Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV | |
---|---|
King of Tonga | |
Reign | 16 December 1965 – 10 September 2006 |
Coronation | 4 July 1967 at Nukuʻalofa |
Predecessor | Sālote Tupou III |
Successor | George Tupou V |
Prime Ministers | See list |
10th Free Wesleyan Church |
Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV (born Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Tupoulahi; 4 July 1918 – 10 September 2006) was the King of Tonga, from the death of his mother, Queen Sālote Tupou III, in 1965 until his own death in 2006.
Immediately prior to his death, he was
Biography
The King's full baptismal name was Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Tupoulahi, but he was soon better known by the traditional title reserved for Crown Princes: Tupoutoʻa (bestowed in 1937), later replaced by the title he inherited from his father: Tungī (or using both: Tupoutoʻa-Tungī, in that time written as Tuboutoʻa-Tugi). He kept the Tungī title until his death. From a traditional point of view he was not only the Tungī, which is the direct descendant from the
The King was a keen sportsman and religious preacher in his youth. He was educated at
The King was also very tall, standing 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m).[4] Swedish shoemaker Per-Enok Kero reported that "He weighed 180 kilos and had shoe size 47 in length and 52 in breadth."[5]
He wielded great political authority and influence in Tonga's essentially aristocratic system of government, together with the country's nobles, who controlled 70% (now 35%) of the
Death and funeral
On 15 August 2006,
Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV was buried on 19 September 2006 at
According to the International Herald Tribune, "Tupou IV's 41-year reign made him one of the world's longest-serving sovereigns", after Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej; Queen Elizabeth II, as queen of Australia, Barbados, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, specifically; and Samoa's head of state, Malietoa Tanumafili II.[12]
Marriage and children
He was married to Queen Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe[13] (1926–2017) and the couple had four children:
- Prince Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou (1948–2012), while as Crown Prince, better known by the hereditary title: Tupoutoʻa (once his father did not need it any longer). He succeeded him later as George Tupou V.
- Princess Royal Salote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuita (born Tukuʻaho in 1951). Lady Tuita by marriage.
- Prince Prince Tungi inherited the Princely title in 2008. Their second son Sione Ikamafana Tuku'ahowas adopted by his paternal aunt, Princess Royal, Princess Pilolevu Tuita.
- Prince ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho (born 1959), better known by his traditional titles: Tupoutoʻa Lavaka (until the death of his father known as: ʻUlukālala Lavaka Ata). As his elder brother died without legitimate issue, he became King Tupou VI in 2012.
Honours
National
- Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of Pouono[citation needed]
- Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross Of the Order of King George Tupou I[16]
- Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Crown of Tonga[17]
- Tonga: Sovereign Recipient of the Royal Tongan Medal of Merit[18]
- Tonga: Sovereign Recipient of the Tongan Red Cross Medal
Foreign
- Denmark: Recipient of the Royal Medal of Recompense[citation needed]
- France: Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour[19]
- Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Special Class[20]
- French Polynesia: Grand Cross of the Order of Tahiti Nui[21]
- Japan: Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum[22]
- Republic of China: Grand Cross the Order of Brilliant Jade[23]
- United Kingdom: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George[24]
- United Kingdom: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order[25]
- United Kingdom: Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire[24]
- Venerable Order of Saint John[24]
- United Kingdom: Recipient of the Medal of Merit of the Legion of Frontiersmen[citation needed]
- United Kingdom: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal[citation needed]
Namesakes
- Tonga House at Newington College
Family tree
References
- ^ "King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV of Tonga". Unofficial Royalty. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ "The Crown Prince of Tonga, Taufa'ahau". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. VI, no. 5. 20 December 1935. p. 9. Retrieved 17 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Tongan King Tupou IV dies at 88". BBC News. 11 September 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2006.
- ^ "King Tupou IV dies at 88". BBC News. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2007.
- ^ "A Rather Special Order". Kero.se. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Tongans urged to pray for dying King". Matangi Tonga. 15 August 2006. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2006.
- ^ "King's body to lie in state". The New Zealand Herald. 11 September 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2006.
- YouTube
- ^ Downes, Lawrence. "The New York Times – Breaking News, World News & Multimedia". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Tongan royal mourning is broken". BBC News. 28 December 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "Funeral of Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV". ABC. 19 September 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "Royalty, dignitaries in Tonga gather for king's funeral". International Herald Tribune. 18 September 2006. Retrieved 2 November 2006.
- ^ "DOUBLE WEDDING OF TONGAN PRINCES". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. XVII, no. 12. 18 July 1947. p. 13. Retrieved 18 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Tonga mourns death of kings second son". RNZ. Radio NZ. 18 February 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Armstrong, David (25 November 1980). "Prince's marriage to commoner infuriates King". The Bulletin (Vol. 101 No 5239). p. 107. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ to:File:Taufa Tupou 4.jpg
- ^ "Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip pose with members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during a tour of Canada, October 1977. Photos and Images". Getty Images. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "jeanpaulleblanc Resources and Information". Jeanpaulleblanc.com. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Fadlmedia.s3.amazonaws.com. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "1979: West Germany's Generous Offer". Mic.gov.to. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "ORDRE DE TAHITI NUI: LISTE DES TITULAIRES". Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "Tonga Royalty Posing With Japanese Leaders". Getty Images. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Hu Jintao Meets with Tongan King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV". Fmprc.gov.cn. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ a b c "Photographic image" (GIF). 38.media.tumblr.com. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Itre.cis.upenn.edu. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
External links
- Obituary of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV with historical context
- Official announcement of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV's passing away
- Website of the Tongan Monarchy
- New Zealand Herald Feature Article
- Recent Visit of HM King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV to Hong Kong
- The 1993 Silver Jubilee of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
- Pacific Magazine: Thousands Turn Out For King's Funeral