Ka'iulani
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| Kaʻiulani | |
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| Crown princess of Hawaiʻi | |
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| Birth name | Victoria Kaʻiulani |
| Born | October 16, 1875 |
| Died | March 6, 1899 |
| Princess Kaʻiulani, was in line to become Queen of Hawaiʻi when her kingdom was overthrown. | |
Princess Kaʻiulani (October 16, 1875 – March 6, 1899) was heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and held the title of crown princess. Kaʻiulani became known throughout the world for her intelligence, beauty and determination. During the overthrow of her kingdom in 1893, she spearheaded a campaign to restore the monarchy by speaking before Congress and pleading with the President of the United States Benjamin Harrison and later Grover Cleveland. Her life story grew to legendary proportions after her untimely death.
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[edit] Early years
Victoria Kaʻiulani was born in Honolulu. It is through her mother that Kaʻiulani is descended from High Chief Kepoʻokalani, the first cousin of Kamehameha the Great. Kaʻiulani's father was a Scottish financier from Edinburgh and former Royal Governor of Oʻahu Archibald Cleghorn. Kaʻiulani was named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, whose help restored the sovereignty and independence of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi during the reign of Kamehameha III. The name Kaʻiulani translates from the Hawaiian language as the highest point of heaven. Upon her birth, Kaʻiulani was gifted the estate of ʻĀinahau in Waikīkī by her godmother. Kaʻiulani became mistress of ʻĀinahau at the age of 12 upon the death of her mother.
In 1881, King David Kalākaua tried to arrange a marriage between Kaʻiulani and Japan's Prince Komatsu Akihito in hopes of creating an alliance between Japan and the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. However, the prince declined, as he was already pre-arranged to marry a Japanese noble lady.
[edit] Education
Because Princess Kaʻiulani was second in line to the throne after her elderly and childless aunt, it was predicted that the young girl would eventually become Queen. King Kalākaua, Queen Kapiʻolani, Cleghorn, and the Princess talked about the issue and it was determined that it would be in the young Princess's best interests that she be given a British education. In 1889, at the age of 13, Kaʻiulani was sent to Northamptonshire, England to be given a private education at Great Harrowden Hall. She excelled in her studies of Latin, Literature, Mathematics, and History there. She continued to study in England for the next four years, despite the fact that she had originally been told that she would only be studying in Britain for one year. Her over-seers from Ha'waii had planned for her to take a trip around Europe and had even arranged for her to have an audience with Queen Victoria of England, but all was cancelled and she went to New York. In New York, she made many speeches and public appearences denouncing the annexation of her country. She later moved onto to Washington D.C, but none of her negotiations helped. The country was annexed.
[edit] Overthrow
During her absence, much turmoil occurred back in Hawaiʻi. King Kalākaua died in 1891 and Princess Lydia Liliʻuokalani became Queen. Liliʻuokalani immediately appointed Kaʻiulani as her heir, and Kaʻiulani became the Crown Princess. In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown. The news arrived to Kaʻiulani on January 30, 1893 in a short telegram that said: "'Queen Deposed', 'Monarchy Abrogated', 'Break News to Princess'".
Kaʻiulani decided to take action and traveled to the United States the following month. She traveled through New York City and Boston where she attended numerous press conferences and banquets. She then went to Washington DC where she met with President Grover Cleveland and his wife at the White House. She made a good impression and Cleveland promised to help her cause. Kaʻiulani felt satisfied that something would be done and returned to England. However, when Cleveland brought forth Kaʻiulani's case to Congress, the United States Senate refused to help. The situation in Hawaiʻi did not improve, and Kaʻiulani grew impatient. Over the next few years, Kaʻiulani remained in Europe. There, she received news in 1894 that her childhood friend and famed author, Robert Louis Stevenson, had died and that Hawaiʻi had become a republic. Her health slowly began to deteriorate. Kaʻiulani's health worsened when she learned that her half-sister, Annie Cleghorn, had died in 1897 and her guardian from England, Mr. Davies, had also died.
[edit] Late years
Kaʻiulani returned to Hawaiʻi in 1897. The return to a warmer climate did not help her health at all, as she had spent more than seven years in Europe. Her health continued to deteriorate as she struggled to readjust to the subtropical climate of the Hawaiian islands. However, she continued to make public appearances at the urging of her father.
Kaʻiulani was famous for her love of peacocks, and she kept the animals on her estate. For this reason, another name for her is the "Peacock Princess." When she died, it was said that her peacocks screamed.
In 1898, while on a horse ride in the mountains of Hawaiʻi Island, she got caught in a storm and shortly came down with a fever. Kaʻiulani was brought back to the Oʻahu where her health continued to decline. She died on March 6, 1899 at the age of 23.
Some Native Hawaiians believe that Kaʻiulani died of a broken heart, having suffered many losses in her life. Her father also said that he thought that since Hawaiʻi was gone, it was fitting for Kaʻiulani to go as well.
[edit] After death
After her death, her aunt, the deposed Queen Liliʻuokalani, recognized another relative, David Kawānanakoa as the heir of Hawaiian Royal House, and adopted him.
In 1999, a bronze statue cast by Jan Gordon Fisher was dedicated in the triangle park at Kanekapolei and Kuhio Avenues in Waikīkī, Honolulu. Also see the true to life Royal Diaries Series book written about her early life, starting shortly before she went to study in Britain. It is entitled Kaiulani, the People's Princess, Hawaii, 1889, By: Ellen Emerson White.
