Yamhad dynasty

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Yamhad Dynasty
Country Syria - Turkey
Founded1810 BC
Founder Sumu-Epuh, King of Yamhad
Final ruler Itur-Addu, King of Mukish (Alalakh)
Titles Great King of Yamhad
King of Alalakh (Mukish)
Queen consort of Mari
Estate(s)Syria, Turkey
Dissolution1344 BC
Abba-El I seal Abba-El I seal.jpg
Abba-El I seal

The Yamhad dynasty [1] was an ancient Amorite royal family founded in c. 1810 BC by Sumu-Epuh of Yamhad who had his capital in the city of Aleppo. Started as a local dynasty, the family expanded its influence through the actions of its energetic ruler Yarim-Lim I who turned it into the most influential family in the Levant through both diplomatic and military tools. At its height the dynasty controlled most of northern Syria and the modern Turkish province of Hatay with a cadet branch ruling in the city of Alalakh (Land of Mukish).

Contents

The dynasty was ousted during a short Hittite occupation of Aleppo in the beginning of the 16th century BC but was restored and expanded the kingdom again before being driven out of Aleppo by the Mitannians in c. 1524. Idrimi, a member of the dynasty, was able to conquer Alalakh leaving his descendants to rule until the last of them was dethroned by the Hittite king Suppiluliuma I in c. 1344 BC.

History

In all likelihoods Yamhad was a tribal name. [2] The dynasty entered the historic records when the founder Sumu-Epuh was mentioned as an enemy in the inscriptions of Yahdun-Lim of Mari. [3] Sumu-Epuh faced dangerous enemies most important of them was Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria and was killed in one of the battles. [4] His successor Yarim-Lim I was able to defeat all his enemies becoming a Great King, [2] his reign saw an alliance with Hammurabi of Babylon, [5] and the dynasty became the most influential family in the Levant with the armies of Yamhad campaigning as far away as Diniktum in southern Mesopotamia next to Elam borders. [6] Dynastic marriages played a part in the dynasty policy and included royal members of many kingdoms such as Ebla and Mari, [7] whose King Zimri-Lim was married to Shibtu the daughter of Yarim-Lim I. [8]

Hammurabi I (re. c. 1764 BC) son of Yarim-Lim I ruled a prosperous Kingdom, The dynasty hegemony remained unchallenged and he was able to add Carchemish to his vassals, [9] his successor Abba-El I installed his younger brother Yarim-Lim on the throne of Alalakh in c. 1735 BC, thus creating a cadet branch of the dynasty under the hegemony of the great king in Aleppo. [10]

In Aleppo

Legal case from Niqmi-Epuh to the king of Alalakh Cuneiform legal tablet in case from Aleppo.jpg
Legal case from Niqmi-Epuh to the king of Alalakh

The line of great kings in aleppo continued to hold hegemony over other Syrian kingdoms, [9] Abba-El I was succeeded by his son Yarim-Lim II whose reign isn't well attested, [11] his successors Niqmi-Epuh and Irkabtum fought with the Hurrian principalities and guaranteed the kingdom dominance in the north. [12] The short reign of Hammurabi II was followed by Yarim-Lim III who defeated the dynasty old rival Qatna, [13] but the danger came from the north as the Hittite king Hattusili I launched a series of destructive campaigns against the allies of the kingdom starting with Alalakh which fell in c. 1650 BC. [14] The war continued for many years and ended with the sacking of Aleppo and the capture of Hammurabi III in c. 1600 BC by Mursili I the successor of Hattusili. [15] [16]

After the assassination of Mursili, Sarra-El a prince and a possible son of Yarim-Lim III regained aleppo and ruled a much smaller kingdom that again included Alalakh. [17] [18] He was succeeded by his son Abba-El II, [19] then his grandson Ilim-Ilimma I who was the last member of the dynasty to rule Aleppo as its king, [20] he was killed in c. 1524 BC which put an end to the kingdom of Yamhad. [21]

In Alalakh

Yarim-Lim of Alalakh Antakya Arkeoloji Muzesi 1250344 nevit.jpg
Yarim-Lim of Alalakh

