Hawaii: Rulers: 1810-1893

The royal title in Hawaiian is included in generic form. Additional information is included in the Notes.

Aliʻi (Mōʻī) o kō Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (King of the Hawaiian Islands)
c. 1810 - 8 May 1819	Kamehameha I [1]
c. 15 May 1819 - 14 Jul 1824	Kamehameha II [2] personal name: Liholiho
6 Jun 1825 - 15 Dec 1854	Kamehameha III [3][4] personal name: Kauikeaouli
Kuhina Nui (ex officio) [5]
15 Dec 1854 - 15 Dec 1854	Keoni Ana ʻōpio (John Young, Jr.)
Aliʻi (Mōʻī) o kō Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (King of the Hawaiian Islands)
15 Dec 1854 - 30 Nov 1863	Kamehameha IV personal name: Alexander Liholiho
Kuhina Nui (ex officio) [5]
30 Nov 1863 - 30 Nov 1863	Wikolia (Victoria) Kamāmalu Kaʻahumanu (Kaʻahumanu IV)
Mōʻī o kō Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (King of the Hawaiian Islands)
30 Nov 1863 - 11 Dec 1872	Kamehameha V personal name: Loka (Lot) Kamehameha
‘Aha Kuhina (Cabinet Council)
11 Dec 1872 - 9 Jan 1873	Ferdinand William Hutchison
11 Dec 1872 - 9 Jan 1873	Robert Stirling
11 Dec 1872 - 9 Jan 1873	Stephen Henry Phillips
Mōʻī o kō Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (King of the Hawaiian Islands)
9 Jan 1873 - 3 Feb 1874	Lunalilo [6] personal name: William Charles Lunalilo
‘Aha Kuhina (Cabinet Council)
3 Feb 1874 - 13 Feb 1874	Edwin Oscar Hall
3 Feb 1874 - 13 Feb 1874	Charles Reed Bishop
3 Feb 1874 - 13 Feb 1874	Robert Stirling
3 Feb 1874 - 13 Feb 1874	Albert Francis Judd
Mōʻī o kō Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina (King of the Hawaiian Islands)
13 Feb 1874 - 20 Jan 1891	Kalākaua [7][8] personal name: David Kalākaua
Mō‘ī Wahine o kō Hawai‘i Pae ‘Āina (Queen of the Hawaiian Islands)
29 Jan 1891 - 17 Jan 1893	Liliʻuokalani [9] personal name: Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha a Kapaʻakea; baptised: Lydia

The death of Kamehameha I occurred at about 03:00 on 8 May 1819 at Kailua on the island of Hawaiʻi (Vaji), according to an entry in the diary of Francisco de Paula Marín, who had been summoned to treat the king. Following the death of Kamehameha, Marín was ordered to leave Kailua and sailed to the island of Oʻahu. The local accounts, cited by Jarves (1843), pp. 213-215, and Kamakau (1961), p. 219, state that Liholiho was proclaimed king at Kailua on 20 (or 21) May 1819. However, Marín records the arrival on Oʻahu of Kaʻahumanu, the widow of Kamehameha I and newly appointed Kuhina Nui, on 17 May 1819. It is therefore highly improbable that she would have departed Kailua prior to the installation of Liholiho, which must have taken place around 15 May 1819. The discrepancy might be due to a confusion over the calendars, with theoral histories, referring not to 21 May, but to the 21st of the lunar month, corresponding to 14 (or 15) May.
Kamehameha II sailed from Honolulu on 27 Nov 1823 and traveled to England, where he died in London on 14 Jul 1824. News of the king's death reached Hawaii and was communicated to the royal family on 9 Mar 1825. A delegation of Hawaiian nobles who had accompanied Kamehameha II to England returned to Honolulu with his body on 6 May 1825, thereby formally confirming the demise of the throne. His designated successor, Kauikeaouli, was confirmed as king at a meeting of chiefs on 6 Jun 1825.
During the absence of Kamehameha II and the minority of Kamehameha III, royal authority was exercised by the Kuhina Nui Kaʻahumanu II. Kamehameha III gradually assumed authority and formally asserted his precedence at a ceremony held on 15 Mar 1833, while Kaʻahumanu II retained her office as Kuhina Nui.
Following the provisional cession of the Hawaiian Islands to George Paulet, who purported to act as the representative of the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a British Commission was established to administer the government's foreign relations and to oversee the matters described as "arrangements among Foreigners." In practice, the Commission assumed an authority that ultimately superseded that of the Hawaiian royal government:

British Commission for the Government of the Sandwich Islands

28 Feb 1843 - 31 Jul 1843

George Paulet (commonly known as Lord George Paulet)

28 Feb 1843 - 4 Mar 1843

Duncan Forbes Mackay

28 Feb 1843 - 11 May 1843

Gerrit Parmele Judd

28 Feb 1843 - 31 Jul 1843

John James Bartholomew Edward Frere

The Commission was established by a proclamation of Lord George Paulet on 25 Feb 1843 and confirmed on 27 Feb 1843. Its membership included King Kamehameha III, who was permitted to appoint a deputy. The Recorder and Translator for the Government of Hawaii Gerrit P. Judd was confirmed as the king's representative on 27 Feb 1843, and the Commission held its inaugural meeting on 28 Feb 1843. Following the resignations of Mackay and Judd, Lord Paulet and Royal Navy Lt. Frere remained the sole members, serving until 31 Jul 1843.
In accordance with Article 47 of the Constitution of 1852, the Kuhina Nui was entrusted with the exercise of royal functions during a vacancy, which ended with the proclamation of a new king.
Lunalilo was elected by the ʻAhaʻōlelo (Legislative Assembly) on 8 Jan 1873 and took the oath of office on 9 Jan 1873.
Kalākaua was elected by the ʻAhaʻōlelo (Legislative Assembly) on 12 Feb 1874 and took the oath of office on 13 Feb 1874.
During the absences of Kalākaua, royal authority was exercised by regents: Kama Aliʻi (Prince) William Pitt Leleiohoku (17 Nov 1874 - 15 Feb 1875); Kama Aliʻi Wahine (Princess) Liliʻuokalani (20 Jan 1881 - 29 Oct 1881, 25 Nov 1890 - 29 Jan 1891). Kalākaua died in San Francisco, California, on 20 Jan 1891. The news of his death reached Honolulu on 29 Jan 1891. Liliʻuokalani took the oath of office at a meeting of the Privy Council and was proclaimed queen on the same day.
Liliʻuokalani was deposed on 17 Jan 1893 and signed her abdication on 24 Jan 1895.