King Solomon, who was the son of David, ruled the Kingdom of Israel from approximately the years 970 to 931 BC. This period is considered to be the golden age for the Jewish people, who flourished as they grew in strength and numbers as well as prosperity and unity. Solomon had control of Israel, and in his fourth year as ruler, he used the wealth of the kingdom to build the First Temple.
Despite the success of the kingdom, under Solomon, there were issues that would eventually build and lead to the end of the golden age. Solomon was known for his wisdom, but his intelligence made him arrogant and he believed he was above what the Torah said about monarchs, disregarding its prohibition of him having numerous wives and growing a personal fortune. He was a complicated figure, but still a great, important one.
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