King of Judah (715–687 bc). When he came to power, Judah was a vassal state of the Assyrian empire, and with the leaders of neighbouring states he was involved in a number of planned rebellions. The prophet Isaiah spoke against these, but eventually Hezekiah did rebel and was heavily defeated in 701, when Sennacherib invaded, the land was devastated, and only Jerusalem escaped destruction. The Bible describes his work of religious reform, destroying local shrines and various cult objects, and attempting to suppress the worship of local gods. The reform was short-lived, pagan practices being re-introduced after his death by his son and successor Manasseh.