| Kapiʻioho o ka lani of Oʻahu | |
|---|---|
| Aliʻi Aimoku of Oʻahu | |
| Reign | 1730–1737 |
| Predecessor | Kūaliʻi |
| Successor | Kanahaokalani |
| Father | Kūaliʻi |
| Mother | Kalanikahimakeialiʻi |
Kapiʻioho o kalani (died 1737) was a ruler (the Aliʻi Aimoku) of Oʻahu island 1730–1737. His unsuccessful war campaign indicates a warlike nature inherited from his father, uncommon in the otherwise peaceful Oʻahu chiefs.
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He was probably born with the name Kapiʻioho in the early 18th century.[1] His father was Kūaliʻi, ruler (Aliʻi Aimoku) of Oʻahu island. His mother was High Chiefess Kalanikahimakeialiʻi of Maui, whose parents were Kaulahea II, King of Maui and Kalaniomaiheuila, both children of Lonohonuakini, king of Maui. He had two siblings: a sister Kukuiaimakalani and a brother Peleioholani.
When Kūaliʻi died in 1730, the lands were split into two parts: Kapiʻioho became ruler of Oʻahu island, and his brother Peleioholani,became ruler of Kauaʻi island. It is most likely that since Oʻahu was Kūaliʻi's ancestral home, it was the more desirable part. The suffix "o kalani" was added to his name, which literally means "from the heavens" in the Hawaiian language[2] to indicate a powerful leader, or one with a royal family background. Since only oral histories are available of that time, his name is often spelled as a single word with some of the double letters combined. For example, Kapiohookalani or Kapiiohokalani.[3]
Kapiʻioho wanted to subject the neighboring island of Molokaʻi to his rule as his father once had. Soon after the death of Kekaulike of Maui (who controlled Molokaʻi at the time) and the accession of his son, Kamehamehanui, Kapiʻioho thought the time was right and invaded the island with a large force. However, he did not know that Alapainui from the island of Hawaiʻi had set off to battle Kekaulike prior to the old chief's death. Alapainui made peace instead with his half-sister Queen Dowager Kekuiawpoiwa I and his nephew Kamehamehanui. News reached the court of Maui that several Molokaʻi chiefs were attacked and took refuge in the mountains, while their lowlands and fishponds were ravaged by the invaders, who made their headquarters at the area called Kalamaula, and occupied the southern coast of the island from the present-day town of Kaunakakai west to the Naiwa area.[3]
When the intelligence reached Alapainui he went to Molokaʻi to assist the distressed chiefs. Some of them were his near relatives, sons and grandsons of Keawe II with his Molokaʻi wife Kanealai. He crossed the Pailolo channel and landed his fleet on the southeast Molokaʻi coast from Waialua to Kaluaʻaha. After landed his army, he marched to Kamalo, and at Kapualei met the forces of Kapiʻioho. The fight lasted for four days without any decisive result; but since Kapiʻioho retreated to Kawela, it is presumed that he suffered most. On the fifth day the battle was renewed at Kawela, extending as far as Kamiloloa. The Hawaiian troops ranked along the seashore, and the Molokaʻi chiefs descended from the uplands with their men. Kapiʻioho was hemmed in between, and after a fierce battle from morning through late afternoon, he was completely routed with great loss of life, and himself slain. Those who escaped from the battle fled back to Oʻahu.[4]:70
Among the Oʻahu chiefs in this battle under Kapiʻioho were Kauakahialiikapu, Kuihewakaokoa, Kaihikapu-a-Mahana, Kaweloikiakulu, Lononuiakea, who commanded the left wing of the Oʻahu army, and Kahoowahakananuha, Kahooalani, Hua, and Molokaʻi, who commanded the right wing; the center commanded by Kapiʻioho in person. Kalanikupua-keoua and Kalaniʻōpuʻu commanded under Alapainui. Bones from this battle were left in the sandy plain, sometimes uncovered by the wind many years later. The size of the two armies is not mentioned in the legend; but from the multitude of bones, the numbers on each side are estimated in thousands.[3]
The legends are silent as to Kapiʻioho's wife, but his son Kanahaokalani was a child of about six when his father died, and appears to have only survived him about one year. In the war between Alapainui of Hawaii and Kauhiaimoku, the revolted brother of Kamehamehanui of Maui, Peleioholani, succeeded his nephew as ruler of Oʻahu, and went with his fleet to Maui to assist Kauahi against Alapainui..[3]
| Preceded by Kualii |
Aliʻi Aimoku of Oʻahu 1730–1737 |
Succeeded by Kanahaokalani |
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