Until the year 1898, Hawai‘i was a sovereign nation. A Military History of Sovereign Hawai‘i provides an overview of Hawai‘i’s remarkable military history, beginning with the classical period and progressing through the political turmoil of the nineteenth century to the annexation of Hawai‘i by the United States.

The book is written in two parts. The first focuses on the classical Hawaiian warrior, or koa. The second part presents the post-classical warriors of Hawai‘i, the uniformed armed forces of the Hawaiian kingdom. This groundbreaking work, full of previously unpublished photographs, is the first effort of its kind to examine the transition from Kamehameha’s military to that of the monarchy.

A Military History of Sovereign Hawai‘i is the logical starting-point for anyone interested in the subject. Topics covered include Hawai‘i’s warrior roots, religious and cultural influences, weapons, martial arts (lua), tactics, and domestic and foreign challenges.

Appealing equally to those who crave historic detail and those who want a compelling narrative, this volume explores the riveting story of the precarious historical relationship between armed force and independence in Hawai‘i.