East Coast War 1868-1872
Te Kooti of Rongowhakaata escaped from imprisonment on the Chatham Islands and with adherents was pursued across the breadth of the North Island. A very long and complex war involving multiple alliances of Crown, settlers and Maori pitted against Te Kooti’s people in flight. Te Kooti finally accepted an offer of refuge from Tawhiao and settled into the King Country in 1872. He was later pardoned.