List of the Hittite great kings
This list of the Hittite great kings contains all known rulers of the Hittite great empire. Further information on the Hittites can be found in the articles Hittites and History of the Hittites .
Regarding the writings of the rulers: The final š of the Hittite nominative (see Hittite language ) (Šuppiluliuma-Šuppiluliumaš) is omitted by most authors.
In the Hittitology the reigns of the rulers are highly controversial. At the moment, in addition to the medium chronology, the short and ultra-short chronology are mostly regarded as probable.
Early Hittite rulers
| Surname | Reign | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Pitḫana | King of Kuššara and Kaniš | |
| Anitta | approx. 1700 BC Chr. | Son of Pitḫana, first great king in Kaniš, destruction of Ḫattuša |
| Loss of tradition | from 1690/80 BC Chr. | Ruler unknown up to Labarna, decline of the Hittite power |
Old empire
| Surname | Ultra-short chronology | Brief chronology | Middle chronology | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labarna | until 1533 BC Chr. | until 1565 BC Chr. | until 1629 BC Chr. | |
| Ḫattušili I. | 1533 BC Chr. – 1508 BC Chr. | 1565 BC Chr. – 1540 BC Chr. | 1629 BC Chr. – 1604 BC Chr. | War against Ḫalpa |
| Mursili I. | 1508 BC Chr. – 1498 BC Chr. | 1540 BC Chr. – 1530 BC Chr. | 1604 BC Chr. – 1594 BC Chr. | Sack of Babylon |
| Ḫantili I. | 1498 BC Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | 1530 BC Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | 1594 BC Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | Campaign to Karkemiš |
| Zidanta I. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | |
| Ammuna | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | Incursions of the Hurrians |
| Ḫuzziya I. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | ???? v. Chr. - ???? v. Chr. | |
| Telipinu | 1478 BC Chr. – 1458 BC Chr. | 1510 BC Chr. – 1490 BC Chr. | 1574 BC Chr. – 1554 BC Chr. | Contract with Kizzuwatna |
Middle realm
| Surname | Reign | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Taḫurwaili | is also set between Ḫantili II. and Zidanta II. or after Alluwamna, probably succession to the throne, contract with Kizzuwatna | |
| Alluwamna | Son-in-law Telipinus, probably the overthrow of Taḫurwailis | |
| Ḫantili II. | Son of Alluwamna, probably a contract with Kizzuwatna, invasion of the Kaška people | |
| Zidanta II. | approx. 1450 BC Chr. | Son of Ḫantilis, contract with Kizzuwatna |
| Ḫuzziya II. | Securing Kizzuwatna, murdered by Muwattalli | |
| Muwattalli I. | War with Kaškaers, murdered by Ḫuzziya's sons | |
| Tudḫaliya I. | approx. 1420–1400 BC Chr. | Son of Ḫuzziyas, campaigns to Išuwa , Arzawa and Ḫalpa , victory over Mitanni , treaty with Kizzuwatna, rise of the empire |
| Arnuwanda I. | approx. 1400-1375 BC Chr. | Vassal uprisings, Kaška incursions, decline of the empire |
| Tudḫaliya II | approx. 1375-1355 BC Chr. | Incorporation of Kizzuwatna |
| Ḫattušili II. | approx. 1371-1355 BC Chr. | Co-regent or similar, existence strongly doubted |
| Tudḫaliya III. | approx. 1355 BC Chr. | Son of Tudḫaliyas II., Whether he was great king is unclear, murdered by Šuppiluliuma, |
Hittite empire
| Surname | Reign | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Šuppiluliuma I. | approx. 1355-1320 BC Chr. | Son of Tudḫaliyas II., Wars against Kaškäer, Arzawa and Azzi-Hayaša , expansion of Ḫattuša, campaigns in Syria, Mitanni is fought, epidemic breaks out |
| Arnuwanda II | approx. 1320-1318 BC Chr. | Son of Suppiluliuma |
| Mursili II (Tašmi-Šarruma) | approx. 1318-1290 BC Chr. | Son of Šuppiluliuma, war against Kaškäer, conquest of Arzawa, campaigns in Syria, plague prayers |
| Muwattalli II. (Sarri-Teššub) | approx. 1290-1272 BC Chr. | Battle of Kadesh |
| Muršili III. (Urḫi-Teššub) | approx. 1272-1266 BC Chr. | |
| Ḫattušili III. | approx. 1266-1236 BC Chr. | Peace treaty with Egypt |
| Tudḫaliya IV. (Ḫišmi-Šarruma) | approx. 1236-1215 BC Chr. | alleged conquest of Alašiyas |
| Kurunta (Ulmi-Teššub) | approx. 1220 BC Chr. (?) | After the coup, possibly briefly the Great King, exact time unclear |
| Arnuwanda III. | approx. 1215-1214 BC Chr. | |
| Šuppiluliuma II. | 1214 / 3-1190 BC Chr. | Last great king, downfall of great power |
Great kings after 1200 BC Chr.
After the collapse of the Hittite Empire, local rulers took over the title of "Great King".
| Surname | Reign | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Kuzi-Teššub | Great King in Karkemiš |
Counting problems
The sources are poor in some areas, especially the chronology, so the dates are not precise and are subject to change. Furthermore, it was previously assumed that there was a Tudḫalija I., which is why the one who bears the same name in this list as Tudḫalija II. And this as Tudḫalija III. was designated. This list does not follow the old name, although this is also in use.
Notes and individual references
literature
- Birgit Brandau, Hartmut Schickert: Hittites. The unknown world power. Piper, Munich et al. 2001, ISBN 3-492-04338-0 .