| King of Tonga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Incumbent | |
 | |
| Tupou VI since 18 March 2012 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| Heir apparent | Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala |
| First monarch | George Tupou I |
| Formation | December 4, 1845 |
| Residence | Royal Palace, Nukuʻalofa |
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| Constitution |
| Administrative divisions |
This is a list of monarchs of Tonga since 1845, after the Constitution of Tonga established the role of the monarch. The first constitutional monarch of Tonga was George Tupou I.
Three days before his coronation on 1 August 2008, George Tupou V announced that he would relinquish most of his powers and be guided by the Prime Minister of Tonga's recommendations on most matters. [1]
The annual budget allocation to the monarchy is T$ 4,894,900 (c. US$2,116,799). [2]
| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Tupou I | 4 December 1797 – 18 February 1893 (aged 95) | 4 December 1845 | 18 February 1893 | Son of Tupoutoʻa, 17th Tuʻi Kanokupolu | Tupou |  |
| George Tupou II | 18 June 1874 – 5 April 1918 (aged 43) | 18 February 1893 | 5 April 1918 | Double Great-grandson of George Tupou I | Tupou |  |
| Sālote Tupou III | 13 March 1900 – 16 December 1965 (aged 65) | 5 April 1918 | 16 December 1965 | Daughter of George Tupou II | Tupou |  |
| Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV | 4 July 1918 – 10 September 2006 (aged 88) | 16 December 1965 | 10 September 2006 | Son of Sālote Tupou III | Tupou |  |
| George Tupou V | 4 May 1948 – 18 March 2012 (aged 63) | 11 September 2006 | 18 March 2012 | Son of Tāufaʻahau Tupou IV | Tupou |  |
| Tupou VI | 12 July 1959 | 18 March 2012 | Incumbent | Son of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV Brother of George Tupou V | Tupou |  |
The history of Tonga is recorded since the ninth century BC, when seafarers associated with the Lapita diaspora first settled the islands which now make up the Kingdom of Tonga. Along with Fiji and Samoa, the area served as a gateway into the rest of the Pacific region known as Polynesia. Ancient Tongan mythologies recorded by early European explorers report the islands of 'Ata and Tongatapu as the first islands having been hauled to the surface from the deep ocean by Maui.
Nukuʻalofa is the capital and largest city of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the country's southernmost island group.
Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV was King of Tonga from 1965 until his death in 2006. He was the tallest and heaviest Tongan monarch, weighing 209.5 kg (462 lb) and measuring 196 cm.
Tupou VI is the current King of Tonga.
George Tupou II was the King of Tonga from 18 February 1893 until his death. He was officially crowned at Nukuʻalofa, on 17 March 1893. He was also the 20th Tuʻi Kanokupolu.
George Tupou I, originally known as Tāufaʻāhau I, was the first king of modern Tonga. He adopted the name Siaosi, the Tongan equivalent of George, after King George III of the United Kingdom, when he was baptized in 1831. His nickname was Lopa-ukamea, meaning iron cable.
Tuʻi Kanokupolu (chiefs) are a junior rank of the Haʻa Tuʻi in Tonga.
George Tupou V was King of Tonga from 2006 to his death in 2012. He was the eldest son of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV.
The Tuʻi Tonga Empire, or Tongan Empire, are descriptions sometimes given to Tongan expansionism and projected hegemony in Oceania which began around 950 CE, reaching its peak during the period 1200–1500.
The Tuʻi Tonga is a line of Tongan kings, which originated in the tenth century with the mythical ʻAhoʻeitu, and withdrew from political power in the fifteenth century by yielding to the Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua. The title ended with the death of the last Tuʻi Tonga, Sanualio Fatafehi Laufilitonga, in 1865, who bequeathed the ancient title and its mana to his nephew, Fatafehi Tu'i Pelehake, who was the Tu'i Faleua, or Lord of the Second House. Tu'i Pelehake surrendered the title and its privileges to his father-in-law, King George Tupou I, who united its power and prestige with that of the Tu'i Kanokupolu, Tu'i Vava'u, and Tu'i Ha'apai titles to establish the modern-day institution of the Tongan Crown. Though the title is no longer conferred, the ancient line remains unbroken and is represented by the noble title of Kalaniuvalu.
Kolonga is a village and the most populated settlement located on the northeast coast of Tongatapu in the Hahake District, Kingdom of Tonga. Kolonga is a hereditary estate of Lord Nuku.
Fīnau ʻUlukālala was a dynasty of six important hereditary chiefs from Vavaʻu, currently in the kingdom of Tonga. The dynasty began sometime in the 18th century and died out in 1960. The chief's original estate was Tuʻanuku, and his nickname and that of the village is Tavakefaiʻana.
Viliami Tungī Mailefihi CBE was a Tongan high chieftain and Prince consort of Tonga as the husband of Queen Sālote Tupou III. He served as Prime Minister of Tonga from 1923 until his death in 1941.
The Tuʻipelehake is one of the highest ranking chiefly titles in Tonga. In the absence of the ancient Tuʻi Faleua title, the Tuʻipelehake title is a high title due to, Tuʻi Kanokupolu. There have been several holders of the title mainly from the ruling royal family, from princes to prime ministers. It is Tongan custom to refer to the holder by his customary title, only adding his given name if confusion may arise. For example, Tuʻi Pelehake (ʻUluvalu).
RokoTaliai Tupou (17??-1875) was a Fijian nobleman. He is considered to be the progenitor of the noble household Vatuwaqa in the chiefly Vuanirewa clan and as such, was the first member of this noble household to hold the title Tui Nayau. His reign marked the growth of Christianity in Lau and the slow expansion of Tongan ambitions in Fiji, led by Enele Ma'afu. As this period marked increasing contact with Europeans, records from this point forward in regard to the history of Lau are well documented.
The Battle of Velata was fought at Tau'akipulu, Haʻapai, Tonga in September 1826, between Laufilitonga, monarch of the Tuʻi Tonga dynasty, and Taufa'ahau, heir apparent to the Tu'i Kanokupolu dynasty and then monarch of Tonga.
Aleamotuʻa was the 18th Tu'i Kanokupolu of Tonga, the third lineage of Tongan Kings with the political and military power who ruled in support of the Tu'i Tonga.
Tongan kava ceremonies are a variety of ceremonies involving the kava plant that play an integral part of Tongan society and governance. They play a role in strengthening cultural values and principles, solidifying traditional ideals of duty and reciprocity, reaffirming societal structures, and entrenching the practice of pukepuke fonua, a Tongan cultural ideal to maintain, preserve, and live traditional Tongan culture. Tongan kava ceremonies continue to permeate Tongan society both in Tonga and diaspora. They range in formality, from informal "faikava" or kava "parties" to the highly stratified, ancient, and ritualized Taumafa Kava, or Royal Kava Ceremony.
Tēvita ʻUnga was the first Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Tonga.
Lavinia Veiongo Fotu was Queen of Tonga from 1899 to 1902 as the first wife of George Tupou II.
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