Hiram Kahanawai

Who was Hiram Kahanawai?

Hiram Kahanawai was a Hawaiian high chief who was husband of Princess Poʻomaikelani, the younger sister of Queen Kapiʻolani.

Kahanawai was a relative of Queen Emma of Hawaii, by a junior line of descent and also cousin of Kalākaua and Liliuokalani. He had been chief steward in the royal household under Emma's husband King Kamehameha IV. His wife Princess Kapoʻoloku Poʻomaikelani, was once a lady-in-waiting of the Queen Emma and Kapiʻolani had once been governess or nanny to the Crown Prince Albert Edward Kamehameha. Kahanawai continued to serve Emma in that capacity during her widowhood. After Kalākaua won the election of 1874, Kahanawa married Kapoʻoloku who was now the royal sister-in-law of Kalākaua. He and his wife left the service of Queen Emma and join Kalākaua's court. Emma viewed this as their change of allegiance from the now dying House of Kamehameha to the new Dynasty of the House of Kalākaua.

Hiram Kahanawai died of a heart disease on August 7, 1874, in the same year of his marriage to Kapoʻoloku leaving his wife a widow. They had no children. The sudden death of Hiram Kahanawai of heart disease was noted in the Hawaiian Gazette: "On Friday last Captain Hiram Kahanawai died very suddenly as it is supposed from aneurysm. He had just entered the King's presence, and bowed to His Majesty, when he dropped on the floor, and was carried out dead. He was a true and faithful servant, of a quiet and reserved disposition, and made a favorable impression upon all who knew him."