Warrior King : Hawaii's Kamehameha the Great
by Richard Tregaskis
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Description
Chronicles the life and achievements of the Polynesian who united the Hawaiian islands. "Glorious in war, powerful in peace, prodigious in love, and the most monumental figure in Hawaiian history, Kamehameha was the first Polynesian ruler to unite and rule all of the Hawaiian Islands. Swathed in ambiguous legends about his parentage, he displayed his future eminence early in adolescence by dislodging the massive and intractable black lava Naha Stone which, according to fable, could be lifted show more only by the man who was to become Hawaii's greatest king. As he grew to the massive height of six feet, six inches, his natural athletic and amorous prowess became more clearly marked, and Kamehameha came to epitomize the highest Hawaiian values of pure beauty, freedom and power. He alone had the vision, military skill and administrative acumen to triumph over the deadly rivalries that simmered upon these lush, fragrant islands. With consummate skill, Richard Tregaskis again demonstrates his unique ability to transport the reader to another time and place. Colorful and expressive, his broad canvas accurately reflects the Hawaiian paradise that produced the heroic Kamehameha and formed the magnificent backdrop of his long and multidimensional life--his exciting career as leader and warrior, his tempestuous romances, his twenty-two wives and fifty children and his torrid, long-lasting marriage to the six-foot giantess Kaahumanu, his most beloved queen. In cinematic detail, the author tells of the first European explorers-who were thought to be gods by the natives--and describes the vicious battles that erupted among neighboring chieftains: the fleets of canoes and hostile amphibious assaults; attacks on cliffs, beaches and rock-trimmed caves; hordes of malo-clad warriors locked in deadly hand-to-hand struggles in the midst of flying stones, daggers, spears and the fire of European arms--all of which reaped a deadly toll in human blood. It was Kamehameha the Great--so-called for his innovative use of the British cannon in the decisive Battle of Kepaniwai in the Iao Valley--who emerged as the supreme leader. Remaining faithful to the mores of Hawaiian culture and religion, he nevertheless united and reformed his homeland and brought about the adoption of many of the white man's customs. Here is Kamehameha's story, the first full-length adult biography of Hawaii's greatest king."--Dust jacket. show lessTags
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Author Information
16+ Works 1,647 Members
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Kamehameha I
- Important places
- Hawai'i, USA; Kingdom of Hawaii
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History, Biography & Memoir, Art & Design, General Nonfiction, Business
- DDC/MDS
- 996.9 — History & geography Oceania & Polar Regions Polynesia Hawaii and neighboring north central Pacific Ocean islands
- LCC
- DU627.1 .T67 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Oceania (South Seas) History of Oceania (South Seas) Smaller island groups Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii
Statistics
- Members
- 27
- Popularity
- 1,012,548
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 1
