Governors of Kauai

The Governor of Kauaokinai was the royal governor or viceroy of the Island of Kauai in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Governor of Kauai was usually a Hawaiian chief or prince and could even be a woman. There were no restriction of women in government in the House of Nobles or Governship of the islands. The Governor had authority over the island of Kauai, and it was up to the governor to appoint lieutanant governors to assisted them. The governor had replaced the old alii aimokus of the islands, but the sovereignty remained with the king. The first governor was the last king of Kauai, Kaumualii and it was not until his death that Kaahumanu and Kamehameha II took the throne from his sons and replace the royalties of Kauai with other chiefs.

In the 1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii it states:

"There shall be four governors over these Hawaiian Islands - one for Hawaiokinai - one for Maui and the Islands adjacent - one for Ookinaahu, and one for Kauaokinai and the adjacent Islands. All the governors, from Hawaiokinai to Kauaokinai shall be subject to the King."

"The prerogatives of the governors and their duties, shall be as follows: Each governor shall have the general direction of the several tax gatherers of his island, and shall support them in the execution of all their orders which he considers to have been properly given, but shall pursue a course according to law, and not according to his own private views. He also shall preside over all the judges of his island, and shall see their sentences executed as above. He shall also appoint the judges and give them their certificates of office."

"All the governors, from Hawaiokinai to Kauaokinai shall be subject not only to the King, but also to the Premier."

"The governor shall be the superior over his particular island or islands. He shall have charge of the munitions of war, under the direction of the King, however, and the Premier. He shall have charge of the forts, the soldiery, the arms and all the implements of war. He shall receive the government dues and shall deliver over the same to the Premier. All important decisions rest with him in times of emergency, unless the King or Premier be present. He shall have charge of all the King's business on the island, the taxation, new improvements to be extended, and plans for the increase of wealth, and all officers shall be subject to him. He shall also have power to decide all questions, and transact all island business which is not by law assigned to others."

"When either of the governors shall decease, then all the chiefs shall assemble at such place as the King shall appoint, and shall nominate a successor of the deceased governor, and whosoever they shall nominate and be approved by the King, he shall be the new governor."

List of Governor of Kauai

* George Kaumualii 1795 - 1824
* Kahalaia Luanu'u 1824-1826
* Kaikioewa 1826 - 1839
* James Young Kanehoa ?
* Kekauonohi 1842 - 1844
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* Poomaikelani ?
* William Hyde Rice last