Piʻilani was a political leader of ancient Hawaii. He ruled the island of Maui (and its smaller neighboring islands) as the 15th Moʻi of Maui. The time of King Piʻilani is synonymous with the Golden Age of Maui (16th–18th centuries). In poetic forms, the Island of Maui is sometimes called Na-Hono-A-Piʻilani.
Piʻilani was the 130th generation descendant of Wakea, the God of Light. In order to assure the parentage of a royal child, especially the first born, his father Kawaokanele ordered that his bride be secluded from all male company except himself until her pregnancy was assured. As the ancients tell that during this hymeneal seclusion of the Princess Kapa-laoa of O'ahu, Queen Consort of Maui, a strange incident occurred. In the early evening, the peace of the nuptial bower was shattered by the screams of Kapalaoa.
Under Hawaiian kapu warrior guards were forbidden (except under pain of death) to approach the Princess. Only her ladies-in-waiting could come to the aid of their queen. As they entered the darkened room, they beheld a fearsome sight.
Resting upon the prostate princess was a huge dragon-like lizard. This form was one traditionally used by the dreaded God of Power and Destruction. It was Kū in his physical manifestations. Even as the women watched, the dragon slowly rose in the semi darkness and disappeared. They were struck blind for their sacrilege in daring to behold a god.
When the Princess Kapa-laoa gave birth to a son he was given the name of Piʻilani, "the Ascent to Heaven", to memorialize the visitation of the divine Ku. This tradition bequeathed to the royalty of Maui, their claim of divine descent and also the belief that their kingdom could never be conquered except by a descendant of Kāne, god of life and creation. Kamehameha I whose birth signified his descent from the Kane lineage—did take the Kingdom of Maui.
Piʻilani unified East and West Maui. He built what is sometimes called the King's Highway, the first island-encircling trail in any of the islands. He build ceremonial architecture on a grand scale: Piʻilanihale, the largest heiau, or temple, in the Hawaiian Islands. He brought Maui’s rise to political prominence—which continued for two-and-a-half centuries until invasion and conquest by Kamehameha the Great.
Out of Piʻilani’s three royal unions, the most significant was to his high-born first cousin La‘ielohelohe. Her father, Kalamakua, was a high chief of O‘ahu. Her mother, Kelea—a celebrated surfer who was reputed to be the most beautiful woman on Maui—was the sister of Piʻilani's father. The union of Pi‘ilani and La‘ielohelohe produced four offspring, all of whom were to play consequential roles in Maui’s and Hawai‘i’s history.
Piʻilani resided occasionally in Hana and Wailuku, and made frequent tours throughout his kingdom to collect taxes, promote industry and enforce order, he ruled from the royal capital at Lahaina, where he was born and is known to have died. His Lahaina residence and the nearby fishpond Mokuhinia became identified with a moʻo (water deity), which inhabited the cavern beneath Mokuʻula island in Mokuhinia pond. Following her death, Piʻilani's daughter Kala‘aiheana was deified as Kihawahine, the moʻo guarding the royal family and their descendants. Moku‘ula became the most sacred royal symbol for the next three centuries even down to the days of Keopuolani and her sons Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III who used it as their capital.
| Preceded by Kawaokaohele |
Moʻi of Maui | Succeeded by Lono a Pi'ilani |