Queen Athaliah

Queen Athaliah was a Queen consort of Judah as the wife of King Jehoram, a descendant of King David and later Queen regnant from c. 841 BCE – 835 BCE.

Villainy
Princess Athaliah is usually considered the daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel.

Princess Athaliah was married to Prince Jehoram of Judah to seal a treaty between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and to secure his position Prince Jehoram killed his 6 brothers. Prince Jehoram became King of Judah in the 50 year of Jehoram of Israel's reign. King Jehoram of Israel was Princess Athaliah's brother or possibly nephew. King Jehoram of Judah reigned for 8 years. His father King Jehoshaphat and grandfather King Asa were devout Kings who worshiped the Lord and walked in His ways. However, King Jehoram chose not to follow their example but rejected God and married Princess Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab in the line of Omri. King Jehoram's rule of Judah was shaky. Edom revolted and he was forced to acknowledge their independence. A raid by Philistines, Arabs and Ethiopians looted the King's house, and carried off all of his family except for their youngest son, Prince Ahaziah. After King Jehoram's death, Prince Ahaziah became King of Judah and Queen Athaliah was Queen Mother. Prince Ahaziah reigned for one year from the age of 22 and was killed during a state visit to Israel along with King Jehoram of Israel. Jehu assassinated them both in Yahweh's name and became King of Israel. He had Queen Athaliah's entire extended family in Israel put to death, ending the Omri dynasty in Israel. For her part, Queen Athaliah seized the throne of Judah and ordered the execution of all possible claimants to the throne, including the remnant of her Omri dynasty. However, Princess Jehosheba, King Ahaziah's sister, managed to rescue from the purge one of Queen Athaliah's grandsons with Jehoram of Judah, named Jehoash, who was only one year old. Jehoash was raised in secret by Jehosheba's husband, a priest named Jehoiada. As a Queen, Queen Athaliah used her power to establish the worship of Baal in Judah. 6 years later, Queen Athaliah was surprised when Jehoiada revealed that Jehoash lived and proclaimed him King of Judah.

She rushed to stop the rebellion, but was captured and executed.