The House of Kamehameha (Hale O Kamehameha),…

The House of Kamehameha (Hale O Kamehameha), or the Kamehameha Dynasty, has been the reigning family of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from the unification of the islands by Kamehameha I in 1810.

Kamehameha V had come to power in Hawaii on November 30, 1863, after his brother's death, but has refused to uphold the previous constitution of 1852.

In May 1864, he calls for a constitutional convention, and on July 7, 1864 he proposes a new constitution rather than amending the old one.

The convention runs smoothly until the 62nd article, which limits voters to being residents who pass a literacy test and possess property or have income qualifications.

On August 20, 1864, he signs the 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii and takes an oath to protect it.

The constitution is based on the original draft but twenty articles have been deleted.

When he had appointed Charles de Varigny as minister of finance in December 1863, Americans in Hawaiʻi were convinced that he had adopted an anti-American policy.

In reality, his foreign policy remains the same.

Later, de Varigny will become minister of foreign affairs from 1865–1869.

Kamehameha V is the first king to encourage revival of traditional practices.

Under his reign, the laws against "kahunaism" are repealed.

A Hawaiian Board of Medicine is established, with kahuna members, and la'au lapa'au or Hawaiian medicine is again practiced.

He brings kahuna practitioners to Honolulu to document their remedies.