Tamaeva IV facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tamaeva IV |
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| Queen of Rimatara | |
The young queen, the regent, group of chiefs and inhabitants of Rimatara, c. 1889
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| Reign | 1876–1892 |
| Predecessor | Tamaeva III |
| Successor | Tamaeva V |
| Born | c. 1870s |
| Died | 12 November 1892 |
| Burial | Royal Sepulchre, Amaru Cemetery |
| Father | Tamaeva III |
| Religion | Protestantism |
Tamaeva IV was a queen who ruled the Polynesian island of Rimatara. She was queen from 1876 until she died in 1892. Her name is sometimes spelled Temaeva or Te Maere in old records.
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Who Was Queen Tamaeva IV?
Tamaeva IV was the daughter of King Tamaeva III of Rimatara. Rimatara was an island kingdom that also included the nearby coral atoll of Nororotu, also known as Îles Maria.
She was born in the early 1870s, during a time when her island was changing. People on Rimatara were becoming more like Westerners. Many islanders also became Protestant Christians.
A Young Ruler and Her Regent
Tamaeva IV was very young when she became queen. She was still a teenager when she died. Because she was so young and didn't have much experience, her aunt, Heimataura, helped her rule. Heimataura was the regent, which means she governed for the young queen.
Friendship with a Neighboring Kingdom
Queen Tamaeva IV had a close relationship with the nearby island of Rurutu. Rurutu also had a young ruler, King Teuruarii IV. Both Tamaeva IV and Teuruarii IV were the last independent rulers in the Austral Islands. This means they were the last to rule their islands without being controlled by a European country.
Seeking Protection for the Islands
In the late 1880s, the queen heard news that the Cook Islands had become a protectorate of the British. A protectorate means one country protects and partly controls another. The British were seen as more friendly than the French because both Rimatara and Britain were Protestant.
Asking Queen Victoria for Help
On November 27, 1888, Queen Tamaeva IV and King Teuruarii IV of Rurutu traveled to Rarotonga. They wanted to ask the British for protection. They sent a formal request to Queen Victoria of Britain. They hoped Britain would make their kingdoms protectorates. However, their request was not accepted.
French Influence and a New Protectorate
The French government saw this request to Britain as a threat to their own interests in the Pacific. They acted quickly.
Rimatara Becomes a French Protectorate
On March 29, 1889, a French warship called Dives arrived at Rimatara. The colonial governor of French Oceania, Étienne Théodore Lacascade, was on board. He declared Rimatara and Îles Maria a French protectorate.
The French said that the Queen and her chiefs had asked Governor Lacascade to take control of the islands. But British sources believed that most islanders did not want this to happen.
As a sign of the new protectorate, the French tricolor flag was added to the corner of Rimatara's flag in 1891.
Queen Tamaeva IV's Final Years
In 1892, a French Protestant missionary named Frédéric Vernier visited Rimatara. He described Queen Tamaeva as "a girl of sixteen or seventeen years." During his visit, the church in the capital city, Amaru, was repaired and reopened. This was a big celebration for the islanders.
Queen Tamaeva IV died on November 12, 1892. Her aunt, Heimataura, then became queen, ruling as Tamaeva V. Queen Tamaeva IV was buried in the Royal Sepulchre at Amaru Cemetery. This cemetery is outside the main village and faces the sea. She was laid to rest with other members of her royal family.
Images for kids
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The young queen, the regent, group of chiefs and inhabitants of Rimatara, c. 1889
