He was not happy, however, to receive no lands after his father died in 1781. He challenged his cousin Kamehameha I, resulting in the Battle of Moku'ohai. He escaped the battle to relatives in the Kaʻū district to the South in 1782. Although Kamehameha controlled the West side of the island, repeated raids never resulted in a clear victory for either side.
In 1790, after escaping another attack, his party was caught in an eruption of Kilauea, and lost two thirds of his army to lava.
He was killed in 1791 when Kamehameha invited him to the Puʻukoholā HeiauinKohala. He was captured in what is sometimes called the Battle of Kawaihae, and Keōua's body offered as a sacrifice to sanctify the new temple.
He may have mutilated himself before landing so as to render himself an inappropriate sacrificial victim. As he stepped on shore, one of Kamehameha's chiefs threw a spear at him. By some accounts he dodged it, but was then cut down by musket fire. Caught by surprise, Keōua's bodyguards were killed.[4]
Keoua had many wives including Kaʻiolaniokaʻiwalani, Hiʻileiohiiaka, Nalaniewalu and Luahiwa. He had several daughters and two sons.[5]
He was the last independent district ruler on the island of Hawaiʻi.