1. Lunalilo was the sixth monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from his election on January 8,1873, until his death a year later.
21 Facts About Lunalilo
1. 2.
Lunalilo was grandnephew of Kamehameha I by blood and the monarch's stepson by marriage to his mother.
3.
Lunalilo was named after King William IV of the United Kingdom, a great friend of the Hawaiian royal family.
4.
Lunalilo was declared eligible to succeed by the royal decree of King Kamehameha III and sent to the Chief's Children's School when it was founded by missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke.
5.
Lunalilo wrote the song in fifteen minutes in a contest hosted by newspaper publisher Henry Whitney in 1862 for the birthday of Kamehameha IV.
6.
Lunalilo served on the Privy Council of State, the advisory council for the monarch, from 1863 to 1865, during the reign of his cousin King Kamehameha V He served on the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature, traditionally reserved for the high chiefs, from 1863 to 1872.
7.
Lunalilo was betrothed to his cousin Princess Victoria Kamamalu, a popular choice among the Hawaiian people except for Victoria's brothers.
8.
Lunalilo was governess of Hawaii and refused to speak English even though she was fluent in it.
9.
Lunalilo's genealogy was too controversial and few people considered her suitable to take the throne.
10.
Lunalilo issued the following message six days after the death of Kamehameha V:.
11.
Lunalilo urged the people of the Kingdom to have their voices heard.
12.
The popular vote was held on January 1,1873, and Lunalilo won by an overwhelming majority.
13.
When Lunalilo assumed the duties of the king, a huge change in the government's policy began to form.
14.
Lunalilo started by writing to the legislature, recommending that the constitution be amended.
15.
Lunalilo wanted to undo some changes that his predecessor had made when he enacted the 1864 Constitution.
16.
Lunalilo served in the House of Nobles from 1863 through 1872.
17.
Lunalilo wanted to add a provision to the constitution that required the king to include a written explanation to accompany any veto by the king.
18.
Lunalilo wanted cabinet ministers to be heard in the House of Representatives.
19.
King Lunalilo had some bad health habits; for example, he was an alcoholic.
20.
Around August 1873, Lunalilo contracted a severe cold which developed into pulmonary tuberculosis.
21.
Lunalilo's father requested a second funeral and a 21-gun salute from Kalakaua like during his first funeral.