The Hawaiian Monarchy by Allan Seiden

The Hawaiian Monarchy tells the extraordinary story of the Hawaiian Kingdom, from its foundations in its ali’i past to itsoverthrow in 1898. Its eight kings and queens reigned over a turbulent century thatencompassed the Western discovery of theIslands, clashes between world powers, the arrival of the missionaries, the devastating effects of foreign diseases, and massive and irrevocable cultural transformation. Theirs are personal stories powered by the forces of history, rich with intrigue, tragedy, and inspiration, played out against a background of royal pageantry and splendor.

In the millennia before Western contact, canoeborne Polynesians reached the Islands across vast distances of Pacific Ocean and created a Hawaiian culture that was distinctive, vibrant, self-reliant, and sophisticated. Over the centuries, a class of great ruling chiefs emerged, the ali’i nui, who controlled whole islands, delegating rule over commoners to lesser, local chiefs.was swayed toward British interests; Kamehameha V (Lot), “the last great chief of the olden type,” died without naming an heir to the throne.

Deeply researched and richly illustrated, and including images from the author’s own archives, The Hawaiian Monarchy paints a colorful and multidimensional picture of life in old Hawai’i and the nineteenth century, weaving together biography, history, and culture to bring Hawai’i’s royal past to life. A chronology of events, full index, and list of major personages is included for ease of reference.