Kingdom of Hawaii

The Kingdom of Hawai‘i was established in 1810 upon the unification of the smaller independent chiefdoms of O‘ahu, Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i and the Big Island of Hawai‘i through swift and bloody battles, led by a warrior chief who later would be immortalized as Kamehameha the Great. Kamehameha failed to secure a victory in Kaua‘i, his effort hampered by a storm. Eventually, Kaua‘i's chief swore allegiance to Kamehameha's rule. The unification ended the feudal society of the Hawaiian islands transforming it into a "modern", independent constitutional monarchy crafted in the tradition of European empires.

Royal estates

Early in its history, the Kingdom of Hawai‘i was governed from several locations including coastal towns on the islands of Hawai‘i and Maui (Lahaina). It wasn't until the reign of Kamehameha III that a capital was established in Honolulu on the Island of O‘ahu.

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By the time Kamehameha V was king, he saw the need to build a royal palace fitting of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i's new found prosperity and standing with the royals of other nations. He commissioned the building of the palace at Ali‘iolani Hale. He died before it was completed. Today, the palace houses the Supreme Court of the State of Hawai‘i.

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David Kalākaua shared the dream of Kamehameha V to build a palace for all the same reasons. He commissioned the construction of ‘Iolani Palace from which he and his successor would govern. In later years, the palace would become his sister's makeshift prison under guard by the U.S. Armed Forces, the site of the official raising of the U.S. flag during annexation, and then the site of the territorial governor's and legislature's offices.

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Palaces

• ‘Āinahau, Home of Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani
• Ali‘iolani Hale, Originally designed as a Palace for Kamehameha V, although Kamehameha V later decided to convert the building into a government building during construction
• Hanaiakamalama, Summer Palace of Queen Emma
• Hulihe‘e Palace, Palace of Princess Ruth
• Keōua Hale, Palace of Princess Ruth
• ‘Iolani Palace, Palace of the Kalākaua Dynasty

Royal grounds

• Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew
• Kawaiaha‘o Church
• Royal Mausoleum
• Washington Place