ATHALIAH, the daughter of Ahab and wife of Jehoram king of Judæa, who, after the death of King Ahaziah, her son, butchered all the seed-royal of the house of Judah, that she might usurp the throne. Among the victims were her own grandchildren, except the youngest, whom the affectionate pity of his aunt Jehosheba concealed in the Temple, where he was protected by the high priest Jehoiada for six years. At the end of that time the priest showed their infant king to the nobles, and exhorted them to put this infamous woman to death; which was promptly done, as soon as she was without the precincts of the Holy Place. The story of Athaliah forms the subject of one of Racine's best tragedies.