Tushratta

Tushratta was king of the Mitanni from approximately -1380 to -1350.

It was placed on the throne by UD-hi after this one had assassinated his/her brother Artashumara. It was probably very young at the time and was used as development. It succeeds however with émanciper of the meutrier, perhaps with the assistance of his Egyptian father-in-law.

At the beginning of the reign of the king Hittite Suppiluliuma I {{er}}, the Kizzuwatna, then directed by Shunashshura was under control hittite. The kingdom made secession of Hatti, but was reconquered by Suppiluliuma I {{er}}. At the time of what is called the first Syrian countryside, Suppiluliuma invades then the Western part of the valley of Euphrate and conquered the Amurru and the Nuhashshe on Mitanni.

According to the treaty between Suppiluliuma and Shattiwazza, Suppiluliuma passed a treaty with Artatama ( no biographical element preceding this treaty, nor of bonds with the royal family are known ), a rival of Tushratta. It is called king of Hurri , while Tushratta had as a title king of Mitanni . It is probable that had been displeased in Tushratta. Suppiluliuma started to plunder the grounds on Western bank of Euphrate and annexed the Mount-Lebanon. Tushratta threatened it to launch attacks beyond Euphrate so only one lamb or child was stolen.

Suppiluliuma reports then how the country of Isuwa on higher Euphrate made secession at the time of his/her grandfather. The tests to reconquer this territory had failed. At the time of the reign of his/her father, other cities rebelled. Suppiluliuma affirms to have them defeats, but the survivors had flees towards the territory of Isuwa, probably in country mitannien. A clause requiring the return of the refugees belonging to many treaties between sovereign states and vassal diregeants and states, it is perhaps the asylum of these fugitive by Isuwa which was a pretext for the invasion hittite.

An army hittite crossed the border, entered Isuwa and brought back the fugitive ones (or deserters or governments exiled) under the yoke hittite: " I released the territories which I captured; they remained in their cities. All people whom I slackened rejoignèrent their people, and Hatti incorporated these territories. "

The army hittite went then on Washshukanni. Suppiluliuma states to have to plunder this area, and to have brought back spoils, prisoners, cattle, sheep and horses in Hatti. He also claims that Tushratta fuia, although he does not succeed in capturing the capital. Although this countryside weakens Mitanni, it does not succeed in endangering its existence.

At the time of one second countryside, Hittites crossed Euphrate once again and took Halab, Mukish, Niya, Arahati, Apina, Qatna and other cities whose name did not reach us. The spoils of Arahati included/understood drivers of tanks of war, which were taken along to Hatti with all their goods. It was then traditional to incorporate enemy soldiers in his own army. In this case, Hittites undoubtedly sought to counter the main force of Mitanni, the tanks of war, while being created or by reinforcing its own forces of tanks of war.

Suppiluliuma affirmed to have stated to have conquered the grounds around the Mount-Lebanon and of most remote of banks of the Euphrate. However, one knows governors hittites or of the vasseaux leader only for part of these cities and kingdoms. It appears thus probable that the hittites made conquests in Western Syria, but seems doubtful that they established a permanent capacity on the area in the east of Euphrate.

Perhaps Tushratta suspected of the expansionist aimings of the hittites against its kingdom. The Lettres of Amarna contain several shelves of Tushratta concerning the marriage of his/her daughter Taduhepa (Tatuhepat) with Aménophis III with an explicit aim to consolidate alliance with the Egyptian kingdom. Towards the end of its life, Aménophis III wrote in Tushratta many times in order to express its wish to him to marry with his/her daughter. However, it seems that Aménophis III died before she arrives. When Suppiluliuma invades Mitanni, the Egyptians did not answer in time (perhaps because of sudden died of Amenhotep and the fight for the capacity which was the consequence). Taduhepa Maria with the new king Akhénaton, and it would have become celebrates it queen of Egypt Kiya (or Khipa ?). Other theories think that it is in fact Nefertiti, another woman of Akhénaton, which is not very probable.

One of wire of Tushratta conspired aveccertains of its subjects and killed his/her father in order to take the throne.

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