From Lost Kingdom by Julia Flynn Siler

Queen Emma Rooke - An anglophile ali'i who married Kamehameha IV in 1856. As a widow, Emma sought the throne in a bitter contest in 1874 with David Kalakaua and warned against rising influence of American planters and merchants.

From Wikipedia

Emma was born on January 2, 1836 in Honolulu and was often called Emalani ("royal Emma"). Her father was High Chief George Naʻea and her mother was High Chiefess Fanny Kekelaokalani Young.[3] She was adopted under the Hawaiian tradition of hānai by her childless maternal aunt, chiefess Grace Kamaʻikuʻi Young Rooke, and her husband, Dr. Thomas C. B. Rooke.

Emma's father Naʻea was the son of High Chief Kamaunu and High Chiefess Kukaeleiki. Kukaeleiki was daughter of Kalauawa, a Kauaʻi noble, and she was a cousin of Queen Keōpūolani, the most sacred wife of Kamehameha I. Among Naʻea's more notable ancestors were Kalanawaʻa, a high chief of Oʻahu, and High Chiefess Kuaenaokalani, who held the sacred kapu rank of Kekapupoʻohoʻolewaikala (so sacred that she could not be exposed to the sun except at dawn).

On her mother's side, Emma was the granddaughter of John Young, Kamehameha I's British-born military advisor known as High Chief Olohana, and Princess Kaʻōanaʻeha Kuamoʻo. Her maternal grandmother, Kaʻōanaʻeha, was generally called the niece of Kamehameha I. Chiefess Kaʻōanaʻeha's father is disputed; some say she was the daughter of Prince Keliʻimaikaʻi, the only full brother of Kamehameha; others state Kaʻōanaʻeha's father was High Chief Kalaipaihala. This confusion is due to the fact that High Chiefess Kalikoʻokalani, the mother of Kaʻōanaʻeha, married both to Keliʻimaikaʻi and to Kalaipaihala. Through High Chief Kalaipaihala, she could be descended from Kalaniʻopuʻu, King of Hawaii before Kīwalaʻō and Kamehameha. King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani criticized Queen Emma's claim of descent from Kamehameha's brother, supporting the latter theory of descent.

Liliʻuokalani claimed that Keliʻimaikaʻi had no children, and that Kiilaweau, Keliʻimaikaʻi's first wife, was a man. This was to strengthen their claim to the throne, since their great-grandfather was Kamehameha I's first cousin. But even through the second theory Queen Emma would still have been descendant of Kamehameha I's first cousin since Kalaniʻopuʻu was the uncle of Kamehameha I. It can be noted that one historian of the time, Samuel Kamakau, supported Queen Emma's descent from Keliʻimaikaʻi and the genealogy stated by Liliuokalani have been contested in her own lifetime.

Emma grew up at her foster parents' English mansion, the Rooke House, in Honolulu. Emma was educated at the Royal School, which was established by American missionaries. Other Hawaiian royals attending the school included Emma's half-sister Mary Paʻaʻāina. Like her classmates Bernice Pauahi Bishop, David Kalākaua and Lydia Liliʻuokalani, Emma was cross-cultural — both Hawaiian and Euro-American in her habits. But she often found herself at odds with her peers. Unlike many of them, she was neither romantic nor prone to hyperbole.[citation needed] When the school closed, Dr. Rooke hired an English governess, Sarah Rhodes von Pfister, to tutor the young Emma. He also encouraged reading from his extensive library. As a writer, he influenced Emma's interest in reading and books. By the time she was 20, she was an accomplished young woman. She was 5' 2" and slender, with large black eyes. Her musical talents as a vocalist, pianist and dancer were well known. She was also a skilled equestrian.

Emalani (“Emma”) Kalanikaumakaamano Kaleleonalani Naea Rooke, Queen Consort of Hawaii (January 2, 1836 – April 25, 1885) was queen to King Kamehameha IV from 1856 to his death in 1863. She tried to run as Queen against King David Kalakaua.

Early years

Emma was born Emalani; and was later Emma Rooke. She was born to High Chief George Naea and High Chieftess Fanny Kekelaokalani Young. She was hanaied (adopted) to her childless maternal aunt, chiefess Grace Kama'iku'i Young Rooke, and her husband, Dr. T.C.B. Rooke. On her birth mother's side, she was the granddaughter of John Young Olohana (Kamehameha the Great's British-born royal advisor and companion) and Princess Ka'oana'eha, the niece of Kamehameha I. On her birth father's side, she was the granddaughter of Prince Keli'imaika'i, the only full blooded brother of Kamehameha. Ka'oana'eha father is disputed some say she was the daughter of Prince Keli'imaika'i other state she was the daughter of High Chief Kaleipaihala-Kalanikuimamao. This confusion is due to the fact that High Chiefess Kaliko'o'kalani married twice to Keli'imaika'i and to Kaleipaihala. Through High Chief Kaleipaihala-Kalanikuimamao she could be descendant of Kalaniʻopuʻu, King of Hawaii before Kiwalaʻo and Kamehameha.

