King David took advantage of the weakness of adjacent states and the unity of his own people to establish a large independent country, with Jerusalem as its capital. Peace and prosperity continued under David's son and successor, Solomon, but at his death in 922BC the country was divided: the north remained Israel and the south became Judah. A weakened and divided country could not sustain its independence indefinitely; consequently, Israel fell to Assyria in about 722BC and the Babylonians conquered Judah in 586BC. This defeat resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of most of the Jews to Babylon -- the so-called Babylonian captivity.