Mursili III
Encyclopedia
Mursili III, also known as Urhi-Teshub, was a king of the Hittites who assumed the throne of the Hittite empire (New kingdom) at Tarhuntassa
upon his father's death around 1272 BCE. He was a cousin of Tudhaliya IV
and Queen Maathorneferure
.
. He was a grandson of Mursili II
.
The noted Hittologist Trevor Bryce erroneously credits this king with a reign of only 5 years and dates him at 1272 BC – 1267 BC. However, Mursili III almost certainly ruled the Hittite Empire for 7 years—as his successor Hattusili
(his uncle) explains in an inscription which justifying the latter's seizure of power from this king. Mursili III must, hence, be dated from ca. 1272–1265 BC (short chronology). The reigns of his successors, should also be downdated by 2 years in Trevor Bryce's Chronological table for the Hittite kings. (Hattusili thus ruled Hatti from 1265-1235 BCE, rather than 1267-1237 BCE and so forth.)
During his reign, Mursili III reverted the capital from Tarhuntassa (as it had been under Muwatalli) back to Hattusa
. (KBo 21.15 i 11-12) However, the Assyrians captured Hanigalbat, which severely weakened his legitimacy to rule over the Hittite Empire. In his seventh year Mursili III attacked and seized control of his uncle Hattusili's regional strongholds of Hakpissa and Nerik
within the Hittite Empire in order to remove Hattusili as a threat to the throne. Hakpissa served the centre of Hattusili's power while Nerik was under Hattusilis's sway from the latter's position as High Priest there. Hattusili then states in a well-known text:
Consequently, Mursili III's reign was 7 years. In the subsequent revolt, Hatusilli gathered a considerable force including natural allies from his local strongholds of Nerik and Hakpissa, as well as many non-aligned Hittites who were impressed with his record of service to the Hittite Empire including his strategic military victory over Ramesses II
of Egypt in the 1274 BC Battle of Kadesh
compared to the rather "undistinguished and largely unproven occupant of the throne of Hattusa" - Urhi-Teshub/Mursilis III — who had lost Hanigalbat to Assyria in his reign. Hattusili's forces even included elements of the Kaska peoples who were sworn enemies of the Hittites. Hatusilli quickly defeated Mursili III and seized the throne from his nephew; he then succeeded to power as king Hattusili III
. After his victory, Hattusili appointed Mursili's brother or brother-in-law, Kurunta
, as the vassal king over Tarhuntassa in order to win the latter's loyalty.
Mursili fled to Egypt, the land of his country's enemy, after the failure of his plots to oust his uncle from the throne. Hattusili III responded to this event by demanding that Ramesses II
extradite his nephew back to Hatti.
This letter precipitated a crisis in relations between Egypt and Hatti when Ramesses denied any knowledge of Mursili's whereabouts in his country and the two Empires came dangerously close to war. However, both kings eventually decided to resolve the issue by making peace in Year 21 of Ramesses II
. An extradition clause was also included in the treaty. Mursili III soon thereafter disappears from history after his sojourn in Egypt.
Tarhuntassa
Tarhuntassa is an as-yet undiscovered Bronze Age city south of Hattusa. Speculations of its site include Konya, Rough Cilicia, the Gok Su valley, and the vicinity of Kayseri. The site of Kilise Tepe has also been proposed for it. Still others speculate that Tarhuntassa may be a Kaskan name for the...
upon his father's death around 1272 BCE. He was a cousin of Tudhaliya IV
Tudhaliya IV
Tudhaliya IV was a king of the Hittite Empire , and the younger son of Hattusili III. He reigned ca. 1237 BCE–1209 BCE. His mother was called Puduhepa...
and Queen Maathorneferure
Maathorneferure
Maathorneferure was an Ancient Egyptian queen, the Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II.-Family:Maathorneferure was a daughter of the Hittite king Hattusili III and his wife Queen Pudukhepa...
.