She grew up at her foster parents English Mansion at Honolulu named the Rooke House. Emma was educated in Honolulu at the Royal School, which was established by American missionaries attending the school was also other Hawawaiian royals including her half-sister Paaina. When the school closed, Dr. Rooke hired an English governess, Sarah Rhodes von Pfister, to tutor the young Emma. He also encouraged reading from his extensive library. As a writer, he influenced Emma's interest in reading and books. By the time she was 20 years old, she was a beautiful and accomplished young woman. She was 5' 2", slender, well-proportioned, with large, beautiful black eyes. Her musical talents as a fine vocalist, talented pianist and good dancer were well known. She was also a skilled equestrian.

Isabella Bird, on her travels to Hawaii, met Queen Emma and described her as very British and Hawaiian in many ways:

Miss W. kindly introduced me to Queen Emma, or Kaleleonalani, the widowed queen of Kamehameha IV., whom you will remember as having visited England a few years ago, when she received great attention. She has one-fourth of English blood in her veins, but her complexion is fully as dark as if she were of unmixed Hawaiian descent, and her features, though refined by education and circumstances, are also Hawaiian; but she is a very pretty, as well as a very graceful woman. She was brought up by Dr. Rooke, an English physician here, and though educated at the American school for the children of chiefs, is very English in her leanings and sympathies, an attached member of the English Church, and an ardent supporter of the “Honolulu Mission.” Socially she is very popular, and her exceeding kindness and benevolence, with her strongly national feeling as an Hawaiian, make her much beloved by the natives.

Married life and Reign

Emma became engaged to the king of Hawaii, Alexander Liholiho. At the engagement party, accusations were made, by a Hawaiian chief, that Emma's Caucasian blood made her not fit to be the Hawaiian queen, and her lineage was not suitable enough to be Alexander Liholiho's bride. Tempers flared, Emma burst into tears, and the party was in shambles. In 1856, she married Alexander Liholiho, who a year earlier had assumed the throne as Kamehameha IV. The young king was tall, handsome, intelligent and well-read. He was also fluent in both Hawaiian and English. Two years later, in 1858, Emma gave birth to a son, Prince Albert Kamehameha.

During her reign, the queen kept herself busy tending to palace affairs, including the expansion of the palace library. Inspired by her father’s work, she also encouraged her husband to establish a public hospital to help the Native Hawaiian population who were in decline due to foreign-borne diseases like smallpox.

Names

Queen Emma gained the name "Kaleleonalani" after the death of her young son and husband, in remembrance of the "flight of the heavenly ones", as described in her name. In the brief period after her son's death and before her husband's death, she was referred to as "Kaleleokalani", or "flight of the heavenly one".

Queen Emma was also nicknamed "Wahine Hololio" in deference to her renowned horsemanship.

During her reign and after, she was known for her humanitarian efforts.

Religious legacy

In 1860, Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV petitioned the Church of England to help them establish the Church of Hawaii. Upon the arrival of an Anglican bishop and two priests, they both underwent Christian confirmation in November 1862. She went to England to ask Queen Victoria for funds for the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew. Due to this and to Queen Emma's efforts to build a hospital (now Queen's Hospital), they were honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Their feast day is celebrated annually on November 28.Royal Election of 1874

After the death of King Lunalilo, Emma decided to run in the constitutionally-mandated royal election against future king David Kalākaua. She claimed that Lunalilo had wanted her to succeed him in office, but died before a formal proclamation could be made.

The day after Lunalilo died, Kalakaua declared himself candidate for the throne. The next day Queen Emma did the same. The first real animosity between the Kamehamehas and Kalakaua begun to appear. The proclamation that Kalakaua put forth was a dignified one, as published;

" To the Hawaiian Nation."

