Athaliah

Athaliah, the wife of Jehoram, King of Judah. After the death of her son Ahaziah she slew all the male members of the royal house, except Joash, her youngest grandson, who escaped, and six years later (878 B.C.) asserted his rights, and put her to death (2 Kings xi.; 2 Chron. xxii.). Her history is the subject of a French tragedy by Racine, and has been musically treated by Handel and Mendelssohn.