Two cadet branches ruled Alalakh, the first was founded by Yarim-Lim son of Hammurabi I in c. 1735, [22] he had an exceptional long reign so did his successor Ammitakum who started to reign at the beginning of Niqmi-Epuh term and died shortly before the sack of Alalakh. [22] Ammitakum asserted his autonomy from Yamhad without declaring an independent kingdom, he declared his son prince Hammurabi as his heir in the presence of Yarim-Lim III who had no part in making that decision, [23] those acts probably played a part in Aleppo decision not to send reinforcements to protect Alalakh from the Hittites who sacked it ending the first branch rule in c. 1650 BC. [14] [24]

The second branch was established by Idrimi the son of Ilim-Ilimma I who managed to conquer Alalakh seven years after his escape from Aleppo which fell to the hands of the Mitannian king Parshatatar. [25] Idrimi ruled Alalakh and its area which was called the Kingdom of Mukish as a vassal to Mitanni and was attested campaigning against the Hittites, [26] he was succeeded by his son Addu-nirari, [27] then his second son Niqmepa who controlled aleppo as a vassal to Mitanni, [28] he was succeeded by Ilim-Ilimma II, [29] who left his son Itur-Addu as the last king of the dynasty, Itur-Addu allied with Nuhašše and Niya to face the armies of the Hittite king Suppiluliuma I, [30] who defeated Itur-Addu and annexed both Aleppo and Alalakh in c. 1344 BC. [31]

Members

Bold text : Great king.

Family tree

  King of Aleppo -   King of Alalakh -   Queen -   Prince -   Princess - Dotted line : relation uncertain.

Yarim-Lim II seal Yarim-Lim II royal seal.jpg
Yarim-Lim II seal
Niqmi-Epuh seal Niqmi-Epuh Seal.jpg
Niqmi-Epuh seal
Abba-El II seal Abba-El II seal.jpg
Abba-El II seal
Idrimi of Alalakh Idrimi of Alalakh.jpg
Idrimi of Alalakh
Tablet of Niqmepa with the seal of Abba-El II used WA131453.jpg
Tablet of Niqmepa with the seal of Abba-El II used
Sumu-Epuh
re. 1810-1780 BC		 Sumunna-Abi
Yarim-Lim I
re. 1780-1764 BC		 Gashera
Hammurabi I
re. 1764-1750 BC		 Shibtu Zimri-Lim
TatteyaNakkusse Yarim-Lim of Alalakh
re. 1735-? BC		 Abba-El I
re. 1750-1720 BC
Ammitakum Yarim-Lim II
re. 1720-1700 BC
Hammurabi Niqmi-Epuh
re. 1700-1675 BC
Abba-El Irkabtum
re. 1675- Middle 17th century BC		 Hammurabi II
re. Middle 17th century BC		 Yarim-Lim III
re. Middle 17th century BC -1625 BC
Sarra-El
re. Early 16th century BC		 Hammurabi III
re. 1625-1600 BC
Abba-El II
re. Middle 16th century BC
Ilim-Ilimma I
re. Middle 16th century BC - 1524 BC
Idrimi
re. 1517-1480 BC
Niqmepa Addu-nirari
Ilim-Ilimma II
Itur-Addu

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yamhad</span> Semitic kingdom in Syria

Yamhad (Yamḫad) was an ancient Semitic-speaking kingdom centered on Ḥalab (Aleppo) in Syria. The kingdom emerged at the end of the 19th century BC and was ruled by the Yamhad dynasty, who counted on both military and diplomacy to expand their realm. From the beginning of its establishment, the kingdom withstood the aggressions of its neighbors Mari, Qatna and the Old Assyrian Empire, and was turned into the most powerful Syrian kingdom of its era through the actions of its king Yarim-Lim I. By the middle of the 18th century BC, most of Syria minus the south came under the authority of Yamhad, either as a direct possession or through vassalage, and for nearly a century and a half, Yamhad dominated northern, northwestern and eastern Syria, and had influence over small kingdoms in Mesopotamia at the borders of Elam. The kingdom was eventually destroyed by the Hittites, then annexed by Mitanni in the 16th century BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qatna</span> Archaeological site in Syria

