The Warrior King

The classic, full-length biography of Hawaii's first king by the award-winning, New York Times–bestselling author of Guadalcanal Diary.

King Kamehameha I is the most monumental figure in Hawaiian history. A glorious warrior, a wise diplomat, and a keen administrator, he established peace among warring tribes and was the first Polynesian ruler to conquer, unite, and rule over all the Hawaiian Islands. He grew to be a giant of a man at six feet, six inches, and his natural athletic and amorous prowess could not be denied. Kamehameha epitomized the highest Hawaiian values of pure beauty, freedom, and power.


In The Warrior King, author Richard Tregaskis threads his way through legend and history to recreate the life of Kamehameha. He recounts the king's youth spent in exile and his exciting career as a leader and fighter in bloody battles featuring hand-to-hand combat and cannons. He examines Kamehameha's stormy love life, including his twenty-two wives, his fifty children, and his marriage to his most beloved queen, Ka'ahumanu. Through it all, Kamehameha remained faithful to the mores of his culture and religion, even as native Hawaiian life changed with the arrival of Europeans and Americans.


First published in 1973, this colorful and compelling biography captures the life and achievements of the legendary young man who fulfilled prophecy by moving the Naha Stone, a massive black lava rock that foretold the coming of a great king, and went on to unite his people.