Tamatoa VI

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Tamatoa VI bigraphy, stories - King of Ra'iatea

Tamatoa VI : biography

1853 – 15 September 1905

Prince Ari’imate Teururai later known as King Tamatoa VI (1853 – 15 September 1905), was a member of a Tahitian royal family, the House of Teururai which reigned on the Tahitian island of Huahiné and Maia’o during the 19th century.

He was installed as king of Ra’iatea and Taha’a in 1884, but was deposed in 1888.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

  • 1853 – 14 April 1874 His Highness Prince Ari’imate
  • 14 April 1874 – 1881 His Highness Prince Ari’imate, Minister of Huahine and Maia’o
  • 1881 – 22 January 1885 His Highness The Crown prince of Raiatea and Tahaa
  • 22 January 1885 – 18 March 1888 His Majesty The King of Raiatea and Tahaa
  • 18 March 1888 – 15 September 1905 His Majesty King Ari’imate Tamatoa VI Teururai

Biography

Prince Ariimate Teururai was born at Huahine in 1853. He was the last King of Ra’iatea and Taha’a. He was the second son of King Ari’imate of Huahine. His mother, Princess Maerehia Tehaapapa of Raiatea, was the only living child of King Tamatoa IV of Ra’iatea. She became Queen regnant of Huahine under the regnal name of Teha’apapa II after her husband was deposed in 1868.

Marriage and children

He married Tetua-nui Ha’amarurai a Tati (daughter of Tamatoa Atiti-Oroi, of the Tati family of Papara) and had three sons and three daughters:

  • Crown Prince Tamatoa of Raiatea and Tahaa
  • Prince Opuhara Pehupehu Teururai
  • Princess Tevahineha’amo’eatua Teururai
  • Princess Teriimanaiterai Teururai
  • Prince Mahine Taaroarii Teururai
  • Prince Tefauvero Teururai

Their children remain the pretenders to the royal family of Raiatea and Tahaa since the end of the monarchy on this island.

He died at Huahine in 1905.

Heir to the Raiatea and Tahaa kingdom

He was installed as king of Ra’iatea and Taha’a in 1884. His coronation took place on January 22, 1885. He took the regnal name Tamatoa VI.

His reign ended when the French annexed the two islands of Ra’iatea and Taha’a on March 16, 1888.

After his abdication, he returned to his natal island where he was later proclaimed chief of Tefarerii in Huahine island on 1895, the same year that his niece Queen Teha’apapa III was deposed.

Ancestry