Te Rata
{{Short description|Fourth Māori King, 1912–1933}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox royalty
| embed =
| name = Te Rata
| title = Kiingi Maaori
| image = Te Rata Mahuta, Tupu Taingakawa, Mita Karaka and Geo G Paul (higher quality) (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Te Rata Matuha in 1914
| succession = Māori King
| reign = 1912–1933
| predecessor = Mahuta Tāwhiao
| successor = Korokī Mahuta
| birth_name = Te Rata Mahuta
| birth_date = c. 1878
| death_date = {{death date and age|1933|10|01|1884|df=yes}}
| burial_place = Mount Taupiri
| spouse = Te Uranga
| issue = {{plainlist|
- Korokī
- Taipū Mahuta
- Makareta Hoete
- Hori Te Rata
- Keti Paora
}}
| regnal name = Te Rata Mahuta Tawhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero
| posthumous name = Te Rata Potatau Te Wherowhero IV
| house = House of Pōtatau (Te Kaahui-aariki)
| father = Mahuta Tāwhiao
| mother = Te Marae
}}
Te Rata Mahuta ({{circa}} 1878 – 1 October 1933) was the fourth Māori King, reigning from 1912 to 1933.
Biography
Te Rata was the eldest son of the third king, Mahuta, and Te Marae, daughter of the fighting chief Amukete Te Kerei, who was killed at the Battle of Rangiriri in November 1863. Te Rata was born sometime between 1877 and 1880. He had four younger brothers: Taipu (who died in March 1926),{{cite web |url= http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/states/oceania/maori.html |title=Maori kingitanga |first=Henry |last=Soszynski |date= |work=World of royalty |accessdate=13 May 2012}} Tumate, Tonga and Te Rauangaanga. He married Te Uranga, daughter of Iriwhata Wharemaki and Hira Wati of Ngāti Korokī.{{cite web |url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3t18/1 |title=Te Rata Mahuta Potatau Te Wherowhero |first= Angela |last= Ballara |date=1 September 2010 |work=Dictionary of New Zealand Biography |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |accessdate=13 May 2012}}
Te Rata was invested with the kingship on 24 November 1912, about two weeks after his father's death. Three months later a coronation ceremony was held at Te Kōpua, Raglan.{{Cite web |date=24 February 1913 |title=Maori coronation.Waikato Argus |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIGUS19130224.2.11 |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} As was the custom for a new Māori King, he assumed the title name of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, beginning a kingship dogged by ill health and controversy.
Te Rata Mahuta had at least five children;
- Korokī Te Rata Mahuta Tāwhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero (m) (with Te Uranga),
- Taipu Mahuta (m) (with Te Uranga),
- Makareta Hoete Harris (Maihi-Parata) (f) (with Te Uranga),
- Hori (George) Te Rata (m) (with Maata Paora)
- Keti Maata Paora (f) (with Maata Paora)
Korokī became Te Rata's successor upon his death. Of his other sons, Taipu had died in 1924, and Hori was not recognised at the insistence of Te Puea Herangi, Te Rata's influential cousin.
As a child, Te Rata had been a chronic invalid and had suffered several illnesses including rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease. The former greatly affected his ability to carry out his role as King.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} This was particularly apparent during an expedition to England in 1914. This expedition had been undertaken with the aim of presenting British officials with a petition concerning breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi; namely, that Māori land had been unjustly confiscated following the New Zealand wars.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
However, during his voyage to England, Te Rata ended up suffering repeated attacks of rheumatics. For example, during a stop-over in Honolulu, he was unable to accept an invitation from the nation's ageing Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last ruler of her people prior to annexation. Furthermore, these attacks continued following his arrival in England on 21 May 1914. Indeed, Te Rata was so unwell that he ended up turning down a meeting with important British officials, although he eventually was able to meet with King George and Queen Mary.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
He died at Waahi on 1 October 1933. New Zealand Labour Party leader Harry Holland died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his funeral.
References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite web
| editor-last =McLintock
| editor-first = A. H.
| title =An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, (1966)
| url =http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/W/TeWherowheroTeRataMahutaTawhiaoPotatau/TeWherowheroTeRataMahutaTawhiaoPotatau/en
| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20061001130902/http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/W/TeWherowheroTeRataMahutaTawhiaoPotatau/TeWherowheroTeRataMahutaTawhiaoPotatau/en
| url-status =dead
| archive-date =2006-10-01
| accessdate = 2006-08-15 }}
External links
Photos
- [https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/2206/te-rata-mahuta-potatau-te-wherowhero-seated-right-and-others The King, seated, at right side]
- [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/new-zealand-graphic/1912/11/27/27 1912 coronation ceremony]
- [https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/photos/id/205325/ 1913 at the wedding of his brother, Taipu, to Wira Te Heu Heu]
{{s-start}}
{{s-roy|mr}}
{{s-bef|before=Mahuta Tāwhiao}}
{{s-ttl|title=Māori King|years=1912–1933}}
{{s-aft|after=Korokī Mahuta}}
{{end}}
{{MaoriMonarchs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Te Rata}}