Arzawa

The Arzawa (old form Arzawiya ) is a kingdom and an area of the Western Anatolia of the III Its history is known for us only by external sources, coming primarily from the kingdom close to the Hittites, which fought many times in this area. The exact localization of Arzawa is still discussed. One locates it in the south-west of Anatolia, between the Lycie and the posterior Lydie. Arzawa is undoubtedly a kingdom of culture Louvite, as the names of the people originating in this country and the fact attest it that gods louvites there were venerated, as Arma (the Moon) and Tarhunda (the god of the Storm).

The first historical certificate of the kingdom of Arzawa dates from the reign of Hattushili Ier, about 1650. A conflict opposes it to its Western neighbor, who is already a great power. Benefitting from the weakening of the kingdom hittite under the reign of Zidanta I (about 1550), kings d' Arzawa extend their territory. When the kingdom hittite becomes again a great power starting from the reign of Tudhaliya Ier, Arzawa is a source of great disorders for him, just like the area of Anatolia Western, where the Ahhiyawa (the Achaens?), start to pose the foot. It is learned that a vassal local sovereign of Hittites, Madduwatta, caused king d' Arzawa, Kupanta-Kurunta, which overcame it. Both will end up making peace later, to the great displeasure of Tudhaliya I which sees of an evil eye its vassal being combined with its enemy. Tudhaliya II fights in its turn in Arzawa, without too many success. This kingdom is then with its apogee, while Hatti is lost in dynastic quarrels.

New king d' Arzawa, Tarhundaradu, benefits from it to take the Low-Country hittite, then returns in liaison with the Pharaon Akhénaton, with whom it writes two letters in hittite in which it explains why the kingdom hittite is about to disappear and, because of its new power, it asks a matrimonial alliance with the Egypt. But Hittites are loins to have said their last word: Suppiluliuma Ier restores the situation at Hittites, and gains a victory against Arzawa. That is not enough however, and new king d' Arzawa, Utta-ziti, succeeds in assembling a coalition against Hatti with the assistance of Ahhiyawa. The king hittite Mursili II, wire of Suppiluliuma, then assembles a great forwarding which spends two years to beat Arzawa (by taking its capital, Amasa) and to subject all the provinces around. According to the dires of Mursili, 65000 inhabitants of Arzawa are off-set towards the country hittite. The country of Arzawa is then divided between the old vassal ones of Utta-ziti, the kingdoms of Hapalla, Reflected-Kuwaliya and the Country of the Seha river, which passes in the orbit hittite by signing treaties of vassalage with Mursili. One does not know what it even occurs of Arzawa.

Some revolts occur thereafter in Arzawa, in particular under the reign of Muwatalli II, which faces the ambitions of Ahhiyawa, and under that of Tudhaliya IV, which represses the revolt of the kingdom of the Seha river. The area consequently sees being established some of the People of the Sea which devastate the Middle East thereafter, like Lukka (Lyciens). The last mention of Arzawa is made by the Pharaon Ramses III, which brings back the destruction of the country by the Peuples of the Sea.

Kings

  • Kupanta-Kurunta (about 1400)

  • Madduwatta off Zippasla
  • Tarhoudaradou (about 1350)
  • Anzapattadou
  • Utta-ziti

Bond

  • General information on Arzawa

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