Kadashman-Turgu
Encyclopedia
Kadašman-Turgu, meaning he believes in Turgu, a Kassite
deity, (1281–1264 BC short chronology
) was the twenty-fourth king of the Kassite dynasty of Babylon
. He succeeded his father, Nazi-Maruttaš
, continuing the tradition of proclaiming himself lugal ki-šár-ra or “king of the world” and went on to reign for eighteen years. He was a contemporary of the Hittite
king Ḫattušili III
, with whom he concluded a formal treaty of friendship and mutual assistance and Ramesses II
with whom he consequently severed diplomatic relations.
Kadašman-Turgu reigned during momentous times, but seems to have played only a supporting role. Ḫattušili III, in a letter to his son and successor Kadašman-Enlil II
, said of him, “they used to call [your father] a king who prepares for war but then stays at home”.
n king Adad-Nīrāri
, preserved on a fragmentary clay tablet where the phrase “he pardoned his son of the crime” appears twice. Kadašman-Enlil’s father, Nazi-Maruttaš
had been engaged in a protracted war with both Adad-Nīrāri and his father Arik-den-ili
which had reached its dénouement in a battle at "Kār-Ištar of Ugarsallu". This settlement perhaps explains why there were no reports of any conflict between the Babylonians and Assyrians during this time. It also freed the Assyrians to turn their attention to conquering their westerly neighbor and former overlord the Mitanni
.
, in 1274, the dramatic climax of the Hittite
conflict with Egypt
and probably the largest chariot battle ever fought. The Hittite king Muwatalli II
died around 1272 and was succeeded by his son, Urḫi-Teššup, who took the name Mursili III
, and reigned for seven years. But he found himself increasingly at odds with his uncle, Ḫattušili III, the heroic general of Kadesh, who eventually overthrew him. In the first instance, Urḫi-Teššup seems to have appealed to Kadašman-Turgu for support, before turning to the Assyrians and finally seeking asylum at the court of Ramesses.
First, Ḫattušili demanded the handover of the fugitive. Then he sought support from Kadašman-Turgu complaining of the pharaoh's lack of complicity. Kadašman-Turgu was apparently sympathetic and willing to recognize the usurper as Hatti's legitimate king, motivated perhaps more by the need for a strong alliance with the Hittites to counter the threat of the Assyrians and maintain the uneasy peace. He promised to provide Ḫattušili with military support in any conflict with Egypt and “kept the messenger of the king of Egypt at bay”, i.e. terminated diplomatic links. According to Ḫattušili, they agreed that “the survivor shall protect the children of the one who goes first to his fate”.
Relations must have warmed for at least a short time, before Kadašman-Turgu died, because Ḫattušili records in a letter to Kadašman-Enlil that his father loaned to the Hittite the services of a sculptor, who was subsequently returned. He had earlier loaned a physician named Rabâ-ša-Marduk
and an incantation priest to Ḫattušili’s brother Muwatalli II
but these experts were never returned.
and also in the ziggurat area at Nippur.
The eighteen year reign is confirmed by progression of date formulae appearing on more than a hundred economic texts, such as those of Irîmshu-Ninib, a prominent official in Nippur, who recorded ten storehouse transactions from Kadašman-Turgu’s reign through to that of his successor, his son Kadašman-Enlil II, in which he receives incoming taxes, grants loans, and pays salaries to other officers.
Kassites
The Kassites were an ancient Near Eastern people who gained control of Babylonia after the fall of the Old Babylonian Empire after ca. 1531 BC to ca. 1155 BC...
deity, (1281–1264 BC short chronology
Short chronology timeline
The short chronology is one chronology of the Near Eastern Bronze and Early Iron Age, which fixes the reign of Hammurabi to 1728 BC – 1686 BC and the sack of Babylon to 1531 BC....
) was the twenty-fourth king of the Kassite dynasty of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
. He succeeded his father, Nazi-Maruttaš
Nazi-Maruttash
Nazi-Maruttaš, Maruttaš protects him, was a Kassite king of Babylon ca. 1307–1282 BC and self-proclaimed šar kiššati, or “King of the World”. He was the twenty third of the dynasty, the son and successor of Kurigalzu II and reigned for twenty six years...
, continuing the tradition of proclaiming himself lugal ki-šár-ra or “king of the world” and went on to reign for eighteen years. He was a contemporary of 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 Ḫattušili 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...
, with whom he concluded a formal treaty of friendship and mutual assistance and 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...
with whom he consequently severed diplomatic relations.
Kadašman-Turgu reigned during momentous times, but seems to have played only a supporting role. Ḫattušili III, in a letter to his son and successor Kadašman-Enlil II
Kadashman-Enlil II
Kadašman-Enlil II was the twenty fifth king of the Kassite dynasty of Babylon.He succeeded Kadašman-Turgu as a child and political power was exercised at first by an influential vizier, Itti-Marduk-balatu, “whom the gods have caused to live far too long and in whose mouth unfavourable words never...
, said of him, “they used to call [your father] a king who prepares for war but then stays at home”.
