Many military leaders have gone on to rule a country. This person waged a personal battle against a superior enemy, then went on to rule his country, around three thousand years ago. Who was he?

Long before he was a king, this legendary figure was a young shepherd who accepted a seemingly impossible challenge. The "personal battle against a superior enemy" refers to the iconic biblical story of David and Goliath. While the army of Israel cowered before the Philistine giant Goliath, the young David famously felled him with a single stone from his sling. This incredible feat of faith and courage made him an instant hero and set him on the path to power, placing his story right around the year 1000 BCE.

His victory brought him into the court of Israel's first monarch, King Saul, where he served as a commander. However, his popularity sparked a dangerous jealousy in Saul, forcing David to live as a fugitive and mercenary for years. Despite this, he built a loyal following through his charisma and military skill. After Saul's death in battle, David was chosen to succeed him, first as king of Judah and eventually as the celebrated ruler of a united Kingdom of Israel.

As king, David was a brilliant military strategist and a unifying leader. He captured the city of Jerusalem, established it as his capital, and brought the sacred Ark of the Covenant there, making it the political and religious center of his nation. His reign marked a golden age for ancient Israel, and his complex legacy as a warrior, poet, and king has made him a central figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for millennia.