Kingdom of Yisrael

The Kingdom of Yisrael was the predescessor to all current Hevrit states, as well as the first nation to set up trade posts in the Hatiykhon Sea (Meditteranean).

*To see a list of the Kings of Yisrael, click here.*

**The Kingdom of Yisrael was followed by the *Kingdom of Ham*, the *Province of Zin*, the *Province of Ammun*, and the *Mandate of Qudsi*.**

## History

#### Pre-Confederation

Three thousand years ago, the Canaanites and other Semitic peoples lived in Yisrael. Between about 750 and 450 LS (~1800-1500 BCE), another Semitic people, called the Hebrews, settled in Canaan. They were named the “Children of Yisrael” or “Yisraelites”. Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Yisraelite tribes after about 150 L.S. (~1200 BCE), generals allocated the land among the twelve tribes. The Tribe of Yehudah and the centrality of its capital in Herushalyim (Jerusalem) for the worship of Yahweh figure prominently in history, encompassing the central beliefs of Judaism. Yehudah's divinely ordained portion encompassed most of the southern portion of the Land of Yisrael, including Herushalyim.

#### Pre-Solomonic Yisrael

Sometime around 1-4 AS (~1040's BCE), the divinely appointed of Saul lead of an army to victory over the Ammonite natives, which resulted in the people clamouring for him to lead them against the Philistines, whereupon he is appointed king. The Book of Samuel describes God's repudiation of a monarchic line arising from the northern Tribe of Benjamin due to the sinfulness of King Saul, which was then bestowed onto the Tribe of Judah for all time in the person of King David. After the death of Saul, all the tribes other than Judah remained loyal to the House of Saul, while Judah chose David as its king. However, after the death of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son and successor to the throne of Yisrael, all the other Yisraelite tribes made David, who was then the king of Judah, king of a re-united Kingdom of Yisrael. This was the only period of de-confederation in Yisrael's early history.

#### Solomonic Period

Solomon was born in Herushalyim, the second born child to David and his wife Bathsheba, widow of Uriah the Hittite. The first child had died before Solomon was conceived. Solomon had three named full brothers through Bathsheba, Nathan, Shammua, and Shobab, besides six known older half-brothers through as many mothers. While David was in this state, court factions were manoeuvring for power. David's heir apparent, Adonijah, acted to have himself declared king, but was outmanoeuvred by Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan, who convinced David to proclaim Solomon king, despite his being younger than his brothers.

Solomon began his reign with an extensive purge, including his father's chief general, Joab among others, and further consolidated his position by appointing friends throughout the administration, including in religious positions as well as in civic and military posts. Solomon greatly expanded his military strength, especially the cavalry and chariot arms. He founded numerous colonies, some of which doubled as trading posts and military outposts. Trade relationships were a focus of his administration. In particular he continued his father's very profitable relationship with the Phoenician king Hiram of Tisur (Tyre). They sent out joint expeditions to the lands of Tarshish and Ophir to engage in the trade of luxury products, importing gold, silver, sandalwood, pearls, ivory, apes and peacocks.

Solomon also built the Yehud Temple, beginning in the fourth year of his reign, using the vast wealth he had accumulated. Solomon had hundreds of wives, and many other affairs. The only wife Solomon became close with was Naamah the Ammonite, the mother of his stillborn child, Rehoboam. After the death of his first child, Solomon recognized his need for an heir, and decided to secure an alliance with the rebellious northern Yisraeli tribes. He decided to have a child with one of his wives from Sidon, naming him Abishai ben Solomon. This birth would allow for the strengthening of internal Hebrew politics, and securing Yisrael after Solomon's death.

#### Post-Solomonic Yisrael

After the ascent of Abishai to the throne, Yisrael's political influence continued to grow. The frequent royal marriages to Phonecia eventually allowed the two kingdoms to merge, expanding Yisrael's empire even further. Trade with Tarshish and India expanded, and trade posts were slowly founded all across the Hatiykhon Sea. However, even the superpower status of Yisrael didn't keep it from having its own troubles. In 199 AS (848 BCE), King Eliyyahu "Oḳer-Harim", great-grandson of Solomon, is overthrown by King Meshullam ben Moyche of Moav. Eliyyahu is exiled to the east, where he would found the city of Jeshanah. While there were frequent (but brief) uprisings in in the Kingdom, it did not hinder its expansion until much later on. During the expansion of the Kingdom, Yisraeli troops moved as far as Egypt and Assyria even setting up brief Hevrit protectorates in *both* countries (during the Grand Mesopotamian War), and converted people far into Arabia and around the Hatiykhon Sea.

#### Fall of the Kingdom

Yisrael had been able to hold off foreign invaders for centuries, throughout the entirety of the Assyrian and Ninevah Empires. However, constantly sending its military out to catch the Mesopotamian invaders was growing tiring. Various attempts to ally with Egypt failed, and the Achmetha Empire had taken over nearly all of the formerly fragmented cultures. Yisrael, having had grown to Moav and up to the Taurus, was taken over by Achmetha, divided and turned into the lowly Mandate of Qudsi.

## Wealth

The Yisraelite monarchy gained its highest splendour and wealth during Solomon's reign of 40 years. In a single year, Solomon collected tribute amounting to 666 talents (39,960 pounds) of gold. Solomon is described as surrounding himself with all the luxuries and the grandeur of an Eastern monarch, and his government prospered. He entered into an alliance with Hiram I, king of Tyre, who in many ways greatly assisted him in his numerous undertakings. After Solomon's death, Abishai's reign was also very prosperous, but it did not compare to the wealth his father had accumulated (as Abishai focused more on political power rather than monetary).

For some years before his death, David was engaged in collecting materials for building a temple in Herushalyim as a permanent home for Yahweh and the Ark of the Covenant. Solomon is described as completing its construction, with the help of an architect, also named Hiram, and other materials, sent from King Hiram of Tyre. After the completion of the temple, Solomon is described as erecting many other buildings of importance in Herushalyim.