King Kalakaua - the 7th and last King of Hawaii
1836-1891 (Crowned 1874)
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King Kalakaua of the Hawaiian Islands visited Siam in May or June 1881, on his way from China to Europe. The Siamese Consul in Hong Kong telegrammed in advance, so on arrival at the mouth of the Chao Praya river, His Majesty King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) sent the royal yatch to greet the King of Hawaii. King Chulalongkorn was 28 at the time, and had been King for 13 years. He had heard of Hawaii, and knew the geography of the world, but he did not know any more details of the Hawaiian islands or its people. The Siamese King invited the King of Hawaii to stay a few days as his guest. The Hawaiian king remarked that Siam felt like home and he was able to enjoy the coconuts here that made him felt more at home. During the visit, he enjoyed the full Siamese hospitality, attended a State Dinner, met with members of the Royal Family including the last Maha Uparaja, and was presented with a Royal Decoration that is still proudly hang in the Throne Room of his `Iolani Palace in Honolulu. At that point in time, King Chulalongkorn has yet to embark on his historic journey to Europe, and he was fascinated by the Hawaiian king's viewpoint about the West.
Sadly, the two kings never met up again, and I'm not sure whether King Chulalongkorn knew about King Kalakaua's death in 1891, and the fate of the Kingdom of Hawaii and it's last Queen and Monarch.
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`Iolani Palace, Honolulu
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A Brief History
David Kalakaua was born in 1836 to High Chief Kapaakea and the Chiefess Keohokalole. He was trained in the military and as a lawyer, and served as the Kingdom's first Postmaster General. Following the death of King Lunalilo, he was elected king in 1874 at age 37. The coronation of King Kalakaua and his consort, Queen Kapi`olani, was held at the `Iolani Palace in 1883.
`Iolani Palace was built by and became the official residence of King Kalakaua from 1882 until his death in 1891. King Kalakaua celebrated his fiftieth birthday jubilee there with lavish entertainment. A less happy event at the palace was the political turmoil which led to the end of the Hawaiian monarchy in January of 1893, during the reign of his sister and successor, Queen Lili`uokalani.
(For more information on the King Kalakaua, please follow the link below)
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