Malietoa Tanumafili I

Malietoa Tanumafili I
Malietoa
King (Tafa'ifa) of Samoa
King of Samoa
Reign1898 – 2 December 1899
Coronation31 December, 1898
PredecessorMalietoa Laupepa
SuccessorMonarchy abolished
Malietoa
Reign1898 - 5 July 1939
PredecessorMalietoa Laupepa
SuccessorMalietoa Tanumafili II
Born1879
Samoa
Died5 July 1939(1939-07-05) (aged 59–60)
Faatoialemanu, Samoa
SpouseMomoe Lupeuluiva Meleisea
Issue
FatherMalietoa Laupepa
MotherSisavai'i Malupo Niuva'ai
Tanumafili aboard a British naval ship.

Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili I OBE (1879 – 5 July 1939) was the Malietoa in Samoa from 1898 until his death in 1939. After the death of his father, Malietoa Laupepa, who was recognized as king of Samoa by many Western countries, Tanumafili was immediately crowned, with Tupua Tamasese Lealofi I serving as vice-king. Tanumafili was backed by the United States and United Kingdom, however Germany supported rebel chief Mata‘afa Iosefo who was eyeing the throne. The battle between the two made up the Second Samoan Civil War and in the end caused the Tripartite Convention that split the islands. After the war, Malietoa pursued education in Fiji and then came back to Samoa, where he was appointed as an advisor.