King Kamehameha was a smart ruler who amassed a fortune. He was the one who who united all the Hawaiian islands and founded the royal dynasty that ruled them for years. He established a government monopoly in the sandalwood trade, and he collected duties (charges) from visiting ships. Kamehameha was a strong and able king, but his successors were not as strong as he, and ultimately they were not able to resist European efforts to control the islands. It is ironic that the Europeans saw Hawaii as a desirable prize in part because of King Kamehameha's achievements.