Alma 51

The 25th year of elected judges, found the Nephites in a brief period of peace. The peace ended with complaints by a vocal, political contingent who wanted to replace the rule of judges with a restoration of monarchy. Pahoran, the new chief judge, dismissed these petitions to change the law, and refused to listen to the proponents for monarchy. This angered the king-men, as these people who wanted to dispense with free government were called.

There were also those who wanted Pahorn to remain as chief judge. These people were called free-men. They wanted judicial protection of their rights and privileges, especially the freedom of religious expression. Eventually this question was put to a vote and the people chose freedom and judicial rule. This silenced the king-men, but did not alter their desires to restore a monarchy. These king-men were themselves of royal lineage and sought to be kings. Their followers sought power and authority over other people.

At the same time, Amalickiah was provoking the Lamanites again, attempting to instigate a new war. After all, he had sworn that he would drink the blood of Moroni. The army that he was able to assemble was not as big as it had been because so many of his warriors were killed. This time though, Amalickiah led the army into battle himself. He arrived on the border of the Nephite lands just as the question of monarchy had been settled.

Because of their political loss, the embittered king-men took perverse pleasure in the new threat posed by Amalickiah’s army, and refused to bear arms or defend their lands. When Moroni learned of this refusal, he got very angry with the stubbornness of the kingmen. He asked the people and the governor to approve a measure that compelled the dissenters to join in the defense against the Lamanites, or be put to death. The majority of the people agreed with his petition and gave Moroni a mandate to forcefully put an end to the dissension among the Nephites.

Moroni sent his army out against the kingmen and demanded their submission. All of the king-men who raised weapons against Moroni’s army were destroyed immediately. 4,000 king-men were killed and many more were imprisoned. The rest of them joined Moroni’s army and took up the defense of the land. After that, there were no more king-men. They were either dead, imprisoned, or fighting valiantly alongside the other Nephites for freedom.

While Moroni was busy suppressing the internal dissension, the Lamanites had entered the Nephite borders near the coastline and attacked the city of Moroni. Because the Nephites were distracted, Moroni was vulnerable to attack. Amalickiah successfully conquered the city and overcame its fortifications. Many Nephites were killed. Refugees from the city of Moroni and from the city of Lehi fled to Nephihah to prepare for battle. Amalickiah chose not to attack the strengthened city of Nephihah, but conquered the coastal cities one by one.

As the Lamanite army marched across the land, masses of Nephite refugees were driven before them, and many were killed. When the Nephite army, led by Teancum, finally caught up with and engaged Amalickiah’s army, the tide began to turn. Teancum’s men were seasoned soldiers, all of whom were more experienced and stronger than the Lamanites they opposed. When the armies clashed they fought until darkness, and then set camp.

That night Teancum and his servant crept stealthily into Amalickiah’s camp and found his tent. The Lamanite army was so exhausted from battle that Teancum was able sneak into Amalickiah’s tent and thrust a spear through his heart without awakening any of his guards. When he returned to his own camp, Teancum awakened his men and told them what had happened so that they would be prepared in case of a counter attack. [67 BC]