Utu-hengal (, ; died 2112 BC), also written Utu-heg̃al, Utu-heĝal, and sometimes transcribed as Utu-hegal, Utu-hejal, Utu-Khengal, was one of the first native kings of

Sumer Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...

after two hundred years of Akkadian and Gutian rule, and was at the origin of the foundation of the

Third Dynasty of Ur The Third Dynasty of Ur or Ur III was a Sumerian dynasty based in the city of Ur in the 22nd and 21st centuries BC ( middle chronology). For a short period they were the preeminent power in Mesopotamia and their realm is sometimes referred to by ...

by his governor of Ur,

Ur-Nammu Ur-Nammu (or Ur-Namma, Ur-Engur, Ur-Gur, Sumerian language, Sumerian: ; died 2094 BC) founded the Sumerian Third Dynasty of Ur, in southern Mesopotamia, following several centuries of Akkadian Empire, Akkadian and Gutian period, Gutian rule. Thou ...

. He was officially "King of Uruk" in his inscriptions, and is therefore considered as the founder, and only member, of the "Fifth Dynasty of Uruk" (Uruk V).

Early life

There are several theories regarding his background. The most common is that he was a governor of

Uruk Uruk, the archeological site known today as Warka, was an ancient city in the Near East, located east of the current bed of the Euphrates River, on an ancient, now-dried channel of the river in Muthanna Governorate, Iraq. The site lies 93 kilo ...

who revolted against the Gutian kings. He led the cities of Sumer against the last Gutian king Tirigan. After a battle at an unknown location, Utu-Hengal was victorious and forced Tirigan to flee back towards Gutium. Tirigan fled to the city of Dubrum (location unknown) where the people treated him kindly. However, once the people of Dubrum heard that Utu-Hengal was marching towards the city, they took Tirigan and his family prisoner. He was brought before Utu-Hengal, and agreed to leave Sumer and retreat back to Gutium.

Reign

After defeating the Gutians, Utu-hengal established himself as the king of Sumer. In the seventh year of the kingship he tragically died in an accident when inspecting a dam (leading some to suspect foul play), and was succeeded by the governor of Ur,

, as the king of Sumer. He was thus the only king of the fifth dynasty of

. In fact Sumerian people have always treated Utu-hengal's kingship and the Ur III dynasty together as a single continuous dynasty, with Utu-hengal as the founder. Utu-hengal has been praised as one of the greatest historical figures and heroes of Sumerian people.

Titulature

In his Victory Stele, Utu-hengal describes himself as:

Attestations

Utu-hengal is known through numerous inscriptions.

Victory stele

A victory stele was erected in Uruk by Utu-Hengal, a copy of which was made during the

Dynasty of Isin The Dynasty of Isin refers to the final ruling dynasty listed on the ''Sumerian King List'' (''SKL''). The list of the Kings of Isin with the length of their reigns, also appears on a cuneiform document listing the kings of Ur and Isin, the ''Li ...

, now in the

Louvre Museum The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

(AO 6018). The stele described the victory of Utu-Hengal over the Gutians, particularly their king Tirigan. The beginning of the inscription reads:

Copper-alloy vase

A copper-alloy vase, now in the British Museum (BM 1999,0731.1), has an inscription by Utu-hengal:

Stone fragment

Another fragmentary inscription of Utu-hengal, also in the British Museum, only mentions his name and titulature: "Utu-hengal, the great man, King of Uruk, King of the four quarters of the world". File:Part of a stone monument inscribed with the name of Utu-hegal, king of Uruk. Circa 2125 BCE. From Ur, Iraq. The British Museum, London.jpg, Part of a stone monument inscribed with the name of "Utu-hengal, the great man, King of Uruk, King of the four quarters of the world". Circa 2125 BCE. From Ur, Iraq. The British Museum, London. File:Utu-Hengal in cuneiform.jpg, "Utu-Hen(gal)" in cuneiform File:Utu-hengal inscription.jpg, Utu-hengal inscription. "Utu-hengal, the great man, King of Uruk, King of the four quarters of the world".Full transcription:

References

, - {{Rulers of Sumer 22nd-century BC Sumerian kings 21st-century BC Sumerian kings Sumerian kings Kings of Uruk Accidental deaths in Iraq Ancient rebels 3rd-millennium BC births 22nd-century BC deaths