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Tapoa II
King of Bora Bora and Maupiti From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tapoa II (c. 1806–1860), also known as Teri'inohorai or Pōmare, was a prominent figure in the political and dynastic history of the Leeward Islands during the nineteenth century. Through his marriage to Aimata, the future Queen Pōmare IV, he held the title of Royal consort of Tahiti from 1827 until December 1832. He became King of Bora Bora and Maupiti in 1840 and ruled until his death in 1860. His reign illustrates the complex interplay of indigenous leadership, missionary influence, and colonial pressures that shaped the political landscape of the Society Islands during this period..
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Tapoa II was born in 1806.[1] He was the son of Tapoa I, according to Henry's writings.[2] Other sources, however, identify him as the grandson of Tapoa I.[3][4] The earliest documentation concerning Tapoa I originates from missionary John Davies, who encountered Tapoa I and Tamatoa III, the two principal chiefs of the Leeward Islands, during his time in Huahine.[5][6] On 19 May 1809, Davies recorded: "A canoe arrived from Raeatɛa with news that Maevarua, Tapoa's daughter, is very ill. This canoe was dispatched to fetch a man who lives in our neighbourhood named Totara. He is a priest and prophet, and supposed to have great power with the gods. He is to go to Raeatɛa to pray for Tapoa's daughter. He has been there lately on a like errand, and she got better, as was thought, by his prayers."[7] Subsequently, on 14 July 1809, he noted: "Three canoes arrived from Raeatɛa; they come here to fetch the chiefs who are to go thither to lament the death of Maevarua, Tapoa's daughter and acknowledged chief of Tahaa and Bora Bora."[8][9] On 7 November 1846, Henry Byam Martin in command of HMS Grampus, reported that Tapoa II succeeded to the sovereignty of Bora Bora partly in right of his mother, and partly by the voice of the people.[10]
On September 3, 1814, Pōmare II made an unplanned visit to the Leeward Islands after adverse winds redirected the brig Matilda, an Indian vessel commanded by Captain Fowler. He was accompanied by Charles Wilson; George Bicknell, nephew of Henry Bicknell; Samuel Henry, son of William Henry; Ta'aroaari'i, son of Mahine; and 23 individuals from Mo'orea. Compelled to remain in the Leeward Islands for three months, he visited Taha'a, Ra'iātea, and Huahine, where he was received with the highest honors. According to several testimonies dating from 1845, the chiefs of the Leeward Islands are said to have once again pledged allegiance and "ceded" their lands to Pōmare II, as they had previously done in 1810. During his stay in Taha'a, Pōmare II officially adopted Teri'inohora'i, grandson of Tapoa I, gave him his name Pōmare and betrothed him to his daughter Aimata. Fenuapeho, chief of Taha'a and a member of Tapoa I's family, was appointed regent to Teri'inohorai. Pōmare returned to Mo'orea on December 2, 1814.[11][12][13][14][15][16]
Between late 1815 and early 1816, a coalition of worshippers of indigenous Tahitian deities allied with Fenuapeho in opposition to Tamatoa III and his faction of "Pure Atua," or Christian converts. Although Fenuapeho was ultimately defeated, he retained his title as chief of Taha'a, but under the suzerainty of Tamatoa III.[17][18][19][20][21] Teri'inohorai married Aimata the future Queen Pōmare IV on 18 December 1822 in Huahine.[22][23][24]
By the end of May 1831, a major inter-island conflict broke out in the Leeward Islands. It initially pitted Ra'iātea against Taha'a, before spreading to Huahine and Bora Bora, respective allies of Ra'iātea and Taha'a. The political unity between Ra'iātea and Taha'a, established during their conversion to Christianity in 1816 under the reign of King Tamatoa III, was called into question following the death of Fenuapeho in April 1831. His successor, Teri'inohora'i, who became Tapoa II, sought to break this union and to restore Taha'a's historical ties with Bora Bora. King Tamatoa III strongly opposed this initiative, but fell ill during a military expedition to Taha'a, and died during the first half of June 1831, in the presence of the missionary John Williams. He was succeeded by his son Moe'ore, who became Tamatoa IV, and continued to resist Tapoa II's ambitions. The conflict quickly escalated into armed clashes, with three battles fought on the island of Taha'a, the last of which resulted in Tapoa II's defeat at Vaitoare on 3 April 1832, where over fifty men were killed. Tapoa II was subsequently exiled to Huahine. According to the missionaries accounts, the conflict was intensified by the influence of the Mamaia sect, a heterodox religious movement that challenged the authority of Protestant missionaries. In May 1832, a general peace plan was submitted for the approval of Queen Pōmare IV. The resulting treaty divided the territories: Ra'iātea and Taha'a were entrusted to Tamatoa IV, while Bora Bora, Maupiti, Tupai, and Maupiha'a were assigned to Tapoa II. A new code of laws was deemed necessary to govern these islands, ensuring stable leadership and helping to prevent future conflicts. Later that year, Queen Pōmare IV distanced herself from her spouse Tapoa II and married her cousin Tenania. Celebrated in Mo'orea on 3 December 1832, by missionary Henry Nott, the marriage sparked intense political and social controversy.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]
Tapoa II later married Tainoa, who took the title Tapoa Vahine.[2] In accordance with the peace agreement reached around mid-1832 among the chiefs regarding the division of the kingdoms of the Leeward Islands, Tapoa was crowned king of Bora Bora and Maupiti on 30 September 1840 under the title Teari'imaevarua Third (sic), with the consent of Ma'i III and Tefa'aora II[35][36][37]
In the absence of biological offspring from his unions with Queen Pōmare IV and subsequently Tapoa Vahine, King Tapoa undertook a dynastic adoption to secure succession. At infancy, he and his consort adopted the sole daughter of Queen Pōmare IV, bestowing upon her the name Maevarua and formally designating her as the heir to the throne of Bora Bora.[38][39][10] From mid-July 1844 to 1847, alongside Tamatoa IV and Teri'itaria II, he supported Queen Pōmare IV during the Franco-Tahitian War. This conflict ultimately concluded with the adoption of the Jarnac Convention and the restoration of Pōmare IV as sovereign of Tahiti and its dependencies. Tapoa II died on 19 May 1860 in Bora Bora.[40] His adopted daughter succeeded him and was formally crowned under the title Teriimaevarua II on 3 August 1860, in a ceremony officiated by missionary George Platt.[41][42] Tapoa Vahine died of illness on 11 April 1869 in Huahine. Her remains were repatriated to her native island of Bora Bora. She was accompanied by Queen Teha'apapa II, Ari'imate and a large delegation from Huahine who paid tribute to her.[43]
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Descending dashed lines denote adoptions.
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