Hammurabi I
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Hammurabi I (reigned -
Middle chronology The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Historical inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers: "in the year X of king Y". Com ...
) is the third attested king of
Yamhad Yamhad (Yamḫad) was an ancient Semitic languages, Semitic-speaking kingdom centered on Ḥalab (Aleppo) in Syria (region), Syria. The kingdom emerged at the end of the 19th century BC and was ruled by the Yamhad dynasty, who counted on both mi ...
(
Halab Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
).


Early life

Hammurabi was the son of
Yarim-Lim I Yarim-Lim I, also given as Yarimlim, (reigned ) was the second king of the ancient Amorite kingdom of Yamhad in modern-day Aleppo, Syria. Family Parentage Yarim-Lim was the son and successor of the first king Sumu-Epuh and his queen Sumunna-Abi. ...
, and his mother was Queen Gashera. His private secretary as a crown prince was Sin-Abushu and is known from the tablets of Mari. Nothing else is known about him before he ascended the throne, following the death of his father in ca. 1764 BC.


Reign

Yarim-Lim I left the kingdom on the height of its power and Hammurabi was among the strongest kings of his age, with no threats to his power as his father had made alliances with
Babylon Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...
and
Eshnunna Eshnunna (also Esnunak) (modern Tell Asmar in Diyala Governorate, Iraq) was an ancient Sumerian (and later Akkadian) city and city-state in central Mesopotamia 12.6 miles northwest of Tell Agrab and 15 miles northwest of Tell Ishchali. Althou ...
and eliminated the danger coming from
Qatna Qatna (modern: , Tell al-Mishrifeh; also Tell Misrife or Tell Mishrifeh) was an ancient city located in Homs Governorate, Syria. Its remains constitute a tell situated about northeast of Homs near the village of al-Mishrifeh. The city was an ...
. At the beginning of his reign, Hammurabi I sent troops to aid the Babylonian king
Hammurabi Hammurabi (; ; ), also spelled Hammurapi, was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered the ci ...
against Siwe-Palar-Hupak of
Elam Elam () was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam Province as well as a small part of modern-day southern Iraq. The modern name ''Elam'' stems fr ...
who invaded Babylon. Amut-Pi-El of Qatna tried to form an alliance with the Elamite king, but
Zimri-Lim __NOTOC__ Zimri-Lim was in the Middle Bronze Age the king of Mari, Syria, Mari (c. 1767–1752 BCE; low chronology). Background Family Zimri-Lim (Akkadian language, Akkadian: ''Zi-im-ri Li-im'') was the son or grandson of king Yahdun-Lim of Ma ...
of Mari warned Hammurabi I and the Elamite envoys were captured on the borders as they were trying to return to Elam. After defeating Elam, Hammurabi I sent Hammurabi of Babylon troops to aid him against
Larsa Larsa (, read ''Larsamki''), also referred to as Larancha/Laranchon (Gk. Λαραγχων) by Berossus, Berossos and connected with the biblical Arioch, Ellasar, was an important city-state of ancient Sumer, the center of the Cult (religious pra ...
. The kingdom of Yamhad was of the same status as Babylon, evidenced by Hammurabi of Babylon's treatment of Yamhad's envoys which caused the delegates of Mari to complain. The fact that Zimri-Lim became king with the help of Yamhad meant that Mari was a semi-
client state A client state in the context of international relations is a State (polity), state that is economically, politically, and militarily subordinated to a more powerful controlling state. Alternative terms for a ''client state'' are satellite state, ...
of Yamhad, and in the correspondence between Zimri-Lim and Hammurabi's father Yarim-Lim I, the king of Mari calls Yarim-Lim his father. This situation helped Yamhad's trade because of Mari's location between Babylon and
Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
. On one occasion, Hammurabi sent an army of 10,000 troops to aid Zimri-Lim. Yamhad's lordship over Mari was so strong that the king of
Ugarit Ugarit (; , ''ủgrt'' /ʾUgarītu/) was an ancient port city in northern Syria about 10 kilometers north of modern Latakia. At its height it ruled an area roughly equivalent to the modern Latakia Governorate. It was discovered by accident in 19 ...
asked Hammurabi to intermediate with Zimri-Lim to let him visit the famous Palace of Mari. The political - military alliance with Babylon ended with Hammurabi of Babylon invading Mari and destroying the kingdom in ca. 1761 BC, however economical relations continued as Babylon did not advance into Aleppo territory. The invasion of Mari had a negative impact on trade between the two kingdoms, as the road became dangerous because of the loss of Mari's protection to the caravans crossing that road. Later in Hammurabi I's reign, the city of
Carchemish Carchemish ( or ), also spelled Karkemish (), was an important ancient capital in the northern part of the region of Syria. At times during its history the city was independent, but it was also part of the Mitanni, Hittite and Neo-Assyrian ...
came under Yamhad's domination.


Death and succession

Hammurabi I gave his son Yarim-Lim the city of
Irridu Irridu (Irrite) was a city in northwestern Mesopotamia, likely located between Harran and Carchemish. It flourished in the middle and late Bronze Age before being destroyed by Assyria. History Middle Bronze IIA Yamhad Period The city was first m ...
. He died ca. 1750 BC and was succeeded by his other son
Abba-El I Abba-El I (''Abba-ili I, Abban I''; reigned - Middle chronology) was the fourth great king of Yamhad (Halab), succeeding his father Hammurabi I. Reign Hammurabi I left Yamhad a prosperous country, and Abba-El's reign was relatively peaceful. He ...
. Another son called Nakkusse appears in the Tablets of Alalakh, holding a high position in its court.


References


Citations

{{Reflist, 2 18th-century BC monarchs Kings of Yamhad Amorite kings Yamhad dynasty