Kurigalzu II
Encyclopedia
Kurigalzu II was the twenty second king of the Kassite
dynasty that ruled over Babylon
. In more than twelve inscriptions, Kurigalzu names Burna-Buriaš II as his father. Kurigalzu II was placed on the Kassite throne by the Assyrian
king Aššur-Uballiṭ I
, went on to become a celebrated warrior, defeated the Elamites
, and reigned for twenty five years.
There is a gap of a little over forty years between his reign and that of his earlier namesake, Kurigalzu I
and, as it was not customary to assign regnal year numbers, and they both had lengthy reigns, this makes it exceptionally difficult to distinguish for whom an inscription is intended. A few royal inscriptions are clearly assignable to Kurigalzu II since they give the name of his father, Burna-Buriaš, but these record either the dedication of objects, such as eye stones, beads, axe-heads, etc, or appear on cylinder seal
s. 167 economic texts, mostly from Nippur, are assigned to him based on the style of the date formula and record up to the twenty fourth year of his reign.
Despite this, there was a tradition of military conflict between Babylon and Assyria around this time. Perhaps as he matured he came to resent his erstwhile benefactors and the accession of Enlil-nīrāri
to the Assyrian throne may have assisted loosening the ties of loyalty.
, Elam and Marhasi
.
When Ḫur-batila the supposed King of Elam began raiding the Babylonian Empire, he taunted Kurigalzu to do battle with him at Dūr-Šulgi. Kurigalzu launched a campaign which resulted in the abject defeat and capture of Ḫur-batila, who is otherwise not recorded. He went on to conquer the eastern lands of Susiana and Elam. This took his army to the Elamite capital, the city of Susa, which was sacked, celebrated in two inscriptions found there bearing his name.
A small agate tablet, bored lengthways to make a pendant, is engraved with nine lines of Sumerian on one side, the other side bearing an older dedication of the mother of king Šulgi
of Ur
(2029 – 1982 BC, short chronology) to Inanna
:
The tablet was recovered from Elam during Kurigalzu’s campaign and discovered in a cache of votive inscriptions at Nippur, but is sometimes ascribed to Kurigalzu I, as in the accompanying reference, despite being found with other artifacts inscribed Kurigalzu son of Burna-Buriaš. This earlier Kurigalzu married his sister to the Elamite king Paḫir-iššan, and a daughter to the next Elamite king, Ḫumban-numena.
on the Tigris and therefore deep in Assyrian territory, between Kurigalzu II and his Assyrian contemporary resulting in exchange of territory. One proclaims Kurigalzu the victor
but confuses the Assyrian adversary with his more famous descendant, while the other declares victory to Enlil-nīrāri
suggesting a loss of territory from Assyria to Babylon. The epic texts seem to be biased to their respective authors’ homelands in a rather typical genre for this period and taken together suggest an indecisive outcome. A second battle, this time at Kilizi, near Erbil, is recorded on a fragment.
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...
dynasty that ruled over 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...
. In more than twelve inscriptions, Kurigalzu names Burna-Buriaš II as his father. Kurigalzu II was placed on the Kassite throne by the Assyrian
Assyria
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...
king Aššur-Uballiṭ I
Ashur-uballit I
Ashur-uballit I , was king of the Assyrian empire . His reign marks Assyria's independence from the kingdom of Mitanni, by defeating Shuttarna II; and the beginning of Assyria's emergence as a powerful empire...
, went on to become a celebrated warrior, defeated the Elamites
Elam
Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq...
, and reigned for twenty five years.
There is a gap of a little over forty years between his reign and that of his earlier namesake, Kurigalzu I
Kurigalzu I
Kurigalzu I , the seventeenth king of the Kassite dynasty that ruled over Babylon, was responsible for one of the most extensive and widespread building programs for which evidence has survived in Babylonia. The autobiography of Kurigalzu is one of the inscriptions which record that he was the son...
and, as it was not customary to assign regnal year numbers, and they both had lengthy reigns, this makes it exceptionally difficult to distinguish for whom an inscription is intended. A few royal inscriptions are clearly assignable to Kurigalzu II since they give the name of his father, Burna-Buriaš, but these record either the dedication of objects, such as eye stones, beads, axe-heads, etc, or appear on cylinder seal
Cylinder seal
A cylinder seal is a cylinder engraved with a 'picture story', used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally wet clay. Cylinder seals were invented around 3500 BC in the Near East, at the contemporary site of Susa in south-western Iran and at the early site...
s. 167 economic texts, mostly from Nippur, are assigned to him based on the style of the date formula and record up to the twenty fourth year of his reign.
