The Tongan islands have been settled since at least 500 B.C. The first European sighting was in 1616 by Dutch navigators and the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman, visited the main island, Tongatapu, in 1643. There was little European contact from then until 1773 and 1777 when Captain James Cook arrived and named Tonga, ‘The Friendly Islands’, because he perceived the people had a gentle nature.
The first missionaries, part of London Missionary Society arrived in 1747 and a second, more successful group lead by Walter Lawry of the Wesleyan Missionary Society arrived in 1822. This was to be a turning point for Tonga with civil wars between Christian converts and non-Christian groups until the ruler of Ha’apai, a convert, gained control. He united the islands under Christianity and, in 1845, changed his name to Siaosi (George) and his consort’s to Salote (Charlotte) in honour of the English King (George III) and Queen. This king, George Tupou I, started the present dynasty, established a constitution and a parliamentary government.
Tonga and the United Kingdom signed a treaty of friendship and protection in 1900 with the UK agreeing to handle Tonga’s foreign affairs and external defence. With this treaty, Tonga was granted independence and autonomy and it was revised frequently. Though never formally colonised, Tonga became fully independent on June 4 1970.
Through local traditions the names of Tongan sovereigns have been preserved for about 1,000 years. The monarchy attained its full power in the 13th century, but in the 14th the Kind delegated temporal power to a brother while he retained spiritual authority. This was repeated in a second line and resulted in three distinct lines: Tu'i Tonga with spiritual authority, the Tu'i Ha'atakalaua and the Tu'i Kanokupolu.
The existence of the monarchy and nobility in Tonga has created land issues that are flaring in modern times. All Tongan land belongs to the Crown. The King in 1862 abolished the system of semi-serfdom and stated that every male Tongan reaching 16 years was entitled to rent for his lifetime and at a small fee a plot of bushland and a plot in the village for his home. As it turns out, there is not enough land, and no land has been allocated to many. More recently, there are objections to the exclusion of women in this land tenure system.