Kamehameha ("The Lonely One") was born between 1736 and 1758 in Kohala on the island of Hawaii. His father was Keoua Kupuapaikalani, chief of Kohala and a grandson of Keawe who once ruled over a powerful kingdom on the island of Hawaii. Kekuiapoiwa, Kamehameha's mother, was the daughter of a chief from Kona. The King was a courageous man of unbridled ambition. He became chief of his western Big Island district in 1781 and waged war against the other chiefs. He accomplished his mission of conquering all the islands, except Kauai which joined the kingdom voluntarily.

Kamehameha became the first ruler of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1795. During his reign, he encouraged his people to pursue agriculture to restore the ravaged land, and promoted the introduction of new animals and plant life into the islands. Kamehameha united the Hawaiian Islands into a single kingdom through war and diplomacy. However, there are some who believe that he was a ruthless opportunist who used Western weapons to kill his own people and seize power.