Under Hawaiian skies, a narrative of the romance, adventure and history of the Hawaiian Islands, a complete historical account, by Albert Pierce Taylor.

CIHAPTER XXI

FEUDAL RIGHTS YIELDED TO PEOPLE
"GREAT MAHELE" OF KAMEHAMEHA III
ITHE king was the State. He regarded all the lands as
his, to deal with as he chose. He was supreme in
authority. Not until 1847 did the people have the
right to say that the pieces of property upon which they dwelt
were their very own in fee simple. It was in 1847 that Kamehameha III, at the instance of his ministers of state, and carrying out the ideals of constitutional government, granted in 1840,
partitioned the lands of the kingdom, the king reserving a third,
a third going to the chiefs, and a third for the people. The king
divile(l his third into two parts, one being held as his personal
property, the other called the Crown Iands, the revenue from
which was largely devoted to the maintenance of the sovereign
and his family and retainers.
Kamehamneha First's original territory was Halaula, a large
listrict on the northeast coast of H-awaii which he inherited from
his parents. During the lifetime of Kalaniopuu, who reignedl
when Captain Cook arrived, he acquired a portion of Kona:
and it was the war which arose from the attempts of his cousin
to dispossess him that developed his martial energies, and step
by step led him on until he was master of the group.
Towards the conquered families he exercised no untoward
severity; the principals, by alliance or gifts, were firmly bound
to his interests. TIe espoused Keopuolani, the granddaughter of
Kalaniopuu, who blecame his prisoner at the conquest of Maui.
As she was the lineal descendant of the ancient kings of Maui
and H-awaii, this marriage strengthened his title to the throne.
Kalanimiokt, who became his trusty counsellor, had fought in
the ranks of Keoua, Kamehameha's rival, at Keei; was made a