Queen Lydia Liluokalani
Born: September 2, 1838
Died: November 11, 1917
Ruled: January 20, 1891 - November 11, 1917
Her Birth and Childhood
Lydia Kamakaeha was born in Honolulu
on September 2, 1838. She was adopted
shirtly after her birth by Abner Paki and his wife Laura Konia,
a grandaughter of King Kamehameha I. After she was
adopted she was known as Lydia Liliuokalani Paki and
sometimes as Lydia Kamakaeha Paki.
She grew up alongside the Paki's natural daughter
Princess Bernice Pauahi.
Her Marriage
The future Queen Liliuokalani married John
Owen Dominis on September 16, 1862. They never
had any children but she named her sister's daughter
Princess Victoria Kaiulani as her heir.
Unfortunatley Princess Kaiulani died at the
young age of 23, but she lived long enough to witness
the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Becoming Heir to the Thrown
Liliuokalani became heir to the Hawaiian thrown
When her brother, King David Kalakaua, became King.
She became queen at age 50 when King Kalakaua
died on January 17, 1891. Her neice and heir,
Princess Kaiulani, was bout 16 at the time.
Attempt to Restore Power to the Monarchy
Liliuokalani was unpopular among Hawaii residents
who wanted to become part of the United States because
she believed Hawaii should be for the Hawaiians and
she was not willing to give as much power to
foreign businesses and governments as some of the
Hawaiian Kings had before her.
Shortly after becoming queen, she tried to
replace the existing "Bayonet Constitution"
with a new Hawaii Constitution that would
restore more powers to the Hawaiian monarchy.
Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy.
The Hawaiian subjects who opposed her (who were primarily
of European ancestry) declared that by trying to overturn
Hawaii's constitution she had abdicated her duties
as queen. She was deposed on January 17, 1893 and
a provisional government of Hawaii was installed.
A report commissioned by U.S. President Grover
Cleveland concluded that the overthrow of the
hawiian monarchy was illegal and on November 16,
1893 he offered to give the thrown back to her if
she would grant amnesty to every one involve din
the overthrow. She initially declined and said they would
be subject to the death penalty. She changed
her mind about amonth later, but it was too late.
On July 4, 1894 the "Republic of Hawaii" was
proclaimed and Sanford B. Dole became its first
President. The United States immediately recognized
the new government.
Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy.
n 1895, a group of native Hawaiians led
by Robert Wilcox, tried to return the queen to power.
After several days of fighting they were captured.
Weapons were found buried in the Queen's flower garden
and she was arrested and held for eight months as a
prisoner in a room of the Iolani Palace. She was charged
with not reporting treason. She was found guilty and
sentenced to pay a $5000 fine and five years at hard labor,
but the sentence was never carried out. She abdicated
the throne in 1895.
Retirement and Death
The territorial ligislature of Hawaii gave the
former queen an annual income of $4000 per year
and she lived at her family home, Washington Place,
until she died of a stroke on
on November 11, 1917 at age 79.
Books About Lydia Liluokalani
Betrayal of Liliuokalani: Last Queen of Hawaii
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Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
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Last Hawaiian Queen: Liliuokalani
See also:
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Statue of Queen Liliuokalani in Honolulu
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Liliuoklanai Gardens on Hilo Bay
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Other Rulers of the Hawaiian Kingdom
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The Hawaiian Royal Family
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