Kamehameha was born about 1736, probably during the winter. His parents were Keoua and Keku‘iapoiwa II. They were cousins. Their grandfather was Keawe‘ikekahiali‘iokamoku, who had been the boss ("ali‘i nui") of the big island of Hawaii. When Keawe‘ikekahiali‘iokamoku died, there was a civil war. Keoua and his brother Kalani‘opu‘u lost, and Alapa‘inui won. Keoua lived with Alapa‘inui for a while, but he died when Kamehameha was still a little boy. Kamehameha left and lived with his uncle Kalani‘opu‘u. 