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Hattusilis I

Hattusilis I was the second king of the Hittites, reigning approximately from 1650 to 1620 BCE. He is regarded as a pivotal figure in establishing the Old Hittite Kingdom, succeeding Labarnas I, the first king, and moving the capital from Kussara to Hattusas, which is now known as Bogazköy in modern-day Turkey. His throne name, Hattusilis, translates to "man from Hattusas." During his reign, Hattusilis I conducted numerous military campaigns, reportedly attacking over twenty cities, including notable expeditions against the kingdom of Arzawa and conflicts with the Hurrians and the powerful Yamhad kingdom, although he ultimately faced challenges during these encounters, including a serious battle injury that led to his retreat. The inscriptions from his rule, in both Hittite and Akkadian, provide insight into his military activities and the early administration of the Hittite state. His later years were marked by health issues and familial conflicts, as detailed in his political will, suggesting a decline in royal authority. Hattusilis I was succeeded by his adoptive son, Mursilis I, and his legacy influenced the future expansion of the Hittite Empire in the fourteenth century BCE.

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RELATED CIVILIZATION: Hittite

MAJOR ROLE/POSITION: King

Life

Hattusilis I (hat-uh-SIHL-uhs; r. c. 1650-c. 1620 B.C.E.) is known as the second king of the Hittites. The edict of the later king Telipinus mentions him immediately after Labarnas I, the first king of the Old Hittite Kingdom. Because of the land he acquired through military campaigns and institutions established during his reign, he is often considered to be the ruler who established the Old Hittite Kingdom. His name was Labarnas II, but after he moved the administrative capital from the city Kussara to Hattusas (modern Bogazköy, Turkey), he adopted the throne name of Hattusilis, meaning “(man) from Hattusas.”

The earliest inscriptions in the Old Kingdom were created under Hattusilis I. An annalistic bilingual inscription in the Hittite and Akkadian languages deals with his acts over six years. He reportedly conducted campaigns against more than twenty cities. Hattusilis I undertook a military expedition to Arzawa in southwestern Anatolia, then fought against the Hurrians on the southeastern borders. He destroyed the important city Alalah (later Tell-Açana) in the plain of Antioch. Thereafter, Hattusilis I collided with the famous Hurro-Amorite kingdom of Yamhad, with its capital Aleppo, which at that time dominated northern Syria. However, against this powerful enemy, he could not achieve a full success and was forced to retreat, probably because of a serious battle injury. He spent his final years in his old capital Kussara as an ill man and there wrote a political will. This document reveals conflicts between Hattusilis I and the members of the royal family, which would indicate a weakened authority of the king. According to the offering lists from Hattusa, the queen of Hattusilis I was Kaddusis. He was succeeded by his adoptive son Mursilis I.

Influence

Hattusilis’s conquests created the Hittite state, which would again experience expansion in the fourteenth century B.C.E.


Bibliography

Bryce, Trevor. The Kingdom of the Hittites. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1998.

Gurney, Oliver R. The Hittites. 2d ed. London: Penguin Books, 1990.

Full Article

RELATED CIVILIZATION: Hittite

MAJOR ROLE/POSITION: King

Life

Hattusilis I (hat-uh-SIHL-uhs; r. c. 1650-c. 1620 B.C.E.) is known as the second king of the Hittites. The edict of the later king Telipinus mentions him immediately after Labarnas I, the first king of the Old Hittite Kingdom. Because of the land he acquired through military campaigns and institutions established during his reign, he is often considered to be the ruler who established the Old Hittite Kingdom. His name was Labarnas II, but after he moved the administrative capital from the city Kussara to Hattusas (modern Bogazköy, Turkey), he adopted the throne name of Hattusilis, meaning “(man) from Hattusas.”

The earliest inscriptions in the Old Kingdom were created under Hattusilis I. An annalistic bilingual inscription in the Hittite and Akkadian languages deals with his acts over six years. He reportedly conducted campaigns against more than twenty cities. Hattusilis I undertook a military expedition to Arzawa in southwestern Anatolia, then fought against the Hurrians on the southeastern borders. He destroyed the important city Alalah (later Tell-Açana) in the plain of Antioch. Thereafter, Hattusilis I collided with the famous Hurro-Amorite kingdom of Yamhad, with its capital Aleppo, which at that time dominated northern Syria. However, against this powerful enemy, he could not achieve a full success and was forced to retreat, probably because of a serious battle injury. He spent his final years in his old capital Kussara as an ill man and there wrote a political will. This document reveals conflicts between Hattusilis I and the members of the royal family, which would indicate a weakened authority of the king. According to the offering lists from Hattusa, the queen of Hattusilis I was Kaddusis. He was succeeded by his adoptive son Mursilis I.

Influence

Hattusilis’s conquests created the Hittite state, which would again experience expansion in the fourteenth century B.C.E.


Bibliography

Bryce, Trevor. The Kingdom of the Hittites. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1998.

Gurney, Oliver R. The Hittites. 2d ed. London: Penguin Books, 1990.

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