Kamehameha IV

Alexander Liholiho became King Kamehameha IV at age 20 after the death of his uncle Kamehameha III. He inherited a kingdom facing increasing pressure from American and European interests.

Kamehameha IV resisted efforts to sign a reciprocity treaty with the United States that would have reduced tariffs on Hawaiian sugar. He feared it would lead to American political influence and eventual annexation.

Kamehameha IV and his wife Queen Emma founded Queen's Hospital (now The Queen's Medical Center) in Honolulu to provide healthcare for Native Hawaiians. The hospital was funded by public subscriptions and royal donations.

Kamehameha IV, with Queen Emma, invited the Church of England to establish a mission in Hawaii. He helped found the Anglican Church of Hawaii, which became the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church, as a counterbalance to American Protestant influence.

Kamehameha IV died at age 29 from chronic asthma, a condition that had plagued him for years. His death left the throne to his younger brother, who became Kamehameha V.