Royal Order of Kalākaua facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Royal Order of Kalākaua I Kalākaua I e Hookanaka
Badge and sash of the Order
Type	Order of merit
Country	Kingdom of Hawaiʻi
Grades	Knight Grand Cross with Collar Knight Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Companion
Precedence
Next (higher)	Royal Order of Kamehameha I
Next (lower)	Royal Order of Kapiolani
Grand Cross ribbon Grand Officer, Commander, and Companion ribbon

The Royal Order of Kalākaua I (Kalākaua I e Hookanaka) was a special award created by King Kalākaua I of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. He started this award on September 28, 1874. It was created to celebrate the day he became king, which was February 12, 1874.

This award was given to people from Hawaiʻi and other countries. It honored those who did great things for the king and the kingdom.

What Are the Award Levels?

The Order had different levels, called grades. Each level showed how important the award was.

• Knights Grand Cross: Given to 12 people.
• Grand Officer: Given to 20 people.
• Commander: Given to 50 people.
• Companion: Given to 60 people.

There was also a very special level, the Knights Grand Cross with Collar. This was only given to leaders of other countries. The number of awards given depended on how many people were still alive who had received the Order.

History of the Royal Order

King Kalākaua I created the Royal Order of Kalākaua I on September 28, 1874. This was to remember his special day, February 12, 1874, when he became king of Hawaiʻi.

The award was given to both Hawaiian people and people from other countries. It honored them for their excellent service to the king and the Hawaiian Kingdom. The last time this award was given was by Queen Liliʻuokalani on August 1, 1892. The Order stopped being given in 1893.

King Kalākaua I gave out the award 239 times during his rule. His sister, Queen Liliʻuokalani, gave it out 15 times.

Here is how many awards were given in total for each level:

• Knights Grand Cross: 38 people received this.
• Grand Officer Star: 49 people received this.
• Commander Cross: 95 people received this.
• Companion Cross: 73 people received this.

What Did the Awards Look Like?

The main part of the award was a Maltese cross. It was made of gold or silver with blue and white enamel. A Hawaiian crown sat on top of the cross.

The cross had white enamel borders with a blue center. A thin gold or silver band separated these colors. Between the arms of the cross, there was a gold or silver wreath. There was also a pūloʻuloʻu, which are special Hawaiian sticks with a ball.

In the middle of the cross was a blue and white locket. On a white circle, it said KALAKAUA FEBRUARY 12 1874. Inside this circle, on a blue background, was a kāhili. A kāhili is a feathered pole that represents Hawaiian royalty.

On the back of the locket, it had the year 1874. Around it, in gold, it said KEOLA, which means "eternal life."

Different Award Insignia

The awards looked a bit different depending on the level:

Knights Grand Cross with Collar

This top award included a special chain and a breast star. The chain had alternating "K.I.K." monograms and red and yellow enamel kahili. The main part of the chain, where the award hung, was a "K.I.K." monogram surrounded by a gold wreath. The breast star looked the same as the Knights Grand Cross star.

Knights Grand Cross

This award included a breast star, the main badge, and a grand sash. The breast star was an eight-pointed silver star. The badge of the Order, without the crown, was placed on it in gold. The sash was a deep blue color. The badge was attached to the sash and worn on the left hip.

Grand Officer

This award was just a breast star. At first, the cross on this star was smaller than the Knights Grand Cross. But after 1879, they became the same size. The wreath on the Grand Officer Star was silver.

Commander

The Commander Cross looked like the Grand Officer Star. But it was worn on a ribbon around the neck. This ribbon had five alternating white and blue stripes.

Companion

The Companion Cross was a breast badge. It hung from a ribbon with white and blue stripes.

Important People Who Received the Award

Many important people from around the world received the Knights Grand Cross. Some of them were:

• Franz Joseph I, the Emperor of Austria-Hungary (1878)
• Milan I Obrenović, the King of Serbia (1882)
• Albert Edward, who was the Prince of Wales (1881)
• Tewfik Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan (1881)
• Muhammad III as-Sadiq, the Bey of Tunis (1881)
• Luigi Jacobini, the Vatican Secretary of State (1881)
• Marie François Sadi Carnot, the President of France (1889)
• Antonio Guzmán Blanco, the President of Venezuela (1878)
• Manuel González and José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori, both Presidents of Mexico (1884)

The Knights Grand Cross with Collar was given only twice. King Kalākaua I gave it to the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward. King Kalākaua I also awarded it to himself.

Images for kids

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  Grand Cross with Collar

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  Knights Grand Cross Sash Badge

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  Knights Grand Cross Star

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  Grand Officer Star

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  Commander Cross Sash Badge

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  Companion Cross