Athaliah

The ruthless daughter of Ahad (probably by Jezebell) who married Jehoram, king of Judah. She and Jehoram made a dangerous pair as far as Yahweh worship was concerned: Jehoram "walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord" (2 Ki 8:18//2 Chron 21:6). Jehoram ruled only eight years and was succeeded by their son Ahaziah. When Ahaziah was killed by Jehu a year later, Athaliah proceeded to kill off all the other members of the royal family and siezed the throne for herself. Her six year reign came to an end when the priest Jehoiada raised a coup in which Joash, the six-year-old son of Ahaziah who had escaped death at his grandmother's hand (as the murder was taking place his aunty has taken him and brought him up secreted away in the temple) was crowned king. When she discovered the coup it was too late and she was killed outside the palace. With Joash, under the guidance of Jehoida, a new age of Yahwehistic loyalty in Judah began.