According to the Bible, Saul was the first king of Israel.
The biblical books of Samuel describe Saul's selection during Israel's transition from a loose tribal confederation governed by judges to a centralized monarchy. The prophet Samuel anointed Saul, who came from the tribe of Benjamin and the town of Gibeah. He was later publicly acclaimed king after leading Israel to victory over the Ammonites.
Saul's reign is traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, although the precise chronology and the historical details of the United Monarchy are debated by historians. The Bible presents him as a powerful but troubled ruler whose repeated disobedience led Samuel to announce that God had rejected his dynasty.
A frequent mix-up is naming David, who succeeded Saul as king over all Israel after Saul's death. Saul's son Ish-bosheth briefly ruled part of Israel afterward, but Saul remains the first king in the biblical account. David became the more enduring royal figure and established the dynasty associated with Jerusalem.