From Sociopath to King

Reading:   Alma 47-49

Today I am compelled to summarize the unbelievable story of Amalickiah.  This guy achieved a phenomenal amount of dirty deeds in a surprisingly short amount of time (one year from a relative nobody to mighty King). Yes, he was a bloodthirsty megalomaniac who wanted no less than the throne of God, and yes, he achieved his goal through backstabbing and subterfuge; but still, it is quite impressive all the same.

Amalickiah first appears as a lower judge living amongst the Nephites and unhappy with the status quo, "...Amalickiah was desirous to be a king (Alma 46:4)."  He riles up some of his peers and, through his cunning and flattering words, creates a following, an uprising against the Church of God.  He gains a strong constituancy and appears to be well on his way to claiming the throne when Moroni (The captain who successfully destroyed the Lamanite assault) discovers his dissension and quickly squashes it by raising the title of liberty (a story for another day - sorry kids).  So, Amalickiah escapes the coming Moroni-storm, with a few dedicated henchman, and runs to the Lamanites.

Of course Amalickiah still wants to be king so he plots and plans and discovers a way to become king of the Lamanites.  Remember, the Lamanites don't like the Nephites at all, especially this group that has been defeated time and time again, so it is insane that he wasn't killed on first site... but he wasn't?  Amalickiah stirs up the Lamanite king and the king tries to compel his army to go to war against the Nephites again.  A large portion of the army refuses and this angers the king...

ALMA 47:3-4

3    And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms. 

4    Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites. 

So, Amalickiah, in his grand deviousness, leads his army toward the portion of the kings army that refused to go to war and does something unscrupulously sneaky; he meets secretly with the leader of that portion of the army, Lehonti, and divulges the time and place to surround those under Amalickiah's command and capture them...one condition though, when the army has surrendered, Lehonti must agree to make Amalickiah his second in command.  Lehonti absurdly agrees and the plan goes over without a hitch.  Funny thing is, the men, that Amalickiah threw under the bus, don't have a clue!  They even praise Amalickiah for his willingness to preserve their lives and surrender to Lehonti without bloodshed - they follow him with even more esteem!

Great, the plan is working...

ALMA 47:17-19

17    Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief leader. 

18    And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died. 

19    Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed Amalickiah to be their leader and their chief commander. 

Tricky eh?  Well the tricks ain't over yet... So, Amalickiah, now leader of all the army, goes back to visit the king.  The king, seeing his army coming forth, assumes that Amalickiah has been successful in compelling all the men to do his bidding, and happily goes out to meet and bless them.  DON'T DO IT KING!!  He does it...Amalickiah sends forth a couple of his servants as embassaries and they kneel down before the king... 

ALMA 47:23-26

23    And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand to raise them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace, which custom they had taken from the Nephites. 

24    And it came to pass that when he had raised the first from the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell to the earth. 

25    Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of Amalickiah raised a cry, saying: 

26    Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and see. 

Tried to warn him, right?  So Amalickiah's servants explain to everyone that the king was murdered by his own servants who, in fear, fled the crime scene.  A posse is sent forth to find the fugitive servants and is unsuccessful.  Meanwhile, the queen hears of the dreadful event and is mortified and requests an audience with Amalickiah.  Obediently, Amalickiah obliges the queen and with much remorse, dripping with covetousness (not for the queen but for the throne), tells her of the tragic death of her husband.  She is sad but caught in the ever hypnotizing web that is Amalickiah... 


ALMA 47:35

35    And it came to pass that Amalickiah sought the favor of the queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land, among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the present time. 

Hard to believe - I know... is he done?  No, he wants to be king over all the land...so he sends forth his army to defeat the Nephites and believes, because of his vast number of soldiers, that they will easily divide and conquer.  Ahhh, but Moroni has been preparing and, with the ever insightful promptings from the Lord, has created defenses never before scene by the Lamanites.  Not sure how to attack the first city they approach, the Lamanites decide to try a different city, the weakest city of the Nephites.  They charge and a thousand die, along with all the commanders, filling a ditch that surrounds the fortifications of the Nephites (not one Nephite dies).  Dejected, the Lamanites return to Amalickiah...

ALMA 49:27

27    Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people. 

What a story...  What an unbelievable rise to majesty...  Amalickiah truly was the greatest con man of all time!  Accomplished all that within a year!!  Can't wait to find out how his life progresses...

~Kipling