Events In History
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11 January 1846Ruapekapeka pā occupied by British forcesThe battle at Ruapekapeka, the 'bats' nest’, was the last of the Northern War. Debate soon raged as to whether the pā had been abandoned by its defenders or captured by the British. Read more...
Articles
The Northern War
The Northern War, fought in the Bay of Islands in 1845-46, was the first serious challenge to the Crown in the years after the Treaty of Waitangi. Its opening shots marked the beginning of the wider North Island conflicts that are often referred to as the New Zealand Wars.
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Page 2 – Origins of the Northern War
Actions by the colonial government cost Māori in the Bay of Islands in terms of lost trade and opportunities. Heke feared that chiefly authority was now subservient to that of
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Page 6 – The quest for peace
Grey assumed control on 18 November 1845. He believed that FitzRoy's negotiations were inconsistent with the interests of the British government. When talks broke down in early
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Page 7 – Ruapekapeka
Ruapekapeka may have been a tactical victory for the British, but many consider the outcome to have been a draw. Heke and Kawiti had escaped with their forces largely intact,
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Main image: Ruapekapeka
The last battle of the Northern War was fought at Ruapekapeka Pā, the distinctive features of which are well preserved.
