Jeroboam was the first king of the Northern Ten Tribes of Israel after the kingdom divided.
After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam became king, but tensions over taxation and forced labor led the northern tribes to reject Rehoboam’s rule. They appointed Jeroboam, son of Nebat, as their king, creating the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam retained the southern kingdom of Judah, centered on Jerusalem.
Jeroboam’s reign is generally dated to the late tenth century BCE, though exact dates vary among historical chronologies. The biblical account describes him establishing royal centers at Shechem and later Penuel, while also creating worship sites at Bethel and Dan. These religious policies became a major source of criticism in the Books of Kings.
A common mix-up is Jeroboam II, who ruled much later and was the Northern Kingdom’s thirteenth king. The answer here is Jeroboam I, often simply called Jeroboam, the founder and first monarch of the divided Northern Kingdom.