King Ahaziah

How He Became King: After the death of his father Jehoram
When He Began Reigning: 22 years old
Reign Length: 1 year
Ruled Over: Judah
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Uncertain
Death: Killed by Jehu
Burial: Buried in Jerusalem

Ahaziah became king after his father Jehoram died. He began reigning over Judah when he was 22 years old and he only reigned for a single year. He was a wicked ruler. His mother was the daughter of Israel’s wicked king Omri:

2 Kings 8:26: “Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.”

When Ahab’s son Joram (the king of Israel) attacked the Syrians, Ahaziah joined forces with him. During the battle Joram was injured:

2 Kings 8:28: “And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.”

When Joram was wounded, Ahaziah went down to see him. While he was visiting him Jehu began murdering Joram and his family. Since Ahaziah sided with Joram and tried to defend him, Jehu killed Ahaziah as well. The king was then carried back to Jerusalem and buried:

2 Kings 9:27: “But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.
28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.”

After his death, his mother Athaliah seized the throne.