King David

His reign of conquest began in 1,000 BC with the death of King Saul. King David vanquished all other contenders to the throne of Israel. He then turned his attention outwards, rapidly defeating the Philistines, the Moabites, the Aramaeans, the Edomites, and finally the Ammonites, establishing Israel as an independent national state and greatly extending its territories. Just five years after assuming the throne, David captured the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and made it the capital of Israel. With his kingdom in hand, David maintained his hold on power by removing anyone who got in his way.