There was a woman in the Bible who murdered all of her grandchildren (except one) in order to seize the throne and rule unimpeded. Who was this woman? Who were her parents? Which grandchild escaped and was later made king?
Answer: The terrible grandmother was named Athaliah. She was the daughter of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, which explains a lot about her wicked behavior. One of her grandchildren, Joash, was hidden by his aunt Jehosheba when the other royal heirs were being murdered by Athaliah. Joash was kept hidden in the house of the Lord for six years and then was crowned king at the tender age of seven. Queen Athaliah, the usurper of the throne, was then executed. We can read about these events in II Kings 11:1-16 and II Chronicles 22:10-12; 23:1-15.