Gojong of Korea vs Kamehameha IV

Gojong declared Korea an empire, assuming the title of Emperor. This was an attempt to assert Korea's sovereignty and equal status with China and Japan, and to modernize the state. The move was partly a response to the assassination of his wife, Empress Myeongseong.

Under Japanese pressure, Gojong's government signed the Eulsa Treaty, making Korea a Japanese protectorate. Gojong did not sign the treaty himself and later attempted to appeal to international powers, but the treaty stripped Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty.

Japanese authorities forced Gojong to abdicate in favor of his son, Sunjong, after Gojong sent a secret envoy to the Hague Peace Conference to protest Japanese control. The abdication was part of Japan's consolidation of power over Korea.

Gojong died suddenly, with rumors of poisoning by Japanese agents. His funeral on March 1, 1919, became a catalyst for the March First Movement, a massive nationwide protest against Japanese rule. The movement was brutally suppressed but galvanized Korean independence efforts.

Alexander Liholiho became King Kamehameha IV at age 20 after the death of his uncle Kamehameha III. He inherited a kingdom facing increasing pressure from American and European interests.

Kamehameha IV resisted efforts to sign a reciprocity treaty with the United States that would have reduced tariffs on Hawaiian sugar. He feared it would lead to American political influence and eventual annexation.

Kamehameha IV and his wife Queen Emma founded Queen's Hospital (now The Queen's Medical Center) in Honolulu to provide healthcare for Native Hawaiians. The hospital was funded by public subscriptions and royal donations.

Kamehameha IV, with Queen Emma, invited the Church of England to establish a mission in Hawaii. He helped found the Anglican Church of Hawaii, which became the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church, as a counterbalance to American Protestant influence.

Kamehameha IV died at age 29 from chronic asthma, a condition that had plagued him for years. His death left the throne to his younger brother, who became Kamehameha V.