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This answer to another question makes me wonder: Did anointed kings of Israel have any contact with their parents? David was dead when Shlomo succeeded him, and Shlomo ruled until his own death. But were Shaul and David's fathers alive during their respective reigns? What about the mothers of all of the above? What about later kings (assuming they had legitimacy)?

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    I seem to recall Batsheva having her own throne alongside Shlomo's during his reign.
    – jake
    Commented Jan 6, 2012 at 19:01
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    In fact, it is recorded that the Maharam of Rothenberg (Germany, 1215-1293) stayed away from his father once he became a Rabbi, in order not to compromise his or his father’s honor. He did not want his father to show him respect, but he knew that if others would see his father not showing him respect, they would not realize that this was his father, thus causing a disgrace to the Torah. He therefore felt it was preferable to him not to see his father at all, so that neither would have to compromise his honor for the sake of the other’s honor.
    – simchastorah
    Commented Jan 6, 2012 at 19:35
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    From here I would Imagine a King would be more strigent
    – simchastorah
    Commented Jan 6, 2012 at 19:35
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    @simchashatorah sounds like an answer, not a comment :)
    – avi
    Commented Jan 7, 2012 at 16:27
  • I think two sub-question would be: 1)as stated above when did Shlomo become king as it appears in the Pshat that he became king while David was still alive. 2)when did David become king? He was anointed by Shmuel/Hashem long before he was anointed by the people and it seems clear that he saw his father, and even lived with him after this initial anointing, so answering when he actually became king would be helpful in solidifying the answer.
    – morah hochman
    Commented Feb 1, 2012 at 19:19

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After perusing the Tanach to confirm, I have some found some answers to this question:

First, Shlomo definitely had contact with both his parents. He was anointed by Nathan and Zadok, at David's command, in I Melachim 1:32-34. There must have been some contact time between then and when David charged him with farewell instructions in Chapter 2. As for Bathsheba, after David's death, she speaks to him for Adonyahu, and Shlomo gives her a throne next to his, in 2:19.

As for later kings, first of all, anointed and reigning King Asa must have had contact with his mother Queen Ma'acah--he deposes her for idolatry in I Melachim 15:13. Later on, the story of soon-to-be King Yehu in II Melachim 9 shows that King Yoram's mother Yezba'al was alive and active while he was king. The same goes for the other slaughtered king--Judean King Ahazyahu's mother Atalyahu was very obviously alive and active during his short reign-- II D. Hayamim 22:3 even says she was his counsellor in wickedness. Some years later, II Melachim 15:5 seems to indicate a co-regency of Azaryahu/Uziyahu(after he was smitten with leprosy) and his son Yotham. The last instance of contact between a ruling King and a parent appears to be at II Melachim 24:12, where King Yehoyachin/Conyahu and his mother Nehushta get taken to Babylon.

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While I don't know how it reconciles with the issue you referred to, we see that although Shlomo HaMelech is appointed king (at Dovid HaMelech's command) in 1 Kings 1:32-40 prior to the passing of Dovid HaMelech. In verse 43-4 we read "Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, 'To the contrary, our lord King David has made Solomon King!...Furthermore, Solomon has sat upon the royal throne." (Artscroll translation). Afterwards in 1 Kings 2 we see Dovid haMelech giving his son the King his final advise and instruction. As Jake mentioned 1 Kings 2:19 Bathsheba had a throne next to her son Shlomo HaMelech.

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  • The laws pertaining to the honor of a king are found in Mishnah Torah Hilchos Melachim 2, which does not seem to address this issue explicitly.
    – Yirmeyahu
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 4:03
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    Although Shlomo was anointed prior to David's passing, I think he was not considered king and certainly didn't act as one until after David's death.
    – jake
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 4:15
  • @Jake, I do not see on what basis you have to make that claim. In addition to the verses I just added where he is immediately identified as king and sat upon the throne, we also see Shlomo rendering judgement on the status of his brother who had tried to assume the throne
    – Yirmeyahu
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 4:28
  • Yirmeyahu, I am not basing it on any verses at the moment. IIRC, both the claim that David remained king and the claim that Shlomo succeeded him before his death have scriptural basis. (Of course they cannot both be correct, as we cannot have two simultaneous rulers.) Note that the verse you quoted that calls Shlomo king calls David king as well. It is my recollection that when I studied this subject last, I was swayed more by the arguments of the opinion that I stated above.
    – jake
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 4:49
  • Perhaps it would be wise to ask this as a separate question.
    – jake
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 4:51
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The Medrashim say Shlomo's Mother beat him for waking up late the day after his wedding to queen Sheba as she tricked him by placing a Sheet over their bed to make him believe it was still night and this was the first day the Avodah in the Beis Hamikdash was supposed to start. Mentioned here in the Jewish Encyclopedia-under Solomon's Marriage

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  • Solomon marry Sheba?
    – user4951
    Commented Jun 13, 2014 at 3:07
  • I thought the queen went back to her kingdom. Contract marriage?
    – user4951
    Commented Jun 13, 2014 at 8:11

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