Shalmaneser I (𒁹𒀭𒁲𒈠𒉡𒊕 ^md''sál-ma-nu-SAG'' ''Salmanu-ašared''; 1273–1244 BC or 1265–1235 BC) was a king of

Assyria Assyria ( Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the A ...

during the

Middle Assyrian Empire The Middle Assyrian Empire was the third stage of Assyrian history, covering the history of Assyria from the accession of Ashur-uballit I 1363 BC and the rise of Assyria as a territorial kingdom to the death of Ashur-dan II in 912 BC. ...

. Son of

Adad-nirari I Adad-nārārī I, rendered in all but two inscriptions ideographically as md''adad-''ZAB+DAḪ, meaning “Adad (is) my helper,” (1305–1274 BC or 1295–1263 BC short chronology) was a king of Assyria during the Middle Assyrian Empire. He is th ...

, he succeeded his father as king in 1265 BC. According to his annals, discovered at

Assur Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal'a ...

, in his first year he conquered eight countries in the northwest and destroyed the fortress of Arinnu, the dust of which he brought to Assur. In his second year he defeated

Shattuara Shattuara, also spelled Šattuara, was a king of the Hurrian kingdom of Mittani c. 1305-1285 BC. Shattuara became a vassal of the Assyrian king Adad-nirari I (1263 BC) after the latter defeated him. In an inscription made by Adad-nirari I, he is s ...

, king of

Hanilgalbat Mitanni (; Hittite cuneiform ; ''Mittani'' '), c. 1550–1260 BC, earlier called Ḫabigalbat in old Babylonian texts, c. 1600 BC; Hanigalbat or Hani-Rabbat (''Hanikalbat'', ''Khanigalbat'', cuneiform ') in Assyrian records, or ''Naharin'' in ...

(

Mitanni Mitanni (; Hittite cuneiform ; ''Mittani'' '), c. 1550–1260 BC, earlier called Ḫabigalbat in old Babylonian texts, c. 1600 BC; Hanigalbat or Hani-Rabbat (''Hanikalbat'', ''Khanigalbat'', cuneiform ') in Assyrian records, or '' Naharin'' ...

), and his Hittite and

Ahlamu Ahlamu or Aḫlamū, were a group or designation of Semitic semi-nomads. Their habitat was west of the Euphrates, between the mouth of the Khabur and Palmyra. In the 18th century BC, they were first mentioned in the sources since Rim-Anum, a k ...

allies. He incorporated the remains of the Mittanni kingdom as part of one of the Assyrian provinces. Shalmaneser I also claimed to have blinded 14,400 enemy prisoners in one eye. He was one of the first Assyrian kings who was known to deport his defeated enemies to various lands rather than simply slaughtering them all. He conquered the whole country from Taidu to Irridu, from Mount Kashiar to Eluhat, and from the fortresses of Sudu and Harranu to

Carchemish Carchemish ( Turkish: ''Karkamış''; or ), also spelled Karkemish ( hit, ; Hieroglyphic Luwian: , /; Akkadian: ; Egyptian: ; Hebrew: ) was an important ancient capital in the northern part of the region of Syria. At times during i ...

on the

Euphrates The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...

. He built palaces at

and

Nineveh Nineveh (; akk, ; Biblical Hebrew: '; ar, نَيْنَوَىٰ '; syr, ܢܝܼܢܘܹܐ, Nīnwē) was an ancient Assyrian city of Upper Mesopotamia, located in the modern-day city of Mosul in northern Iraq. It is located on the eastern ba ...

, restored the "world-temple" at Assur (Ehursagkurkurra), and founded the city of

Kalhu Nimrud (; syr, ܢܢܡܪܕ ar, النمرود) is an ancient Assyrian city located in Iraq, south of the city of Mosul, and south of the village of Selamiyah ( ar, السلامية), in the Nineveh Plains in Upper Mesopotamia. It was a majo ...

(the biblical

Calah Nimrud (; syr, ܢܢܡܪܕ ar, النمرود) is an ancient Assyrian city located in Iraq, south of the city of Mosul, and south of the village of Selamiyah ( ar, السلامية), in the Nineveh Plains in Upper Mesopotamia. It was a ma ...

Nimrud Nimrud (; syr, ܢܢܡܪܕ ar, النمرود) is an ancient Assyrian city located in Iraq, south of the city of Mosul, and south of the village of Selamiyah ( ar, السلامية), in the Nineveh Plains in Upper Mesopotamia. It was a m ...

). He was succeeded by his son Tukulti-Ninurta I.

Limmu officials by year

Annual

limmu : Limmu was an Assyrian eponym. At the beginning of the reign of an Assyrian king, the limmu, an appointed royal official, would preside over the New Year festival at the capital. Each year a new limmu would be chosen. Although picked by lot, th ...

officials beginning with the year of accession of Šulmanu-ašared. The list is partly derived from Freydank and McIntyre.Eponyms of Shalmaneser 1 – Summary
/ref> The exact order of the earliest limmus is conjectural but the ordering from Šerriya onwards is essentially fixed. * 1274: Adad-šumu-lešir son of Sin-ašared * 1273: Šulmanu-ašared (king) * 1272: Mušabšiu-Šibitti * 1271: Ber-šumu-iddina * 1270: Abi-ili son of Aššur-šumu-lešir * 1269: Aššur-alik-pana * 1268: Adad-Šamši son of Adad-šumu-lešir * 1267: Kidin-Sin son of Adad-teya * 1266: Šerriya (ordering from here onwards is essentially fixed) * 1265: Aššur-kašid * 1264: Aššur-mušabši son of Iddin-Mer * 1263: Aššur-mušabši son of Anu-mušallim * 1262: Qibi-Aššur son of Šamaš-aḫa-iddina * 1261: Aššur-nadin-šume * 1260: Mušallim-Aššur * 1259: Qibi-Aššur son of Ṣilli-Marduk * 1258: Ina-pi-Aššur-lišlim son of Bābu-aḫa-iddina * 1257: Ber-šumu-lešir son of Ete-pi-Tašmete * 1256: Aššur-dammiq son of Abi-ili * 1255: Ber-bel-lite * 1254: Ištar-eriš son of Šulmanu-qarrad * 1253: Lullayu son of Adad-šumu-iddina * 1252: Aššur-ketti-ide son of Abi-ili * 1251: Ekaltayu * 1250: Aššur-daʼissunu son of Ululayu * 1249: Riš-Adad * 1248: Nabu-bela-uṣur * 1247: Usat-Marduk * 1246: Ellil-ašared * 1245: Ittabši-den-Aššur * 1244: Ubru

Notes

References

* Dönbaz, Veysel, and Grant, Frame (1983).
The building activities of Shalmaneser I in Northern Mesopotamia
. ''Annual Review of the Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia Project'' 1 (1983): 1–5. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shalmaneser 01 13th-century BC Assyrian kings 13th-century BC deaths Year of birth unknown