A learned intellectual and effective governmental leader, Lili‘uokalani was also a composer of at least 165 songs, the most famous being “Aloha ‘Oe”. You can listen to it here. 

In early 1893, Queen Lili‘uokalani tried to overrule the Bayonet Constitution with the introduction of a new constitution that would restore the power of the monarchy and voting rights of the economically disenfranchised. Threatened by this, the pro-American Western elites, bolstered by the landing of US Marines to protect American interests, overthrew the monarchy on January 17,1893.

Despite U.S. President Cleveland’s administration’s conclusion that the overthrow was illegal and condemnation of the use of U.S. troops in the takeover, the Republic of Hawai‘i was declared on July 4, 1894. Six months later, a rebellion was launched with the aim of restoring the queen and the monarchy. Its failure led to the arrest of many of the participants and monarchist sympathizers, including the queen herself. Imprisoned in an upstairs bedroom at Iolani Palace, she creatively broke through the embargo of political information around her by requesting daily hula performances. She was granted this seemingly innocent request, her captors oblivious to the updates and information conveyed to her each day through the dance! 

On January 24, 1895 Queen Liliʻuokalani abdicated her throne in return for the release (and commutation of the death sentences) of her jailed supporters, officially ending the deposed monarchy. The Hawaiian League met their ultimate goal in 1898 when the republic was annexed by the U.S.;  the territory became the 50th U.S. state in 1959.

In the years after her overthrow, Queen Lili‘uokalani dressed like most of her contemporaries in the late Victoria and Edwardian fashions of the day.  

King Kalākaua’s order of succession decreed Lili‘uokalani’s successor was to be his niece, Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani.

Ka‘iulani traveled to the U.K. in 1889 at age 13 to pursue a British education in the hopes it would better prepare her to become queen. During her studies abroad, news of her aunt’s deposition arrived and Crown Princess Ka‘iulani traveled to the U.S. to draw support of her Kingdom’s independence. Her education, articulation, and fashionable appearance endeared her to many despite the heavily racist attitudes of the time.

Her efforts were unfortunately in vain and she returned to Europe for a few more years of study before traveling home to Hawai‘i in 1897. As a way to help secure the line of succession for future generations,Queen Lili‘uokalani asked Princess Ka‘iulani to marry one of three men: Prince David Kawānanakoa, Prince Jonah Kūhiō, or Prince Komatsu Akihito (half-brother of Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito, who King Kalākaua tried to arrange a marriage with in 1881). Ka‘iulani chose Prince David Kawānanakoa but sadly, she died at age 23 in 1899 before they married.