Knowra Kalākaua Kalākaua David Kalākaua was king of the Hawaiian Kingdom from 1874 until his death in 1891. His reign promoted Hawaiian cultural revival while facing growing foreign influence and political opposition.
Hawaiian Renaissance : A revival of Hawaiian language, arts, practices, and political identity, especially from the 1970s onward. Kalākaua’s patronage of hula, music, and Hawaiian traditions anticipated later cultural revitalization.
Lunalilo : The sixth monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, who reigned from 1873 until his death in 1874. Lunalilo’s death without an heir triggered the election that brought Kalākaua to the throne.
Bayonet Constitution : The 1887 constitution imposed on Kalākaua that curtailed royal powers and restricted voting rights. Armed pressure forced him to accept a document that sharply weakened the monarchy.
Liliʻuokalani : The last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, who reigned from 1891 until the 1893 overthrow. Kalākaua’s sister succeeded him and faced the crisis his reign had left unresolved.
Kalākaua's world tour : Kalākaua’s 1881 journey around the world, undertaken to encourage immigration and strengthen diplomatic ties. The trip made him the first reigning monarch widely recognized as having circled the globe.
Hula : A Hawaiian dance form that combines movement with chant or song to interpret stories and traditions. Kalākaua supported hula at a time when missionaries and their descendants had sought to suppress it.
Hawaiian royal election of 1874 : The legislative election in which Kalākaua defeated Queen Emma to become king of Hawaiʻi. The election established his claim to the throne and sparked unrest in Honolulu.
Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 : A trade agreement between the Hawaiian Kingdom and the United States that allowed Hawaiian sugar duty-free entry into the American market. Kalākaua’s government secured the treaty, expanding sugar exports and American economic influence.
Kapiʻolani : Queen consort of Hawaiʻi as the wife of Kalākaua and a prominent member of the royal family. She accompanied him on a celebrated 1881 visit to San Francisco and represented the kingdom abroad.
ʻIolani Palace : The royal residence in Honolulu completed in 1882 and used by Hawaiʻi’s monarchs until the monarchy ended. Kalākaua commissioned the palace as a modern seat of government and royal residence.
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