For three years in the middle of the 12th century, the Tu’i Tonga Empire was ruled by a piece of wood.
David Broad [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Talatama did have a younger brother, Talaiha’apepe, but there was no precedent for a younger brother inheriting this title. So when the king died, he had to come up with a plan.
The plan was simple: appoint a doll made of wood as the king. The doll was named “Tu’itonganui ko e Tamatou” (roughly, the king who is made of Tou wood), and described as Talatama’s son. It was installed as king and even assigned a queen. Three years later, the doll “died,” apparently leaving a son. Surprise! The son was Talaiha’apepe, and he finally became king.
[Thanks to Nicoletta R. for suggesting this topic.]
Categories: History Medieval history Oceania Places Politics & law
The Generalist
I live in Auckland, New Zealand, and am curious about most things.
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