Tonga became a
British protected state under a
Treaty of Friendship on 18 May 1900, when European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs tried to oust King
George Tupou II, and to secure the independence of Tonga amid further German territorial gains in the Pacific. The Treaty of Friendship and protected state status ended in 1970 under arrangements established prior to her death by the third monarch, Queen
Sālote. While never directly ruled by the British, Tonga's foreign affairs were conducted through the British
consul, giving the United Kingdom veto power over foreign policies and finances of the Kingdom of Tonga. For most of the 20th century Tonga was quiet, inward-looking, and somewhat isolated from developments elsewhere in the world. Tonga's complex social structure is essentially broken into three tiers: the
King, the nobles, and the commoners. Between the nobles and commoners are Matapule, sometimes called "talking chiefs," who are associated with the King or a noble and who may or may not hold estates. Obligations and responsibilities are reciprocal, and although the nobility are able to extract favours from people living on their estates, they likewise must extend favours to their people. Status and rank play a powerful role in personal relationships, even within families. Tonga gained independence within the
Commonwealth of Nations on 4 June 1970. ==Gallery==