Ruled Hawai‘i 1863–72; older brother of Alexander Liholiho (Kamehameha IV); son of Mataio Kekuanaoa (governor of O‘ahu); grandson of Kamehameha I; nephew of kings Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III; last of the Kamehameha kings; spent year abroad with his brother on diplomatic missions to France, England, and the U.S. beginning October 1849; served as minister of interior and then as minister of finance during his brother’s reign, 1857–1863; while king, oversaw adoption of new constitution; never married and left no heir to the throne; failed to appoint someone king prior to his death, and so constitutional provision allowing for election of king was enacted. (See Day, History Makers of Hawaii, 69–70; Kuykendall, Hawaiian Kingdom, 1:448, 2:304, 3:756; King, Diaries of David Lawrence Gregg, 604; GQC journal, Oct. 21, 1851.)