Athaliah

Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and granddaughter (or possibly grandniece) of Omri, was married to Jehoram of Judah as part of Jehoshaphat's alliance with the northern kingdom. After her husband died and her son Ahaziah of Judah was killed by Jehu, she destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah and seized the throne herself — the only sole female ruler of either kingdom (2 Kings 11:1-3; 2 Chronicles 22:10). The Davidic line came within a single infant of extinction: Jehosheba, daughter of Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, smuggled the baby Joash out from among the king's sons before they were killed and hid him in the temple under the care of her husband, the priest Jehoiada, for six years. In the seventh year Jehoiada brought forth the seven-year-old Joash, presented him to assembled captains and Levites, crowned and anointed him in the temple courts, and proclaimed, 'Long live the king!' Athaliah, hearing the noise, tore her clothes and cried 'Treason! Treason!' but Jehoiada ordered her taken out between the ranks and executed at the entry of the Horse Gate by the king's house (2 Kings 11:13-16). The people then tore down the temple of Baal she had encouraged, killed its priest Mattan before the altars, and Joash was seated on the royal throne. Athaliah's reign is the only successful interruption of the Davidic dynasty between Rehoboam and the exile.