Kamehameha III | |||||
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King of the Hawaiian Islands | |||||
Reign | June 6, 1825 – December 15, 1854 | ||||
Predecessor | Kamehameha II | ||||
Successor | Kamehameha IV | ||||
Kuhina Nui | Kaʻahumanu I Kaʻahumanu II Kaʻahumanu III Keoni Ana | ||||
Born | Kauikeaouli March 17, 1814 Keauhou Bay at North Kona, Hawaiʻi island | ||||
Died | December 15, 1854 Hoihoikeʻea, Honolulu, Oʻahu | (aged 40)||||
Burial | [1][2] | January 10, 1855||||
Spouse | Kalama | ||||
Issue | Keaweaweʻulaokalani I Keaweaweʻulaokalani II Kīwalaʻō (illegitimate) Albert Kūnuiākea (illegitimate) Kamehameha IV (hānai) Kaʻiminaʻauao (hānai) | ||||
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House | Kamehameha | ||||
Father | Kamehameha I | ||||
Mother | Keōpūolani | ||||
Signature |
Kamehameha III (born Kauikeaouli) (March 17, 1814 – December 15, 1854) was the third king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweʻula Kīwalaʻō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweʻula Kīwalaʻō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kīwalaʻō i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.
Under his reign, Hawaii evolved from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy with the signing of both the 1840 Constitution, which was the first Hawaiian Language Constitution, and the 1852 Constitution. He was the longest reigning monarch in the history of the Kingdom, ruling for 29 years and 192 days, although in the early part of his reign he was under a regency by Queen Kaʻahumanu and later by Kaʻahumanu II. His goal was the careful balancing of modernization by adopting Western ways while keeping his nation intact.