Qatna was an ancient city located in Homs Governorate, Syria. Its remains constitute a tell situated about 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Homs near the village of al-Mishrifeh. The city was an important center through most of the second millennium BC and in the first half of the first millennium BC. It contained one of the largest royal palaces of Bronze Age Syria and an intact royal tomb that has provided a great amount of archaeological evidence on the funerary habits of that period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alalakh</span> Archaeological site in Reyhanlı, Hatay, Turkey

Alalakh is an ancient archaeological site approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Antakya in what is now Turkey's Hatay Province. It flourished, as an urban settlement, in the Middle and Late Bronze Age, c. 2000-1200 BC. The city contained palaces, temples, private houses and fortifications. The remains of Alalakh have formed an extensive mound covering around 22 hectares. In Late Bronze Age, Alalakh was the capital of the local kingdom of Mukiš.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuhašše</span>

Nuhašše, also Nuhašša, was a region in northwestern Syria that flourished in the 2nd millennium BC. It was a federacy ruled by different kings who collaborated and probably had a high king. Nuhašše changed hands between different powers in the region such as Egypt, Mitanni and the Hittites. It rebelled against the latter which led Šuppiluliuma I to attack and annex the region.

Yarim-Lim I, also given as Yarimlim, was the second king of the ancient Amorite kingdom of Yamhad in modern-day Aleppo, Syria.

Sumu-Epuh is the first attested king of Yamhad (Halab). He founded the Yamhad dynasty which controlled northern Syria throughout the 17th and 18th centuries BC.

Hammurabi I is the third attested king of Yamhad (Halab).

Irridu (Irrite) was a city in northwestern Mesopotamia, likely located between Harran and Carchemish. It flourished in the middle and late Bronze Age before being destroyed by Assyria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abba-El I</span> Great King of Yamhad

Abba-El I was the fourth great king of Yamhad (Halab), succeeding his father Hammurabi I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarim-Lim II</span> Great King of Yamhad

Yarim-Lim II was the king of Yamhad succeeding his father Abba-El I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niqmi-Epuh</span> Great King of Yamhad

Niqmi-Epuḫ, also given as Niqmepa was the king of Yamḫad (Halab) succeeding his father Yarim-Lim II.

Irkabtum was the king of Yamhad (Halab), succeeding his father Niqmi-Epuh.

Yarim-Lim III was the king of Yamhad (Halab) succeeding Hammurabi II.

Hammurabi II was an obscure king of Yamhad (Halab), probably reigning after Irkabtum.

Sarra-El also written Šarran was a prince of Yamhad who might have regained the throne after the assassination of the Hittite king Mursili I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abba-El II</span> King of Halab (Yamhad)

Abba-El II was the king of Halab who reigned after the withdrawal of the Hittites.

Ilim-Ilimma I was the king of Yamhad succeeding his father Abba-El II.

Hammurabi III was the king of Yamhad (Halab) succeeding Yarim-Lim III.

Hassum was a Hurrian city-state, located in southern Turkey most probably on the Euphrates river north of Carchemish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarim-Lim of Alalakh</span> King of Alalakh

Yarim-Lim was a king of Alalakh and son of Hammurabi I of Yamhad. He was granted the city of Alalakh by his brother Abba-El I of Yamhad and started a cadet branch of the Yamhadite dynasty that lasted until the conquest of Alalakh by the Hittite king Hattusili I.