Accession
Kurigalzu II owed his throne to the Assyrians. Burna-Buriaš’ brief successor, Kara-ḫardaš, had been murdered during a coup d'état by the Kassite army, who had elevated an otherwise unremarkable Nazi-Bugaš to the throne. This incited the intervention of the Assyrian monarch Aššur-Uballiṭ, whose daughter Muballiṭat-Šērūa may have been the mother, or possibly consort, of Kara-ḫardaš. The usurper was unceremoniously killed and Kurigalzu was installed as a king in his youth from the royal lineage. His genealogical relationship with the Assyrian king is not known.Despite this, there was a tradition of military conflict between Babylon and Assyria around this time. Perhaps as he matured he came to resent his erstwhile benefactors and the accession of Enlil-nīrāri
Enlil-nirari
Enlil-nirari was King of Assyria from 1330 BC to 1319 BC, or from 1317 BC to 1308 BC . He was the son of Aššur-uballiṭ I...
to the Assyrian throne may have assisted loosening the ties of loyalty.
Conquest of Elam
He claimed to have defeated SusaSusa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
, Elam and Marhasi
Marhasi
Marhaši was a 3rd millennium BC polity situated east of Elam, on the Iranian plateau. It is known from Mesopotamian sources, and its precise location has not been identified...
.
When Ḫur-batila the supposed King of Elam began raiding the Babylonian Empire, he taunted Kurigalzu to do battle with him at Dūr-Šulgi. Kurigalzu launched a campaign which resulted in the abject defeat and capture of Ḫur-batila, who is otherwise not recorded. He went on to conquer the eastern lands of Susiana and Elam. This took his army to the Elamite capital, the city of Susa, which was sacked, celebrated in two inscriptions found there bearing his name.
A small agate tablet, bored lengthways to make a pendant, is engraved with nine lines of Sumerian on one side, the other side bearing an older dedication of the mother of king Šulgi
Shulgi
Shulgi of Urim was the second king of the "Sumerian Renaissance". He reigned for 48 years, dated to 2029 BCE–1982 BCE...
of Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
(2029 – 1982 BC, short chronology) to Inanna
Inanna
Inanna, also spelled Inana is the Sumerian goddess of sexual love, fertility, and warfare....
:
The tablet was recovered from Elam during Kurigalzu’s campaign and discovered in a cache of votive inscriptions at Nippur, but is sometimes ascribed to Kurigalzu I, as in the accompanying reference, despite being found with other artifacts inscribed Kurigalzu son of Burna-Buriaš. This earlier Kurigalzu married his sister to the Elamite king Paḫir-iššan, and a daughter to the next Elamite king, Ḫumban-numena.
Battle of Sugagu
Two chronicles report a conflict, called the battle of Sugagu, only a day's journey south of AššurAssur
Assur , was one of the capitals of ancient Assyria. The remains of the city are situated on the western bank of river Tigris, north of the confluence with the tributary Little Zab river, in modern day Iraq, more precisely in the Al-Shirqat District .Assur is also...
on the Tigris and therefore deep in Assyrian territory, between Kurigalzu II and his Assyrian contemporary resulting in exchange of territory. One proclaims Kurigalzu the victor
but confuses the Assyrian adversary with his more famous descendant, while the other declares victory to Enlil-nīrāri
suggesting a loss of territory from Assyria to Babylon. The epic texts seem to be biased to their respective authors’ homelands in a rather typical genre for this period and taken together suggest an indecisive outcome. A second battle, this time at Kilizi, near Erbil, is recorded on a fragment.