Hurrian is an ancient non-Semitic, non-Sumerian language spoken in the northern parts of the Fertile Crescent (present-day northern Iraq, northern Syria and southeast Anatolia) at least from the late third millennium BC until the end of the second millennium BC. The linguistic relationship with Urartian points to an origin in the northeastern parts of the Fertile Crescent and the mountainous areas beyond.
Already c.1800 BC there was a solid Hurrian element in the populations that lived between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates. By 1500 BC the ‘Hurrians’ had penetrated the whole of Mesopotamia as well as Syria-Palestine and eastern Anatolia. Later they established themselves as rulers of small kingdoms throughout Mesopotamia and Syria. The largest and most influential Hurrian kingdom was Mitanni, a loosely organised state in northern Syria and southeast Anatolia with its capital Washukanni (possibly under the mound of Tell Fakhariya) on one of the tributaries of the Khabur River.
Around 1500 BC an inscription on a statue base of Idrimi, king of Alalakh, mentions the first known king of Mitanni, Parrattarna. Very little is known about the next three kings: Kirta (r.c.1490-c.1480 BC), Shuttarna-I (r.c.1480-c.1460 BC) and Parsatatar (r.c.1460-c.1440 BC). In his 33rd year the pharaoh Thutmose III (r.c.1479-c.1425 BC) conquered Syria and pillaged Mitanni, but Egyptian control never extended east of the Euphrates. The kingdom grew under Saushtatar (r.c.1440-c.1400 BC) with territory stretching from Ugarit to Kizzuwadna, both of which he claimed as client states; to the east he conquered Assur and took the doors of silver and gold from its temple to Washukanni. Both Artatama-I (r.c.1400-c.1390 BC) and Shuttarna II (r.c.1390-c.1375 BC) made marriage alliances with the Egyptians.
Artashumara (r.c.1375-c.1370 BC) succeeded his father Shuttarna II, but was murdered by a certain Uthi. The latter placed Tushratta (r.c.1370-c.1340 BC), the younger son of Shuttarna II, on the throne, with himself as regent. Tushratta eventually had Uthi and his supporters put to death. Artatama II (r.c.1370 BC), possibly a third son, set up a rival kingship in the east of the state, initially receiving support from the Hittites. Civil war ensued. Tushratta was assassinated and Shuttarna III (r.c.1340 BC), son of Artatama II, seized the throne with the aid of Assyria. Tushratta’s son Shattiwaza (r.c.1340-c.1310 BC) fled to the Hittite court.
Suppiluliuma-I (r.c.1344-c.1322 BC) eventually gained control of all the Mitanni lands to the west, married Shattiwaza to one of his daughters and installed him as client-king of west Mitanni, subject to Piyassili at Carchemish. During the reign of Shattuara-I (r.c.1310-c.1290 BC) the Assyrians gradually took Mitanni from a weakening Hittite regime. Wasashatta (r.c.1290-c.1270 BC), an Assyrian vassal as was his father, rebelled against Adad-nirari-I (r.c.1295-c.1264 BC) and sought in vain for help from the Hittites. The Assyrians crushed the revolt and devastated Mitanni. Shattuara II (r.c.1270-c.1260 BC), a son or nephew of Wasashatta, rebelled against Shalmaneser-I (r.c.1263-c.1234 BC). This rebellion also was crushed but this time Mitanni was placed under the direct control of the Assyrians and ceased to be a kingdom.
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