid in the mountains for several months before being captured and sacrificed to Kamehameha's war god, Kū-ka-ili-moku. His death brought the end of the Kingdom of Maui.Cultural History of Three Traditional Hawaiian Sites (Chapter 4) /ref>