HAWAIIAN ALEXANDER LOLANI LIHOLIHO BECOMES KING KAMEHAMEHA IV
Born February 9, 1834, in Honolulu, Liholiho was grandson of Kamehameha I and adopted son & heir of his uncle, Kamehameha III. Educated at the Royal School until age 14, he & brother, Lot (future Kamehameha V), were taken from school to expand their education through world travel. In 1856, 1-year after succeeding his uncle, he married Emma Rooke, a chiefess & great-grandniece of Kamehameha I. They had one son, Albert. Fearing the influence of the Americans, he sought a stronger relationship with Britain. Kamehameha IV also fought for public hospitals to care for Hawai’i’s sick & elderly. Lacking legislative backing, the king and his wife solicited funds for what is now Queen’s Medical Center—still a prominent hospital. On August 17, 1862, Prince Albert threw a temper tantrum. To cool him off, the king placed the boy under a cold-water faucet. Albert spotted a high fever and died within 10 days. The king, consumed by guilt, withdrew from public life. On November 30, 1863, he died unexpectedly.
Source: “Alexander Liholiho: Kamehameha IV,” Aloha-Hawaii.com. Retrieved 7/26/2022, Aloha-Hawaii.com: Alexander Liholiho: Kamehameha IV (archive.org) Photo: Henry L. Chase?, between 1855-63. Public Domain. Source: Hawaii State Archives. Call Number: PP-97-8-006
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