Biography
He was the eldest surviving son of Muwatalli IIMuwatalli II
Muwatalli II was a king of the New kingdom of the Hittite empire .- Biography :He was the eldest son of Mursili II and Queen Gassulawiya, and he had several siblings....
. He was a grandson of Mursili II
Mursili II
Mursili II was a king of the Hittite Empire ca. 1321–1295 BC .-Family:Mursili II was the younger son of Suppiluliuma I, one of the most powerful rulers of the Hittite Empire...
.
The noted Hittologist Trevor Bryce erroneously credits this king with a reign of only 5 years and dates him at 1272 BC – 1267 BC. However, Mursili III almost certainly ruled the Hittite Empire for 7 years—as his successor Hattusili
Hattusili II
Hattusili II may have been a king of the Hittite Empire ca. the early 14th century BC .His existence is disputed...
(his uncle) explains in an inscription which justifying the latter's seizure of power from this king. Mursili III must, hence, be dated from ca. 1272–1265 BC (short chronology). The reigns of his successors, should also be downdated by 2 years in Trevor Bryce's Chronological table for the Hittite kings. (Hattusili thus ruled Hatti from 1265-1235 BCE, rather than 1267-1237 BCE and so forth.)
During his reign, Mursili III reverted the capital from Tarhuntassa (as it had been under Muwatalli) back to Hattusa
Hattusa
Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. It was located near modern Boğazkale, Turkey, within the great loop of the Kızıl River ....
. (KBo 21.15 i 11-12) However, the Assyrians captured Hanigalbat, which severely weakened his legitimacy to rule over the Hittite Empire. In his seventh year Mursili III attacked and seized control of his uncle Hattusili's regional strongholds of Hakpissa and Nerik
Nerik
Nerik was a Bronze Age city to the north of the Hittite capitals Hattusa and Sapinuwa. The Hittites held it as sacred to a storm god who was the son of Wurusemu, sun goddess of Arinna...
within the Hittite Empire in order to remove Hattusili as a threat to the throne. Hakpissa served the centre of Hattusili's power while Nerik was under Hattusilis's sway from the latter's position as High Priest there. Hattusili then states in a well-known text:
Consequently, Mursili III's reign was 7 years. In the subsequent revolt, Hatusilli gathered a considerable force including natural allies from his local strongholds of Nerik and Hakpissa, as well as many non-aligned Hittites who were impressed with his record of service to the Hittite Empire including his strategic military victory over Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
of Egypt in the 1274 BC Battle of Kadesh
Battle of Kadesh
The Battle of Kadesh took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, in what is now the Syrian Arab Republic....
compared to the rather "undistinguished and largely unproven occupant of the throne of Hattusa" - Urhi-Teshub/Mursilis III — who had lost Hanigalbat to Assyria in his reign. Hattusili's forces even included elements of the Kaska peoples who were sworn enemies of the Hittites. Hatusilli quickly defeated Mursili III and seized the throne from his nephew; he then succeeded to power as king Hattusili III
Hattusili III
Hattusili III was a king of the Hittite empire ca. 1267–1237 BC . He was the fourth and last son of Mursili II...
. After his victory, Hattusili appointed Mursili's brother or brother-in-law, Kurunta
Kurunta
Kurunta was an Anatolian tutelary deity in the Late Bronze Age frequently associated with stags. The Hittites typically wrote the name using the Sumerogram "dLAMMA"...
, as the vassal king over Tarhuntassa in order to win the latter's loyalty.
Mursili fled to Egypt, the land of his country's enemy, after the failure of his plots to oust his uncle from the throne. Hattusili III responded to this event by demanding that Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
extradite his nephew back to Hatti.
This letter precipitated a crisis in relations between Egypt and Hatti when Ramesses denied any knowledge of Mursili's whereabouts in his country and the two Empires came dangerously close to war. However, both kings eventually decided to resolve the issue by making peace in Year 21 of Ramesses II
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
. An extradition clause was also included in the treaty. Mursili III soon thereafter disappears from history after his sojourn in Egypt.