Pōmare II (c. 1774 – 7 December 1821), born Tū-nui-ē-a‘ī-ī-e-atua, was the second king of Tahiti, reigning from 1791 until his death in 1821. He was the son of Pōmare I, the founder of the Pōmare Dynasty, and succeeded his father upon his abdication.
Pōmare II's early reign was characterized by significant political instability and internal conflicts, as he struggled to assert his authority over rival chiefs. He was forced into exile on the nearby island of Mo'orea for several years (1803–1807 and again 1808–1811), during which time he continued to seek support from the London Missionary Society (LMS) missionaries who had arrived in Tahiti in 1797.
A pivotal moment in Pōmare II's rule, and in Tahitian history, was his conversion to Christianity. Although he had shown interest in the new religion earlier, he formally embraced Protestantism in 1812. His conversion was a strategic move that significantly strengthened his position, as he gained the unwavering support of the missionaries and their European connections.
In 1815, Pōmare II secured a decisive victory over the traditionalist chiefs at the Battle of Te Fe‘i Pī (also known as the Battle of Fe‘i Pī or the Battle of Narii), solidifying his control over Tahiti and Mo'orea. This victory marked the triumph of Christianity over traditional Tahitian religious practices and political structures.
Following his consolidation of power, Pōmare II actively promoted the adoption of Christian values and European customs. In 1819, he promulgated the Pōmare Code, Tahiti's first written legal code, which blended traditional Tahitian law with Christian principles and Western legal concepts. This code addressed issues such as theft, murder, and marriage, and banned traditional practices like human sacrifice and infanticide.
Pōmare II's reign laid the foundation for Tahiti's transformation into a Christian kingdom and its increasing interaction with European powers. He died in 1821, reportedly of an illness related to his lifestyle, and was succeeded by his infant son, Pōmare III. His legacy is one of a ruler who, through a combination of military prowess and strategic religious conversion, unified Tahiti and profoundly reshaped its society.