Kīwalaʻō

Kīwalaʻō
Aliʻi of Hawaiʻi Island
The Cloak of Kīwalaʻō, 1899.
Born	circa 1760
Died	July, 1782 Battle of Mokuʻōhai
Spouse	Kekuʻiapoiwa Liliha
Issue	Keōpūolani
Father	Kalaniʻōpuʻu
Mother	Kalola Pupuka-o-Honokawailani

Kīwalaʻō (c. 1760 – July 1782) was a Hawaiian ruler.

Kīwalaʻō was a son of the King Kalaniʻōpuʻu and High Chiefess Kalola Pupuka-o-Honokawailani of Maui. He was briefly the 7th Alii of Kohala, 5th Alii of Kona and 3rd Alii of Kau, and thus ruler of the island of Hawaiʻi, in 1782 following the death of his father. He was married in 1775 to his future consort, Kekuiapoiwa Liliha, through whose father's wife, Kalola Pupuka-o-Honokawailani (the same mother of Kiwalaʻo) he was related to King Kekaulike, the 22nd Moʻi of Maui. In 1782, his disgruntled cousin Kamehameha I challenged his authority at the battle of Mokuʻōhai. Kīwalaʻō was killed in combat by Keʻeaumoku Pāpaʻiahiahi, one of Kamehameha's officers. After his death, the island of Hawaiʻi fell into chaos. Kamehameha established his dominion in districts of Kohala, Kona and parts of Hamakua. His half-brother Keōua Kuahuʻula escaped and established himself in Kau and parts of Puna while their uncle Keawemauhili added parts of Hamakua and Puna to his district of Hilo. The island would be plunged into nine more years of war until Kamehameha I was able to unite the Big island in 1791.

His only daughter Princess Keōpūolani later married his successor Kamehameha. And through her, he was a grandfather of Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III.