Niqmepa
Encyclopedia
Niqmepa was the fourth King of Ugarit
, a city-state in northwestern Syria
. Niqmepa was a contemporary of Mursili II
and Hattusili III
, the great Hittite kings, as well as Horemheb
and Seti I
of Egypt
. His reign is well documented by cuneiform
texts found at Ugarit. He ruled for about fifty years (ca. 1320–1270 BC) making his reign one of the longest in Ugarit history. He was the son of Niqmaddu II
, and the brother and successor of Arhalba. Arhalba only ruled for two years and was forced to abdicate in favor of his brother by the Hittite
king Mursili II after his failed attempt to reproach Egypt for an alliance against the Hittites.
Niqmepa was installed by the Hittite king Mursili II
and was forced to sign a new treaty declaring explicitly that Ugarit
was a vassal state of the Hittites. The treaty reveals that Niqmepa had a harem
, and states that his woman and children will be held responsible if he fails to honor his obligations. At the same time Ugarit lost control of the territory of Shiyannu to the east, which halved the area controlled by Niqmepa. The secession was confirmed by Mursili II and Shiyannu was placed under the direct control of Carchemish
, which was ruled by descendants of Hittite kings as "viceroys". However, because of the loss of Shiyannu, and by request from Niqmepa, the tribute of Ugarit was reduced by a third. During Niqmepa's reign Ugarit became entirely encircled by areas under Hittite control.
Niqmepa married princess Ahat-milku, of the Amurru
kingdom to the south. After a long reign of about 50 years as the vassal of four successive Hittite kings, Niqmepa was succeeded by his son, Ammittamru II.
Ugarit
Ugarit was an ancient port city in the eastern Mediterranean at the Ras Shamra headland near Latakia, Syria. It is located near Minet el-Beida in northern Syria. It is some seven miles north of Laodicea ad Mare and approximately fifty miles east of Cyprus...
, a city-state in northwestern Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. Niqmepa was a contemporary 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...
and 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...
, the great Hittite kings, as well as Horemheb
Horemheb
Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty from either 1319 BC to late 1292 BC, or 1306 to late 1292 BC although he was not related to the preceding royal family and is believed to have been of common birth.Before he became pharaoh, Horemheb was the commander in chief...
and Seti I
Seti I
Menmaatre Seti I was a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt , the son of Ramesses I and Queen Sitre, and the father of Ramesses II...
of Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
. His reign is well documented by cuneiform
Cuneiform
Cuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
texts found at Ugarit. He ruled for about fifty years (ca. 1320–1270 BC) making his reign one of the longest in Ugarit history. He was the son of Niqmaddu II
Niqmaddu II
Niqmaddu II was the second ruler and king of the Ancient Syrian city of Ugarit, reigning ca. 1350-15 BC and succeeding his father Ammishtamru I...
, and the brother and successor of Arhalba. Arhalba only ruled for two years and was forced to abdicate in favor of his brother by the Hittite
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
king Mursili II after his failed attempt to reproach Egypt for an alliance against the Hittites.
Niqmepa was installed by the Hittite king 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...
and was forced to sign a new treaty declaring explicitly that Ugarit
Ugarit
Ugarit was an ancient port city in the eastern Mediterranean at the Ras Shamra headland near Latakia, Syria. It is located near Minet el-Beida in northern Syria. It is some seven miles north of Laodicea ad Mare and approximately fifty miles east of Cyprus...
was a vassal state of the Hittites. The treaty reveals that Niqmepa had a harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
, and states that his woman and children will be held responsible if he fails to honor his obligations. At the same time Ugarit lost control of the territory of Shiyannu to the east, which halved the area controlled by Niqmepa. The secession was confirmed by Mursili II and Shiyannu was placed under the direct control of Carchemish
Carchemish
Carchemish or Kargamış was an important ancient city of the Mitanni, Hittite and Neo Assyrian Empires, now on the frontier between Turkey and Syria. It was the location of an important battle between the Babylonians and Egyptians, mentioned in the Bible...
, which was ruled by descendants of Hittite kings as "viceroys". However, because of the loss of Shiyannu, and by request from Niqmepa, the tribute of Ugarit was reduced by a third. During Niqmepa's reign Ugarit became entirely encircled by areas under Hittite control.
Niqmepa married princess Ahat-milku, of the Amurru
Amorite
Amorite refers to an ancient Semitic people who occupied large parts of Mesopotamia from the 21st Century BC...
kingdom to the south. After a long reign of about 50 years as the vassal of four successive Hittite kings, Niqmepa was succeeded by his son, Ammittamru II.