The Mata'uvave dynasty was created out of the drastic political restructuring of the Tongan elite following the assassination of the 23rd Tu'i Tonga, Takalaua, in the late 14th or early 15th century.
Historians are unsure of the veracity of the revenge story, but it describes a known reassertion of control of the Tongatapu chiefs over the island groups within the Tu'i Tonga empire at that time [REF].