Hattusili's Civil War

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Hittite Civil War

Hatti before the Civil War
Datec. 1267 BC (short chronology)
Location
New Kingdom Hatti
Result Hattusili victory
Territorial
changes		 Mursili granted a fiefdom in Nuhašše before eventually fleeing to exile in Egypt
Belligerents

Mursili III

  • Hattusha and the South

Hattusili III

  • Upper Land lead from Hakpis

The Hittite Civil War of 1267 B.C. was a struggle between Mursili III and Hattusili III, following the death of Muwatalli II. This struggle eventually erupted into a civil war that Hattusili won. Mursili went into exile and continued to claim the throne from abroad.

Background

Muwatalli II, the father of Mursili III and brother of Hattusili III died around 1272 BC (short chronology). Muwatalli is famous for being the Great King of Battle of Kadesh fame. He also moved the Hittite capital city from Hattusha to Tarhuntassa in order to more easily prosecute the war effort against Egypt or as a more defensible location than Hattusha who was often threatened by invaders such as the Kaska.[1]

During this time the North was given over to Muwatalli's brother Hattusili, including it's iconic capital Hattusha. Which Damien Stone thinks is significant enough as a sign the capital move was supposed to be permanent.[2]

While Trevor Bryce thinks the capital move was bold by Muwatalli, while noting the reasons why the capital was moved being a subject of debate and that there may be reasons that we are unaware off for why it was moved. While Hattusili was granted significant autonomy to rule the north as a King, while the Great King was based in Tarhuntassa. All this would serve as a premise to the coming events.[3]

Hattusili was a kind of priest king, since he had been a sickly child, but survived according to texts, thanks to Ishtar. Which he then Hattusili dedicated himself to. Hattusili's abilities are said to have been good, especially when it came to administrative and military matters. For this he got appointed King of the Upper land with Hattusha, displacing Arma-Tarhunda a royal himself, causing Arma-Tarhunda to become an embittered rival of Hattusili. Hattusili then established his capital in Hakpis. Hattusili did also serve in the Battle of Kadesh, in command of one division there, while on his way home from this campaign he met his wife Puduhepa.[4]

Mursili had a smooth inheritance to the throne when Muwatalli died. His succession was also supported by Hattusili. Initially Mursili and Hattusili got along great.[5]

Lead up to war

Once Muwatalli died and Mursili succeeded him to the throne he decided to move the capital city back north to Hattusha. He subsequently also striped his uncle Hattusili of kingship of the north.[6]

Trevor Bryce thinks this was the catalyst for the war. After Mursili had moved the capital he started to gradually strip Hattusili of power and positions granted to him by his brother Muwatalli. With the trigger eventually being when Mursili wanted to strip Hapkpis and Nerik from Hattusili, his priced fiefdoms.[7]

War

The Civil War erupted sometime around the year 1267 bc (short chronology).[8] During this war, Mursili's own brother, Kurunta supported Hattusili's war effort.[9] Hattusili tried to downplay his actions as not being a revolt, instead motivating them as divine judgement by Ishtar. While Bryice states Hattusili did not have any actual legitimate reasons to go against the sitting Great King. The war was brief and bitter. It ended with Mursili captured.[10] With the war reportedly raging throughout Anatolia, ending with Mursili cornered in Samuha.[11]

Aftermath

Mursili was sent into exile after the war. Mursili III seemingly had a son.[12] A certain Hartapu calls himself a great king and son of the great king Mursili, who normally is identified with Mursili III. Hartapu likely has ruled Tarhuntassa in the 2nd half of the 13th century BC.[13]

Hattusili would initially have feared for his position and not been internationally recognized, considering how he became Great King. Internally he dealt leniently with the Mursili loyalists. Internationally he sought recognition, especially from the Club of great powers and eventually managed to gain this via signing the Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty. Part of this peace treaty was an extradition clause, thought to have been requested by the Hittites to get Mursili extradited back to Hatti. While his wife Puduhepa would go on to reform the Hittite Religious system.[14]

While there is speculation on where Mursili ended up, he was initially granted the fiefdom of Nuhašše. Mursili tried to restore the his throne from there, which Hattusili found out about. Mursili subsequently fled to Egypt. After this we don't know where Mursili ended up, but as mentioned, Hartapu claim decent from Mursili and he ruled a kingdom in southern Anatolia.[15]

While Kurunta would eventually go on to claim the throne by force in a similar manner to Hattusili did, around 1228 B.C., then from Hattusili's own direct descendant.[16]

References

  1. ^ Stone, Damien. The Hittites: Lost civilizations. pp. 41–48. ISBN 978 1 78914 684 4.
  2. ^ Stone, Damien. The Hittites: Lost civilizations. pp. 41–48. ISBN 978 1 78914 684 4.
  3. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 159–166. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  4. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 183–195. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  5. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 183–195. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  6. ^ Stone, Damien. The Hittites: Lost civilizations. pp. 41–48. ISBN 978 1 78914 684 4.
  7. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 183–195. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  8. ^ Stone, Damien. The Hittites: Lost civilizations. pp. 41–48. ISBN 978 1 78914 684 4.
  9. ^ "The Last Days of Hattusa".
  10. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 183–195. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  11. ^ "Hattusili's Palace Drama - Oldest Stories Podcast".
  12. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 183–195. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  13. ^ Trevor Bryce: The World of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms: A Political and Military History. Oxford, New York 2012, p. 21 f, 145.
  14. ^ Bryce, Trevor. Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise history of the Hittites. pp. 183–195. ISBN 978-1-3503-4885-1.
  15. ^ "Hattusili's Palace Drama - Oldest Stories Podcast".
  16. ^ "The Last Days of Hattusa".
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