“Salutations to You--Whereas His Majesty Lunalilo departed this life at the hour of nine o'clock last night; and by his death the Throne of Hawaii is left vacant, and the nation is without a head or a guide. In this juncture it is proper that we should seek for a Sovereign and Leader, and doing so, follow the course prescribed by Article 22nd of the Constitution. My earnest desire is for the perpetuity of the Crown and the permanent independence of the government and people of Hawaii, on the basis of the equity, liberty, prosperity, progress and protection of the whole people. It will be remembered that at the time of the election of the late lamented Sovereign, I put forward my own claim to the Throne of our beloved country, on Constitutional grounds -- and it is upon those grounds only that I now prefer my claims, and call upon you to listen to my call, and request you to instruct your Representatives reconsider, and weigh well, and to regard your choice to elect me, the oldest member of a family high in rank in the country. Therefore, I, David Kalakaua, cheerfully call upon you, and respectfully ask you to grant me your support. "

D. KALAKAUA

Iolani Palace, Feb. 4, 1874.

Queen Emma issued her proclamation the next day;

“To the Hawaiian People:

" Whereas, His late lamented Majesty Lunalilo died on the 3rd of February, 1874, without having publicly proclaimed a Successor to the Throne; and whereas, " His late Majesty did before his final sickness declare his wish and intention that the undersigned should be his Successor on the Throne of the Hawaiian Islands, and enjoined upon me not to decline the same under any circumstances; and whereas. "Many of the Hawaiian people have since the death of His Majesty urged me to place myself in nomination at the ensuing session of the Legislature; " Therefore, in view of the foregoing considerations and my duty to the people and to the memory of the late King, I do hereby announce and declare that I am a Candidate for the Throne of these Hawaiian Islands, and I request my beloved people throughout the group, to assemble peacefully ad orderly in their districts, and to give formal expression to their views on this important subject, and to instruct their Representatives in the coming session of the Legislature. "God Protect Hawaii! "

"Honolulu, Feb. 5, 1874.

EMMA KALELEONALANI. "

Emma's candidacy was agreeable to a large section of the Native Hawaiian population, not only because her husband was a member of the Kamehameha Dynasty, but she was closer in descent to Hawaii's first king, Kamehameha The Great, than her opponent. On foreign policy, she (like her husband) were pro-British while Kalākaua was pro-American. She also strongly wished to stop Hawaii's dependence on American industry and to give the Native Hawaiians a more powerful voice in government. While Emma enjoyed the support of the people, the Legislative Assembly, which was responsible for electing the new monarch, favored Kalākaua, who won the election 39 - 6. News of her defeat caused a large-scale riot, which was eventually dispersed due to the assistance of both British & American troops stationed on warships in Honolulu Harbor.

After the election, she retired from public life. While she would come to recognize Kalākaua as the rightful king, she would never speak with his wife Queen Kapiolani as a result of a family quarrel.

As Queen Dowager

After the death of her husband and son, she remained a widow for the rest of her life. Known affectionately as the "Old Queen", King Kalakaua always left a seat for her at any royal occasion, even though she would usually never attend. Specific conspicuous events that Emma did not attend were:

1. Lili'uokalani's birthday celebration at Ali'iolani Hale

2. Receptions for high foreign officials and guests (including American Admiral Stevens of the U.S.S Pensacola and the new minister of Foreign Affairs)

3. The laying of the foundation of Lunalilo Home.

Emma would never attend any event that either Lili'uokalani or Kapiolani would attend. This was because Emma had blamed the death of Albert on Queen Kapiolani, who was supposed to the child's governess.

Death

In 1883, Emma suffered the first of several small strokes and died two years later on April 25, 1885 at the age of 49. She was given a royal funeral and was interred in Mauna 'Ala, next to her husband and son.

Queen Emma, married to Kamehameha IV, possessed a chiefly lineage herself. Descended from a younger brother of Kamehameha I, she was also a granddaughter to John Young. Born to George Naea and Fanny Young, she was raised as a hanai, or adopted, daughter by her aunt Grace Young and her husband Dr. Thomas C.B. Rooke. She attended the Chiefs' Children's School and became well acquainted with Alexander Liholiho there. They married in 1856, two years after Alexander came to the throne. They had one son, Albert, who died at age four. Widowed soon afterward, Emma remained active in the community. She was instrumental in establishing Queen's Hospital as well as St. Andrew's Priory girls' school. Emma eventually entered politics again by submitting her name as a candidate in the election of 1874. David Kalakaua won the election by an overwhelming margin, but Emma's supporters rioted and attacked the courthouse. Emma acknowledged Kalakaua's victory and calmed her supporters. In 1883, Emma suffered the first of several small strokes, dying two years later at age 49.

Trivia

• England’s Queen Victoria remarked of Emma, "Nothing could be nicer or more dignified than her manner."

• In 1867, she founded the school St. Andrew's Priory, an all-girl's Episcopal day-school.