For one reason or the other, some people who once wore royal apparel and reigned as kings or queens were executed. The Bible, which is a rich source of history, has quite a lot of examples to give on the subject of kings and queens who were executed. Our list would exclude kings and queens who died in battle and those who were killed without the consensus of the people.
The King of Ai executed
There might have been many kings of Ai, but our term the king of Ai is referring to the person who was the king of Ai in the days of the Israel-Ai war. Ai was a small city, which the Israelites underestimated. However, in the first event of warfare, the men of Ai defeated Israel, killed 36 of their number, and chased the rest out of sight.
After the Israelites had made an end of purging themselves of the evil thing that caused their loss to Ai, the children of Israel, led by Joshua, matched on Ai once more. They mounted strategies and set an ambush for the city. The Lord delivered Ai into their hands; and they defeated Ai mercilessly, burning the city down.
However, the king of Ai, who had tasted victory in the first battle, was captured and brought to Joshua. Joshua condemned the king of Ai to death by hanging. He was hanged on a tree until evening: and as soon as the sun was down, by Joshua’s command, the Israelites took his corpse down from the tree, and threw it at the entrance of the gate of Ai, and raise over it a great heap of stones. Reference Joshua 8:29
The five Amorite kings executed
This was the early stage of Israel’s invasion of the Promised Land. Five Amorite kings who went by the names Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem; Hoham, king of Hebron; Piram, king of Jarmuth; Japhia, king of Lachish; and Debir, king of Eglon; united to wage war against the people of Gibeon because they have made peace with the Israelites and have become allies. Therefore the five kings and their armies gathered themselves and encamped before Gibeon, and waged war against it.
The people of Gibeon sent a message to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, asking Joshua to come fast to their aid for the five kings of the Amorites had come to attack them. So Joshua and his army went to their aid. With the Lord on Joshua’s side, the five kings and their armies were defeated and killed in large numbers, and the rest of their number fled.
The five kings also fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told that the five kings were hiding in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua, on hearing it, commanded the Israelites to roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave and set watchmen there. Later, Joshua asked that the five kings be brought before him. The children of Israel captured the five kings from the caves and brought them to Joshua.
Then Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war, “Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings.” And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of the five kings. And Joshua said to them, “Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight”. And afterward, Joshua killed them, and hanged their bodies on five trees; and they remained hanging on the trees until the evening. Reference Joshua 10:23–26
King Zebah and King Zalmunna executed
Zebah and Zalmuna, were the two kings of the Midianites who led a large army to come to war against Israel. The children of Israel, led by Gideon attacked them in a valley near the hill of Moreh where they were camping. When the Israelites blew their trumpets of war, the Lord set confusion in the Midianite army, such that they draw their sword to kill theirselves; and they died in numbers.
The rest of the Midianites and their two kings fled for their lives. Far from over, the Israelites pursued after the Midianites and their two kings; and they caught up with Zebah and Zalmuna; and they captured them. Gideon brought Zebah and Zalmuna along to Succoth as captives of war.
At Succoth, Gideon told his firstborn Jether to get up, draw his sword, and kill the two kings. But his son could not do it for he was afraid, being just a youth. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength”. And Gideon arose, drew his sword, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian. Reference Judges 8:1–21
King Agag executed
Agag was the king of the Amalekites in the days when Saul was king over all Israel. Commanded by God, Saul and his army were supposed to kill all the Amalekites, both man and beast. However, Saul disobeyed, sparing the life of Agag and some choice livestock to the displeasure of God. Agag was captured and brought to Israel.
While Saul and Samuel and the people of Israel were offering sacrifice at Gilgal, Samuel sent for Agag. When he was brought, Samuel said to him, “As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women.” Eventually, Samuel had Agag killed and cut into pieces at Gilgal. Reference 1 Samuel 15:32-33
Queen Jezebel executed
After Jehu had killed King Joram the son of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, he came to the city of Jezreel. When Jezebel heard of Jehu’s arrival in Jezreel, she painted her eyes and adorned her head, and in royal splendor and she stood at the window to await the murderer. And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?”
Jehu looked up at her and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. He said, “Throw her down.” So the eunuchs threw her down. And when she crushed the ground, some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses. Moreover, Jehu had his horses trample on her until she was completely lifeless. Then Jehu and his team went in to eat and drink.
Whiles Jehu and company were in eating, dogs were feasting on the body of Jezebel. They consumed her entirely leaving no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. What happened to Queen Jezebel fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah (2 Kings 9:36-37). Reference 2 Kings 9:30-37
Queen Athaliah executed
Athaliah was the queen whose influence ruined the life of his husband and his son who were both kings of Judah. Upon the death of her son Ahaziah, she ordered the killing of all the children of Ahaziah, who were her grandchildren, so that she would reign as queen of Judah in Jerusalem. However, little did she know that one of them called Joash survived for she was taken and hidden before the massacre was carried out. They hid him and his nurse in the temple of Jerusalem under the care of Jehoiada, the priest.
At the time Joash turned seven years old, Queen Athaliah had also reigned for seven years. At that time, the priest called Jehoiada conspired against Queen Athaliah. Jehoiada sought the support of some officials of the kingdom, military officers, and the guards of the temple; and together, they made Joash a king, put a crown upon his head, and anointed him. Next, there was great rejoicing and noise-making – noise of clapping, trumpet, etc. which caught the attention of Queen Athaliah.
So she came into the Temple of Solomon. And when she looked, she saw the king standing by a pillar with the officials and the trumpeters. And she rented her clothes, and shouted, “Treason, Treason.” But Jehoiada ordered her arrest and she was immediately arrested – she and her followers. And they were taken outside the temple and killed. Reference 2 Chronicles 23:12-14