Lugalanda
Encyclopedia
Lugalanda was a Sumer
ian king of Lagash
during the 24th century BC.
Lugalanda was the son of the high priest
of Lagash, who appointed him as king. At this time the high priests of Lagash were very influential, and either occupied the throne, or decided who should be king. The priests, especially the high priests, remained very influential during Lugalanda's reign.
Lugalanda was married to Baranamtarra, the daughter of a great landowner who had commercial connections with the queen of Adab
.
All documents mentioning the reign of Lugalanda describe him as a wealthy and corrupt king. They say his reign was a time of great corruption and injustice against the weak. Inscriptions state that the king confiscated approximately 650 Morgen
(up to 650 hectare
s) of land.
After nine years in power, Lugalanda was overthrown by Urukagina
.
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian king of Lagash
Lagash
Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East...
during the 24th century BC.
Lugalanda was the son of the high priest
High priest
The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste.-Ancient Egypt:...
of Lagash, who appointed him as king. At this time the high priests of Lagash were very influential, and either occupied the throne, or decided who should be king. The priests, especially the high priests, remained very influential during Lugalanda's reign.
Lugalanda was married to Baranamtarra, the daughter of a great landowner who had commercial connections with the queen of Adab
Adab
Adab or Udab was an ancient Sumerian city between Telloh and Nippur. It was located at the site of modern Bismaya or Bismya in the Wasit Governorate of Iraq.-History:...
.
All documents mentioning the reign of Lugalanda describe him as a wealthy and corrupt king. They say his reign was a time of great corruption and injustice against the weak. Inscriptions state that the king confiscated approximately 650 Morgen
Morgen
A morgen was a unit of measurement of land in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the Dutch colonies, including South Africa and Taiwan. The size of a morgen varies from 1/2 to 2½ acres, which equals approximately 0.2 to 1 ha...
(up to 650 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s) of land.
After nine years in power, Lugalanda was overthrown by Urukagina
Urukagina
Urukagina , alternately rendered as Uruinimgina or Irikagina, was a ruler of the city-state Lagash in Mesopotamia...
.
Source
- The original text comes from German Wikipedia. It cites Helmut Uhlig: Die Sumerer. Lübbe, Bergisch-Gladbach 1992, S. 208 ff., 211. ISBN 3-404-64117-5. (German)