References

Citations

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  2. 1 2 Gordon Douglas Young (1981). Ugarit in Retrospect. p. 7. ISBN   9780931464072.
  3. ↑ Douglas Frayne (January 1990). Old Babylonian Period (2003-1595 BC). p. 780. ISBN   9780802058737.
  4. ↑ Trevor Bryce (10 September 2009). The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia. p. 773. ISBN   9781134159086.
  5. ↑ William J. Hamblin (27 September 2006). Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC. p. 254. ISBN   9781134520626.
  6. ↑ Jack M. Sasson (1969). The Military Establishments at Mari. p. 2+3.
  7. ↑ Maurizio Forte (February 1997). Virtual archaeology: re-creating ancient worlds. p. 77. ISBN   9780810939455.
  8. ↑ Hennie J. Marsman (January 2003). Women in Ugarit and Israel: Their Social and Religious Position in the Context of the Ancient Near East. p. 331. ISBN   9004117326.
  9. 1 2 William J. Hamblin (27 September 2006). Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC. p. 255. ISBN   9781134520626.
  10. ↑ M. L. West (23 October 1997). The East Face of Helicon. p. 21. ISBN   9780191591044.
  11. ↑ Jimmy Jack McBee Roberts (January 2002). The Bible and the Ancient Near East: Collected Essays. p. 149. ISBN   9781575060668.
  12. ↑ Akadémiai Kiadó (1984). Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. p. 7+27.
  13. ↑ Iorwerth Eiddon Stephen Edwards (3 May 1973). The Cambridge Ancient History. p. 32. ISBN   9780521082303.
  14. 1 2 Dominique Collon (January 1995). Ancient Near Eastern Art. p. 97. ISBN   9780520203075.
  15. ↑ Trevor Bryce (1999). The Kingdom of the Hittites. p. 103. ISBN   9780199240104.
  16. ↑ Trevor Bryce (6 March 2014). Ancient Syria: A Three Thousand Year History. p. 30. ISBN   9780191002922.
  17. ↑ Trevor Bryce (1999). The Kingdom of the Hittites. p. 126. ISBN   9780199240104.
  18. 1 2 Michael C. Astour. Orientalia: Vol. 38. p. 382.
  19. ↑ Trevor Bryce (10 September 2009). The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia. p. 27. ISBN   9781134159079.
  20. ↑ Michael C. Astour (1989). Hittite history and absolute chronology of the Bronze Age. p. 19. ISBN   9789186098865.
  21. ↑ Michael C. Astour. Hittite History and Absolute Chronology of the Bronze Age. p. 92.
  22. 1 2 wilfred van soldt (1999). Akkadica, Volumes 111-120. p. 109.
  23. ↑ L. Kakosy (1976). Oikumene. p. 41. ISBN   9789630507608.
  24. ↑ Trudy Ring; Noelle Watson; Paul Schellinger (5 November 2013). Southern Europe: International Dictionary of Historic Places. p. 12. ISBN   9781134259588.
  25. ↑ Tremper Longman (1991). Fictional Akkadian Autobiography: A Generic and Comparative Study. p. 62. ISBN   9780931464416.
  26. ↑ Dominique Collon (January 1995). Ancient Near Eastern Art. p. 109. ISBN   9780520203075.
  27. ↑ Eva Von Dassow (2008). State and Society in the Late Bronze Age: Alalaḫ Under the Mittani Empire. p. 32. ISBN   9781934309148.
  28. ↑ Trevor Bryce (1999). The Kingdom of the Hittites. p. 152. ISBN   9780199240104.
  29. ↑ Herbert Bardwell Huffmon; Frank A. Spina; Alberto Ravinell Whitney Green (1983). The Quest for the Kingdom of God: Studies in Honor of George E. Mendenhall. p. 183. ISBN   9780931464157.
  30. ↑ Eva Von Dassow (2008). State and Society in the Late Bronze Age: Alalaḫ Under the Mittani Empire. p. 289. ISBN   9781934309148.
  31. ↑ Trevor Bryce (10 September 2009). The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia. p. 482. ISBN   9781134159086.
  32. ↑ Karen Radner; Eleanor Robson (22 September 2011). The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture. p. 258. ISBN   9780199557301.
  33. ↑ Daniel E. Fleming (26 January 2004). Democracy's Ancient Ancestors: Mari and Early Collective Governance. p. 322. ISBN   9780521828857.
  34. ↑ wilfred van soldt (1999). Akkadica, Volumes 111-120. p. 108.
  35. ↑ Nadav Naʼaman (January 2005). Canaan in the Second Millennium B.C.E. p. 289. ISBN   9781575061139.
  36. ↑ Michael C. Astour (1989). Hittite history and absolute chronology of the Bronze Age. p. 18. ISBN   9789186098865.
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