Tahitoe (c. 1808–1881) was the king of Raiatea from 1871 to 1881.

Tahitoe
King of Raiatea
Reign8 February 1871 – 13 April 1881
Coronation1 August 1872
PredecessorTamatoa V
SuccessorTehauroa
Bornc. 1808
Died13 April 1881 (aged 72–73)
SpouseTe'eva
Metua'aro
IssueTehauroa
Tuarii
FatherHihipa
MotherTe-opua

Tahitoe and other leading chiefs and governors of Raiatea and Tahaa refused to accept the rule of Tamatoa V in 1858. Tamarii, the chief of the council, and others attempted to petition the United States to put the islands under an American protectorate. Letters were sent by the United States Consul to Raiatea Henry Owner to Secretary of State Lewis Cass. The diplomatic ploy was discovered by the French colonial officials in Tahiti and the Raiatean nobles scapegoated two Americans residents: Joseph Jordan and Thomas Croft and a native named Poare. Tahitoe, who had not signed the request for a protectorate, opposed the secret plan and wrote to President James Buchanan saying the proposal was not approved by the people. Consul Owner was recalled by the United States for fear of French reprisal for his involvement in the affair. Tamatoa was reinstated on 4 December 1859 after he agreed to cooperate with the governors.[1]

Biography

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Tahitoe was born in 1808. He was son of prince Hihipa of Raiatea and his wife, Te-opua. His father was a grandchild of the king Tamatoa III of Raiatea and Tahaa.[citation needed]

Tahitoe married in 1810 Te'eva. He remarried in 1836 with Metua'aro. He had 8 children.

  • Princess Rere-ao Tahitoe.
  • Prince Tehaupoto
  • Princess Tetuaiterai
  • Princess Teihotua
  • Princess Vaira'atoa
  • Princess Ari'itiria
  • Prince Tahitorai
  • Princess Tetupaia

Another daughter was Queen Tuarii who ruled a resistance government against France from 1888 to 1897.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Flude, Anthony G. (March 2012). "Manuscript XXIII: A Raiatean Petition for American Protection". The Journal of Pacific History. 47 (1). Canberra: Australian National University: 111–121. doi:10.1080/00223344.2011.632982. OCLC 785915823. S2CID 159847026.
  2. ^ Huguenin, Paul (1902). Raiatea La Sacrée: Iles Sous Le Vent de Tahiti (Océanie Francaise) Avec 24 Planches En Couleur, Reproduction Des Aquarelles Originales de l'Auteur. Neuchatel: P. Attinger. p. 188. OCLC 69497948.
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Raiatea
1871–1881
Succeeded by