Manapa-Tarhunta was a king in western

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...

during the

Late Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...

. Manapa-Tarhunta is known through the

archives An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...

of the kings of Hattusas. He was a younger son of King Muwa-Walwis of the

Seha River The Seha River Land was a kingdom in Western Anatolia in the Late Bronze Age known from Hittite texts. Part of Arzawa, it was located north of Mira and south of Wilusa, and at one point controlled the island of Lazpa. History The Seha River ...

Land, born ca. the 1330s BC.

Exile

Muwa-Walwis died around the year 1323 BC and left his kingdom to Manapa-Tarhunta. His brothers, led by the eldest, Ura-Tarhunta, deposed Manapa-Tarhunta and drove him to

Karkiya Karkiya or Karkisa was a Late Bronze Age region in western Anatolia known from references in Hittite and Egyptian records. It is believed to refer to the classical era region of Caria or to a region where ancestors of the Carians lived at the tim ...

territory (which may be classical-era

Caria Caria (; from Greek: Καρία, ''Karia''; tr, Karya) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid- Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined ...

). The infirm King of the

Hittites The Hittites () were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa in north-centra ...

Arnuwanda II Arnuwanda II was a king of the Hittite Empire (new kingdom) ca. 1330 BC (middle chronology) or 1322–1321 BC (short chronology). He succeeded his father Suppiluliuma I, who succumbed to the plague which Egyptian captives from his Canaan campaig ...

, aided by his younger brother (the future

Mursili II There were three Hittite kings called Mursili: * Mursili I, ca. 1556–1526 BCE (short chronology), and was likely a grandson of his predecessor, Hattusili I. His sister was Ḫarapšili and his wife was queen Kali. *Mursili II, (also spelled Mursi ...

), wrote to the Karkiya people requesting asylum for the king-in-exile. The people of Seha River revolted and invited Manapa-Tarhunta back.

Rebellion

On Arnuwanda's death that year, an otherwise unknown chieftain named Uhha-Ziti revolted against the Hittites in

Arzawa Arzawa was a region and a political entity (a " kingdom" or a federation of local powers) in Western Anatolia in the second half of the 2nd millennium BC (roughly from the late 15th century BC until the beginning of the 12th century BC). The core ...

to the Seha River's south. Uhha-Ziti convinced Manapa-Tarhunta to join the rebellion, but Mursilis II subsequently defeated the alliance and prepared to destroy the Seha River's cities. Manapa-Tarhunta paraded his mother and family before the Hittite king, tears flowing, so Mursilis II spared the Seha River and left Manapa-Tarhunta in charge. Soon after these incidents, Manapa-Tarhunta presumably authored the

Manapa-Tarhunta letter The Manapa-Tarhunta letter ( CTH 191; KUB 19.5 + KBo 19.79) is a tablet in Luwian/Hittite language from the thirteenth century BC, which has come down to us in a fairly good state of conservation. It was discovered in the 1980s. It was written by ...

. After the reigns of both Manapa-Tarhunta and Mursilis II, Mursilis's successor

Muwatalli II :''See also Muwatalli I'' Muwatalli II (also Muwatallis, or Muwatallish) was a king of the New Kingdom of the Hittite empire c. 1295–1282 (middle chronology) and 1295–1272 BC in the short chronology. Biography He was the eldest son of Murs ...

wrote a treaty with

Alaksandu Alaksandu, ( Hittite: 𒀀𒆷𒀝𒊭𒀭𒁺𒍑 ''Alâkšândûš'') alternatively called Alakasandu or Alaksandus was a king of Wilusa who sealed a treaty with Hittite king Muwatalli II ca. 1280 BC. This treaty implies that Alaksandu had pr ...

Wilusa Wilusa ( hit, ) or Wilusiya was a Late Bronze Age city in western Anatolia known from references in fragmentary Hittite records. The city is notable for its identification with the archaeological site of Troy, and thus its potential connection ...

which mentioned that Manapa-Kurunta was now king in the Seha River Land. There is no documentation of any disturbance in the succession, so it is assumed that the succession was patrilineal, and that it transferred peacefully from father to son. {{Commons category, Luwian hieroglyphs on reliefs Hittite people 14th-century BC rulers