Relations with Assyria
Early in his reign, he brokered a treaty with the AssyriaAssyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n king Adad-Nīrāri
Adad-nirari I
Adad-nirari I was a king of Assyria. He is the earliest Assyrian king whose annals survive in any detail. Adad-nirari I achieved major military victories that significantly strengthened the Assyrian kingdom and enabled Assyria to start to play a major role in Mesopotamian politics...
, preserved on a fragmentary clay tablet where the phrase “he pardoned his son of the crime” appears twice. Kadašman-Enlil’s father, Nazi-Maruttaš
Nazi-Maruttash
Nazi-Maruttaš, Maruttaš protects him, was a Kassite king of Babylon ca. 1307–1282 BC and self-proclaimed šar kiššati, or “King of the World”. He was the twenty third of the dynasty, the son and successor of Kurigalzu II and reigned for twenty six years...
had been engaged in a protracted war with both Adad-Nīrāri and his father Arik-den-ili
Arik-den-ili
Arik-den-ili was an Assyrian king who succeeded Enlil-nirari, his father, and was to rule for twelve years and inaugurate the tradition of annual military campaigns against Assyria’s neighbors.-Biography:Our sources are slim for his reign, less than ten inscriptions, a fragmentary chronicle...
which had reached its dénouement in a battle at "Kār-Ištar of Ugarsallu". This settlement perhaps explains why there were no reports of any conflict between the Babylonians and Assyrians during this time. It also freed the Assyrians to turn their attention to conquering their westerly neighbor and former overlord the Mitanni
Mitanni
Mitanni or Hanigalbat was a loosely organized Hurrian-speaking state in northern Syria and south-east Anatolia from ca. 1500 BC–1300 BC...
.
The Hittite succession
He would no doubt have been aware of the Battle of KadeshBattle 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....
, in 1274, the dramatic climax of 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...
conflict with Egypt
New Kingdom
The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt....
and probably the largest chariot battle ever fought. The Hittite king Muwatalli II
Muwatalli 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....
died around 1272 and was succeeded by his son, Urḫi-Teššup, who took the name Mursili III
Mursili III
Mursili III, also known as Urhi-Teshub, was a king of the Hittites who assumed the throne of the Hittite empire at Tarhuntassa upon his father's death around 1272 BCE. He was a cousin of Tudhaliya IV and Queen Maathorneferure.- Biography :...
, and reigned for seven years. But he found himself increasingly at odds with his uncle, Ḫattušili III, the heroic general of Kadesh, who eventually overthrew him. In the first instance, Urḫi-Teššup seems to have appealed to Kadašman-Turgu for support, before turning to the Assyrians and finally seeking asylum at the court of Ramesses.
First, Ḫattušili demanded the handover of the fugitive. Then he sought support from Kadašman-Turgu complaining of the pharaoh's lack of complicity. Kadašman-Turgu was apparently sympathetic and willing to recognize the usurper as Hatti's legitimate king, motivated perhaps more by the need for a strong alliance with the Hittites to counter the threat of the Assyrians and maintain the uneasy peace. He promised to provide Ḫattušili with military support in any conflict with Egypt and “kept the messenger of the king of Egypt at bay”, i.e. terminated diplomatic links. According to Ḫattušili, they agreed that “the survivor shall protect the children of the one who goes first to his fate”.
Relations must have warmed for at least a short time, before Kadašman-Turgu died, because Ḫattušili records in a letter to Kadašman-Enlil that his father loaned to the Hittite the services of a sculptor, who was subsequently returned. He had earlier loaned a physician named Rabâ-ša-Marduk
Rabâ-ša-Marduk
Rabâ-ša-Marduk, “great are of Marduk”, was a prominent physician, or asû, from the city of Nippur who was posted to the Hittite court of Muwatalli II in Anatolia in the thirteenth century BC, apparently as part of a diplomatic mission of Kassite king Kadašman-Turgu .-Biography:His name was uncommon...
and an incantation priest to Ḫattušili’s brother Muwatalli II
Muwatalli 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....
but these experts were never returned.
Domestic affairs
His construction efforts are witnessed at the E’igi-kalama ziggurat of the tutelary diety Lugalmarada, in the city of MaradMarad
Marad was an ancient Sumerian city. Marad was situated on the west bank of the then western branch of the Upper Euphrates River west of Nippur in modern day Iraq and roughly 50 km southeast of Kish, on the Arahtu River.The city's ziggurat E-igi-kalama was dedicated to Ninurta the god of...
and also in the ziggurat area at Nippur.
The eighteen year reign is confirmed by progression of date formulae appearing on more than a hundred economic texts, such as those of Irîmshu-Ninib, a prominent official in Nippur, who recorded ten storehouse transactions from Kadašman-Turgu’s reign through to that of his successor, his son Kadašman-Enlil II, in which he receives incoming taxes, grants loans, and pays salaries to other officers.
External links
- Kadašman-Turgu letter to Ḫattušili III (tablet Bo 6358) (Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin)