George Tupou I George Tupou I George Tupou I, King of Tonga (4 December 1797 – 18 February 1893) was originally known as Tāufaʻāhau I, or Tupou Maeakafa Ngininginiofolanga in modern spelling (originally Tubou Maeakafa Giniginiofolaga). He adopted the name Siaosi (originally Jiaoji), the Tongan version of "George", after King George III of the United Kingdom, when he was baptized in 1831. His nickname was "Lopa-ukamea" (or Lopa-ʻaione), meaning "iron cable". George Tupou I was born around 1797 in Tonga. 4 December is often-quoted as his birthday and is a public holiday in Tonga; however, it was the date of his coronation in
Tupou VI included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville. He graduated with a masters in Defence Studies from the University of New South Wales in 1997 and with an MA in International Relations from Bond University in 1999. In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as the defence minister and the foreign minister at the same time, from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Tupoutoʻa, at that time still the crown prince, later to become King Siaosi Tupou V (see below). Soon he was appointed as Prime Minister on