This wording avoided the charge that the monarchy was claiming divinity or usurping Jesus Christ, whom the Bible identifies as head of the church.

The earliest ruler known to have claimed divinity is Naram-Sin of Akkad (22nd century BC).

Claiming divinity for himself, the king quarreled with Abraham but the Quran describes that he only deepened in confusion.

He claimed that Abu Muslim was a prophet who was sent to reform Zoroastrianism, thus starting one of many movements claiming prophethood or divinity for Abu Muslim.

He was the first Mesopotamian king known to have claimed divinity for himself, and one of the first (following the earlier Lugal-Anne-Mundu) to be called "King of the Four Quarters".

In addition, this man will claim divinity, demanding the worship of all people, beginning with every Jew in Israel.

The dynasty continued until around c. 2154 BC, and reached its zenith under Naram-Sin, who began the trend for rulers to claim divinity for themselves.

Gudea, following Sargon, was one of the first rulers to claim divinity for himself, or have it claimed for him after his death.

If such a swarm of beings claimed divinity, he seemed to be thinking, most of them must be frauds, or at least inferior, and he had no interest in them.

This is the apotheosis aspired to by kings claiming divinity, and reflected in the veneration of heroes.