Yamkhad

Yamkhad is the name which carried the kingdom amorrite of Alep at the time paléo-Babylonian (2004-1595). It extended on a broad part of Syria of North, between Euphrate and the Mediterranean.

Like its capital, Alep (already named Halab at this period), is located at the same place as the current city of the same name, it was impossible to reach levels of this period during excavations. The information on the history of this kingdom thus comes us from external sources: Husband for the period which goes from 1810 to 1760, and Alalakh for the decades which follow.

As soon as it is accessible to us by the textual sources, the kingdom of Yamkhad is one of most powerful of the Middle East, even undoubtedly most powerful. The large god Addu of Alep, is the principal divinity of the Syrian Pantheon. The kings of Yamkhad dominate the quoted rich person of Emar, Ougarit, Alakhtum (Alalakh). Their large rivals are the sovereigns of the kingdom of Qatna, located at the south of Yamkhad.

The first king of Yamkhad which one knows is Sumu-epukh, which must fight against the king Ishkhi-Addu of combined Qatna with Samsi-Addu of Ekallatum. When this last dies in 1775, its kingdom crumbles, and new king d' Alep, Yarim-Lim, supports a great revolt against two wire of Samsi-Addu. He helps in particular Zimri-Lim to seize the power with Mari, and thus gains a faithful ally, with which it Marie her daughter Shibtu. His/her son and successor Hammurabi Ier do not come however to assistance of this ally of weight when it is overcome by the king Hammourabi of Babylon in 1762. Under the reign of the following sovereign, Abbân, family members royal of Alep raise themselves against the king, who overcomes them. His/her Yarim-Lim brother, remained faithful, is rewarded by the granting for Alalakh in prerogative for him and his descendants, which form a dynasty parllèle with that of Alep.

The continuation of the kings is known only by their names in the administrative files of Alep, and the historical facts are badly known. One knows by the files of Such Leilan (Shekhna) that Alep extends its domination on the kings of the area of the Triangle of the Khabur. It is possible that Qatna and Karkemish were subjected in their turn.

But already the horizon darkens, because a new enemy appears at the end of the XVIIè century: the Hittites. Hattushili Ier gains a victory over the kingdom of Yamkhad, and it is undoubtedly with him that it is necessary to allot the destruction of Alalakh about 1600. In 1595, his/her son Mursili Ier turns over to Syria, and takes Alep, putting fine at the large kingdom of Yamkhad. He continues thereafter by cutting down the other large kingdom amorrite, Babylon. It is the end of the domination amorrite on the Middle East.

After these great successes, Hittites do not succeed in keeping the control of Syria. But Alep is not any more able to preserve its statute of large political power. During the badly known time which goes from 1595 to 1450, a new large kingdom is affirmed, the Mitanni. At the beginning of XVè century, king d' Alep, Ilim-ilim-my, is driven out of its throne by the king mitannien Barattarna, who replaces it by one of his own creatures. The heir to the throne aleppain, Idrimi, finally succeeds in being made accept by the large king like sovereign of the town of Alalakh. But already Yamkhad is an old history, and Alep will not occupy any more one important place before a long time.

Kings of Yamkhad

Sumu-epukh (? - 1781)
Yarim-Lim Ier (1780-1765)
Hammurabi Ier (1765-?)
Abbân
Yarim-Lim II
Yarim-Lim II
Niqmepa
Irkabtum
Yarim-Lim III
Hammurabi II (? - 1595)

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