- Home.
- Foundation to 600 CE
- 600 to 1450 CE
- 1450 to 1750 CE
- 1750 to 1914 CE
- 1914 CE to Present
- Maps
- Vocabulary
- References
The Rise of the Tu'i Tonga Empire By: Mackenzie Smith
During the time period of 600- 1450 C.E. you begin to see Polynesian culture expand and take part in the world as a whole. The Tu’i Tonga Empire was one of these cultures that conquered lands and set up tributary systems that would connect most of Polynesia. They were able to establish themselves with great leaders, strong ideas, and the urge to expand.
Before the Tonga Empire could gain power it first needed a strong a dedicated leader. These requirements where found in the first emperor of Tonga names ‘Aho’eitu. Although little is known about his childhood and upbringing, his father was Tongan and his mother was Samoan. This helped him to connect with the Tongan society and the Samoan society they would later conquer. ‘Aho’eitu reign began in 950 when he was able to free his people from the rule of Fiji. After gaining independence he set out to conquer the cultures that before had suppressed the Tongan people. This started that idea of expanding the empire which would lead into a tributary system. He was the founder of the empire and the one who gave it its greatest ideas.
With the very first leader of the Tongan empire you are able to see a trend that would stay with them and eventually lead to their destruction, expansion. Similar to the Roman Empire, Tonga kept conquering new land and expanding its boundaries. However this would cause them to recognize internal problems that were weakening the empire. This allowed cultures that had been under their rule to rise up and gain freedom. A political trend that the Tongan empire forced upon its new conquered cultures was a tributary system. Local leaders had to pay the king and set up trade routes that were directly linked to Tonga. This system was very similar to that of China a countries such as Vietnam.
In the Tongan culture there wasn’t one particular event but rather their ideas and legacies that helped them to be a great Polynesian society. The ideas of expanding and trading with conquered lands made them extremely successful. They were able to go from a small island to an empire that stretched millions of miles and had thousands of people. There was however one event that made their existence possible and that was freeing themselves from the imperial rule of Fiji and Samoa. This started a chain reaction of events that created and sustained the Tu’i Tonga Empire.
Starting from humble beginnings the people and rulers of the Tu’i Tonga Empire were able to create a culture that would last hundreds of years. Rulers were able to expand thousands of miles and manage a complex tributary system. The Tongans had developed ideas similar to that of Rome and China although they were isolated from anything outside of Polynesia.
Before the Tonga Empire could gain power it first needed a strong a dedicated leader. These requirements where found in the first emperor of Tonga names ‘Aho’eitu. Although little is known about his childhood and upbringing, his father was Tongan and his mother was Samoan. This helped him to connect with the Tongan society and the Samoan society they would later conquer. ‘Aho’eitu reign began in 950 when he was able to free his people from the rule of Fiji. After gaining independence he set out to conquer the cultures that before had suppressed the Tongan people. This started that idea of expanding the empire which would lead into a tributary system. He was the founder of the empire and the one who gave it its greatest ideas.
With the very first leader of the Tongan empire you are able to see a trend that would stay with them and eventually lead to their destruction, expansion. Similar to the Roman Empire, Tonga kept conquering new land and expanding its boundaries. However this would cause them to recognize internal problems that were weakening the empire. This allowed cultures that had been under their rule to rise up and gain freedom. A political trend that the Tongan empire forced upon its new conquered cultures was a tributary system. Local leaders had to pay the king and set up trade routes that were directly linked to Tonga. This system was very similar to that of China a countries such as Vietnam.
In the Tongan culture there wasn’t one particular event but rather their ideas and legacies that helped them to be a great Polynesian society. The ideas of expanding and trading with conquered lands made them extremely successful. They were able to go from a small island to an empire that stretched millions of miles and had thousands of people. There was however one event that made their existence possible and that was freeing themselves from the imperial rule of Fiji and Samoa. This started a chain reaction of events that created and sustained the Tu’i Tonga Empire.
Starting from humble beginnings the people and rulers of the Tu’i Tonga Empire were able to create a culture that would last hundreds of years. Rulers were able to expand thousands of miles and manage a complex tributary system. The Tongans had developed ideas similar to that of Rome and China although they were isolated from anything outside of Polynesia.