Kapiolani
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kapiʻolani | |
|---|---|
| Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands | |
 |
|
| Reign | 12 Feb 1874 — 20 Jan 1891 |
| Spouse | Prince Bennett Namekeha King David Kalākaua |
| Full name | |
| Esther Julia Kapiʻolani or Esther Julia Kapiʻolani Napelakapuokakaʻe | |
| Titles and styles | |
| HM The Queen HRH The Queen Dowager |
|
| Royal house | House of Kalakaua Royal House of Kauai |
| Father | High Chief Kuhio Kalanianaʻole of Hilo |
| Mother | Princess Kekaulike Kinoiki of Kauai |
| Born | 31 December 1834 Hilo, Hawaiʻi |
| Died | 24 June 1899 (aged 64) Pualeilani, Waikiki |
| Burial | Mauna Ala Royal Mausoleum |
Kapiʻolani, Queen Consort of Hawaiʻi (1834–1899) formally Esther Julia Kapiʻolani or Esther Julia Kapiʻolani Napelakapuokakaʻe, was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
She was the granddaughter of Kaumualiʻi, the last king of the island of Kauaʻi before being ceded to the unified Hawaiian Islands governed by Kamehameha the Great. She was also the step-daughter of Queen Regent Kaʻahumanu. Her first marriage was to High Chief Benjamin Namakehaokalani or sometimes called Bennet Namakeha. He was a son of Keali'imaika'i, brother of Kamehameha the Great. He was 35 year older than Kapiolani. He was uncle of Queen Emma on her father George Naea's side. This make her the widow aunt of Queen Emma who later would never speak to her because of a quarrel between Emma and the Kalakauas.
She married Kalakaua after a period of courtship in December 8, 1863 in a secret ceremony. The reason of secrecy was because this was the mourning period after the death of Kamehameha IV. The news soon leaked out and their union was heavily critized by everyone. This would fuel Queen Emma's resentment of the Kalakauas and especially Kapiolani. This also canceled Kalakaua's engagement with Princess Victoria Kamamalu.
She and Kalakaua were childless so she and her sister Poomaikelani hanaied (adopted) their sister Victoria Kinoiki Kekaulike's three sons. Kapiolani took David and Jonah and Poomaikelani took Edward. David would find the House of Kawananakoa which would eventually succeed the House of Kalakaua.
She and Liliuokalani, Crown Princess at the time, traveled to London in 1887 representing Hawaiʻi in Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee celebrating her 50th year on the throne. It was one of the great social occasions of the century. She rode in a procession with the reigning families of the world, exhilarated to be in an environment where royalty was revered. But in Hawaii, the monarchy was under siege as the missionary prepare Kalakaua to sign the Bayonet Constitution.
Queen Esther Kapiʻolani's principal legacy was her establishment of the Kapiʻolani Maternity Hospital for native Hawaiian mothers. It survives today as the Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children. The premier park in Waikīkī also bears her name. Kapiʻolani Park was gifted to her by her husband, David Kalākaua, in honor of his wife. One of her noted compositions to Hawaiian music was a love song she written to her husband, called Ka Ipo Lei Manu, during Kalakaua's last departure from Hawaii to San Francisco.
"Julia" was derived from Kapiʻolani's motto — "Kulia i ka nuʻu" (Strive for excellence). Kulia also translates as Julia. Because of this many books show that her first name to be Julia. Esther Kapiʻolani is her true birthname.
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| Preceded by Queen Emma |
Consort of Hawaiʻi 1874 - 1891 |
Succeeded by Prince John Owen Dominis |
| Preceded by Queen Emma |
Queen Dowager of Hawaiʻi 1891 - 1899 |
Succeeded by Monarchy abolished |
