History

The Royal Order of the Crown of Hawaii was originally founded by Kamehameha III as the Order of the Crown and Cross in 1848. It was revived by King Kalakaua on September 12, 1882 to commemorate his accession to the throne, and is considered the first royal knighthood for the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Order was awarded specifically for exceptional services rendered to the Sovereign or the State of Hawaii. There are 7 classes, Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Companion, and two under grades of medals.

Around the shield of the Commander, HAWAII KE KALAKAUNU is inscribed, translating to “Crown of Hawaii.” The Commander was conferred on 71 individuals, with subjects (limited to 30) paying an admittance fee of $100. In 1884, this award was bestowed on Commander Rudolf E Nissan, of the Swedish Navy.

This Order was conferred on 204 individuals by King Kalakaua and 31 by Queen Liliuokalani. The Grand Council of this Order met only once, on January 21, 1884. The Royal Order of the Crown of Hawaii was the last order to be awarded (Companion, James Dunn, Hawaiian Consul Glasgow, 1892) before the monarchy was overthrown. However, the Order has recently been revived and amended by HRH Princess Owana Ka’ohelelani Salazar, Head of Royal House of Keoua Nui and Grandmaster of the Order in 2017, to again recognize distinguished service to the Hawaiian Nation.