Tamatoa IV

Tamatoa IV, also named Moe'ore Teri'itinorua Teari'inohora'i (1797–1857) was the king of Raiatea and Tahaa from 1831 to 1857.

He was born in circa 1797. He grew up on Huahine alongside his sisters, including Teriitaria II. The latter had been recognized as supreme chief of the island of Huahine, along with her uncle Puru, also known as Mahine. In November 1808, a military alliance was concluded between the Tamatoa of Huahine and Raiatea and the Pomare family. A message was sent on November 21, 1808 to Pōmare II by his mother Itia, for him to take Teriitaria as his wife. Finally, he married his younger sister Teremoeme on aesthetic criteria.

At the fall of idolatry in 1815, a battle took place at Raiatea between Tamatoa III who supported Christianity and the fanatics of idolatry who allied themselves with Fenuapeho the chief of Tahaa who was also the regent of Pomare the grandson of Tapoa I. The latter having died at the end of September 1812 in Tahiti. Fenuapeho was defeated but he was allowed to keep his title of chief and regent of Tahaa. Tamatoa III became the supreme chief or king of the united kingdom of Raiatea and Tahaa.

In 1818, Teriitaria II was head of the ten chiefdoms or districts of Huahine. Moeore and his sister Maihara were chiefs of the Atea and Ama districts respectively. Mahine and Hautia also called Hivaha were the two main chiefs of Huahine's eight traditional districts, each with its own chief.

In the month of April 1831, Fenuapeho died at sea and the government fell into the hands of the young Pomare who became Tapoa II. The latter had meanwhile become the husband of Queen Pomare IV. Tamatoa III was betrayed by some Raiatea chiefs who were also right-hand men of missionary John Williams in the Raiatea church. They prevailed upon the young chief of Tahaa, Tapoa II, to alter the form of government and make Tahaa one with Bora Bora as it was in former times. Tamatoa III moved to Vaitoare on the island of Tahaa to re-establish on their lands the families who had been expelled by Tapoa II. He suddenly fell ill and was forced to return to Raiatea to be cared for by missionary John Williams who assisted to his death in mid-June 1831.

The transition of power from Tamatoa III to his only son Moeore was confirmed by missionary George Platt, who wrote : « Tamatoa (Moeore was) ». He opposed the change of government, and There were three battles on the island of Tahaa, the last of which was fatal to many warriors. Moeore was supported by the chiefs of Huahine and some chiefs of Raiatea. Tapoa II was supported by his followers from Tahaa and by the chiefs Mai and Tefaaora from Bora Bora. Mai was living in the great valley of Faanui. He was considered an outlaw chief given to idolatry, ancestral customs, and alcohol. Tefaaora was his son in law. On April 3, 1832, Tapoa II was completely defeated and wounded in a fierce battle at Vaitoare on the island of Tahaa. Upwards of fifty men were killed during the clash. He was then banished to the island of Huahine.

In May 1832, Queen Pomare IV united to the chiefs of the Leeward Islands in establishing a general peace. Afterwards, she threw away her husband Tapoa II, chiefly responsible for the war and married her cousin Ariifaite. His mother was Moeore's sister, called Teihotu, and his father was Hiro from Huahine. The mariage was celebrated by « archbishop » Henry Nott at the beginning of December 1832.

Moeore was a very dissipated young man when he succeeded to the government of Raiatea and Tahaa. Instead of following his father’s good example he sanctioned the introduction of ardent spirits Shortly after the May meeting, the banful effects of the late commotions on the moral habits of the people became manifest to such an extent that the settlement of Raiatea became an entire scene of brutal intoxication with every attendant vice. Native stills were erected all round the island. This state of things was suffered by the chiefs of the island. All laws were laid aside. The missionary John Williams, returning from Rarotonga, used his influence to stem the scourge of alcoholism, but without success. Maihara the sister of Moeore on hearing of the state of things, came down from Huahine with her people. They went round the island and helped to brake all the stills which in number were found to be about twenty. Peace was then restored

A new code of laws was promulgated on March 23, 1836. This code of laws was entitled : « O Tamatoa, raua o Teariimaevarua : E ture no Raiatea, no Tahaa, no Borabora, e no Maupiti. I faatia faahouhia i te hau o Tamatoa, raua o Teariimaevarua. Mate 23, 1836 ». Two coronation ceremonies were subsequently held. The first on June 8, 1838 in Raiatea for Moeore, who became King of Raiatea and Tahaa under the name Tamatoa, and the second on September 30, 1840 in Borabora for Tapoa, who became King of Bora Bora and Maupiti under the name Teariimaevarua with the consent of Mai and Tefaaora.

In mid-July 1844, Moeore extended political asylum to his niece Queen Pōmare IV of Tahiti, who had been completely stripped of her territory's internal sovereignty by French Rear Admiral Abel Aubert du Petit-Thouars. This action was followed by a Franco-Tahitian War. As a gesture to the enduring nature of the hau feti'i, the traditional alliance of the chiefly families of the Society Islands, Tamatoa IV adopted Queen Pōmare IV's third son Tamatoa as heir to the throne of Raiatea and Tahaa.

In 1847 and 1849, Raiatea and Tahaa enacted new law codes. Adopting the trappings of Western style kingship, Tamatoa attempted to place himself above the law and exert greater control and paramountcy over the district chiefs of Raiatea. A battle broke out on March 24, 1852 at Tevaitoa near the Marae Tainu'u. The king was defeated and forced to comply with the demands of the rebels. The « hau Raiatea » government was established. Tamatoa's power was however, limited to his hereditary district of Opoa and he was forced to return all the land he had seized to give to his family members.

He restored the « hau Arii » government or family government in his own district of Opoa and sought to impose it to the party of the rebel Temarii, defending the « hau Raiatea ». A clash took place on August 23, 1853, during which Tamatoa Moeore was defeated, taken prisoner and his village of Opoa burned to the ground. On August 30, 1853, at a popular meeting attended by Mr. Busvargus Toup Nicolas, English consul to the Leeward Islands, he was deposed and sentenced to banishment to the island of Huahine. Temarii was elected King of Raiatea and Tahaa.

On August 14, 1854, having learned of a plot to depose him, Temarii launched a surprise attack on the chief Teamo. The latter was forced, along with several of his men, to take refuge aboard the French protectorate schooner la Joséphine. Thanks to the active interference of the Joséphine's captain, Captain Connoly of HMS Amphitrite and the English consul Mr. Busvargus Toup Nicolas, the insurrection was put down. Teamo and his men were saved, tried and banished to Tahiti.

In April 1855, the chiefs, dissatisfied with King Temarii's mismanagement of the government, decided to judge and depose him. The people of Tahaa wanted to have their own king. Those of Raiatea replied that they would not obtain it without war. The chiefs of Tahaa gave themselves a period of reflection. Moeore was recalled by the population on june 4, 1855 to take over the reins of government of Raiatea and Tahaa as king. Order was re-established and the laws were strengthened. King Tamatoa Moeore died on May 23, 1857 in Uturoa and was buried in Opoa.

He was succeeded by his adopted son who reigned as Tamatoa V.