Keeaumoku Pāpaiahiahi
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Keeaumoku Pāpaiahiahi (c. 1736–1804) was a Hawaiian high chief and the father of Kaahumanu. He was the principal agent in elevating
Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; to May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii ...
to the throne of Hawaii and served in a capacity similar to commander in chief or Prime Minister. He is sometimes referred to as Keʻeaumoku II Pāpaʻiahiahi numbering Keʻeaumoku Nui as the first and his son as the third.


Life

His father was
Hawaii island Hawaii is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii, the southernmost state in the union. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of ...
chief
Keawepoepoe Keawepoepoe was the son and ''keiki aliʻi'' (prince or child of a chief) of aliʻi nui (great noble or king) Lonoikahaupu and aliʻi nui wahine (great noblewoman or queen) Kalanikauleleiaiwi who became father of the royal twins, Kamanawa and Kame ...
and his mother was Kūmaaikū. He was called Keeaumoku by the people which literally means the ''Island-climbing Swimmer''. Keeaumoku was a warlike and ambitious chief of the
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 Ironman World Championship Triathlon. In the administration of Hawaii County, the ''moku'' of Kona is divided into North Kon ...
of Hawaii island. He was among the first of five Kona chiefs to back
Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; to May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii ...
against his cousin Kiwalao. The four other Kona chiefs were: High Chief Kalua‘apana Keaweāheulu, Kamehameha’s uncle; Kekūhaupio, Kamehameha's warrior teacher; Kame'eiamoku and
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 be ...
, half-brothers of Keeaumoku on their father's side. In 1782, at the
Battle of Mokuōhai The Battle of Mokuʻōhai, fought in 1782 on the island of Hawaiʻi, was a key battle in the early days of Kamehameha I's wars to conquer the Hawaiian Islands. It was his first major victory, solidifying his leadership over much of the island. ...
near Keei, Kona, Keeaumoku led Kamehameha's warriors to victory, and Kīwalaō was killed. Kīwalaō was wearing an ''ahu ula'' (red
feather cloak Feather cloaks have been used by several cultures. It constituted noble and royal attire in and other Polynesian regions. It is a mythical bird-skin object that imparts power of flight upon the Gods in mythology and legend, including the accou ...
), which then became the property of Kamehameha (this feathered cloak is now in the collection of the Bishop Museum). One account states that the injured Keeaumoku Pāpaiaheahe crawled to Kīwalaō, who also had been injured, and then Keeaumoku Pāpaiaheahe slit the neck of Kīwalaō with a ''leiomano'' (shark-tooth weapon). He was commander-in-chief of Kamehameha's forces in most of his war campaigns. He served as Counsellor of State and was Kamehameha's prime minister. On his first visit of his Expedition of 1791–1795, Keeaumoku convinced
George Vancouver Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...
to trust Kamehameha, leading to two return visits and an important alliance with the British. Vancouver, who spelled his name "Kahowmotoo", left some goats and returned the next year to find them thriving. While preparing for an invasion of
Kauai island Kauai (), anglicized as Kauai ( or ), is one of the main Hawaiian Islands. It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauai lies 73 mi ...
against King Kaumualii, an epidemic called ''mai ōkuu'' (likely
cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
) infected King Kamehameha and many of his troops, killing thousands. Many of Kamehameha’s warriors died from the disease. Among them was Keeaumoku on March 21, 1804.


Family

He married Nāmāhānai Kaleleokalani, the widow queen of Kamehamehanui Ailuau, the late king of Maui. Namahana's brother, King
Kahekili II Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiʻahumanu, (–1794) was an () 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 one side of his body fr ...
, who was King of Maui, was displeased that Namahana had taken Keeaumoku for her husband, and he became Keeaumoku's enemy. The people, including Namahana, stood in great fear of him, so she hid their first-born child in a cave at Hāna, on Maui, at the very foot of the old battle hill, Kauiki. This child was Kaahumanu who would one day be the most powerful woman in the
Hawaiian Kingdom The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi, was an archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands. It was established in 1795 w ...
. He married his daughter to Kamehameha when she was only 13 year of age and she soon became Kamehameha's favourite wife. He and Namahana gave birth to two other daughters Kaheiheimālie and Namahana Piia who also married Kamehameha. His eldest son, also named Keeaumoku, served as Governor of Maui under the name George Cox Keeaumoku, and his youngest son
John Adams Kuakini John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini (1789–1844) was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for contributing to the infrastructure among other changes in the Kona District during this era ...
served as Governor of Hawaii Island and Oahu. He and his children were a most influential family of Hawaii in the beginning days of the
Hawaiian Kingdom The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi, was an archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands. It was established in 1795 w ...
. Keeaumoku's great-grandsons
Kamehameha IV Kamehameha IV (Alekanetero ʻIolani Kalanikualiholiho Maka o ʻIouli Kūnuiākea o Kūkāʻilimoku; Anglicisation, anglicized as Alexander Liholiho) (February 9, 1834 – November 30, 1863), reigned as the List of Hawaiian monarchs, fourth monar ...
,
Kamehameha V Kamehameha V (Lota Kapuāiwa Kalanimakua Aliʻiōlani Kalanikupuapaʻīkalaninui; December 11, 1830 – December 11, 1872), reigned as the fifth monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipaʻa": immovable, firm, s ...
and
Lunalilo Lunalilo (William Charles Lunalilo; January 31, 1835 – February 3, 1874) was the sixth monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from his election on January 8, 1873, until his death a year later. Born to Kekāuluohi and High Chief Charles Kanaʻin ...
ruled Hawaii from 1855 to 1874.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keeaumoku Papaiahiahi 1730s births 1804 deaths Royalty of the Hawaiian Kingdom Hawaii (island) Hawaiian Kingdom politicians Native Hawaiian politicians Governors of Maui Hawaiian military personnel