AHC: Kalakaua wins the 1873 election in Hawaii

Rush Tarquin

Gone Fishin'
In OTL, Lunalilo won with an overwhelming majority in the popular election for the office of King of Hawaii. What event could have altered Hawaiian politics to be significantly more anti-European/American or conservative or at least give this election to Kalakaua?
 
This is an interesting WI, tho I doubt that there would be much of change historically for Hawaii. Lunalilo reigned just about one year. What might be more interesting is if Queen Emma had won the election.

Lunalilo holds a big personal advantage in that he is of higher lineage than Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V and much higher in status than Kalakaua. Lunalilo is more closely related to Kamehameha the Great than the other three.
 

Rush Tarquin

Gone Fishin'
^ Yeah, this thread is elaborating on a point raised in another thread (one you participated in actually):

https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=180189

The scenario outlined in that thread went somewhere along the following lines:

Emperor Meiji dies, as does Prince Yoshihito. King Kalakaua wins the elections in 1873 in Hawaii (though how he does this is a big issue since he doesn't seem to have been very popular at all), butterflying away the rebellions. The marriage proposal by King Kalakaua in 1881 between his niece and Fushimi's son, Prince Komatsu Akihito, is accepted due to the urgent need for male heirs. Princess Kaiulani and Komatsu Akihito then have a boy and a legitimate claim to the Hawaiian throne, preventing the 1887 Bayonet Constitution. When Akihito dies, his son takes the throne of both Hawaii and Japan in a duel kingdom.

The point is to avoid giving alien residents the vote and to avoid the presence of British or American troops which can't be peacefully dislodged, so the Japanese have a fighting chance of annexing the place with less concern for logistics and without having to go toe-to-toe militarily with the UK or USA. Pretty far out notion, but I thought it might be interesting to give it a go.
 
I studied Hawaiian history while I was attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa getting my Masters in Library Sciences.

The problem is that Japan wasn't really a major player even in the Far East in the 1870s. What POD may be interesting to consider would be if Queen Emma, the widow of Kamehameha IV, had been elected rather than Kalakaua.

One of the favourite past times of American foreign policy is to overthrow a government that it doesn't agree with. I suspect, unfortunately, that the same would probably happen. However, I think if Hawaii can remain independent thru to the turn of the 20th century then annexation would not be likely.
 

Rush Tarquin

Gone Fishin'
The problem is that Japan wasn't really a major player even in the Far East in the 1870s. What POD may be interesting to consider would be if Queen Emma, the widow of Kamehameha IV, had been elected rather than Kalakaua.

Well, I guess the easiest way to do that is to assume she was telling the truth when she said Lunalilo wanted to name her as his successor and have him hold on a little while longer and issue the formal proclamation. Given the circumstances though, I have to doubt her story.
 
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