Arnuwanda I.

Arnuwanda († around 1375 BC ) was a Hittite Great King. Under his reign, the kingdom of Tudhalija I. consolidated experienced a series of setbacks.

Life

Arnuwanda was through his marriage to Ašmunikal, son of the Great King and his wife Tudhalija Nikkalmati. At the beginning of his reign ( 1400 BC) he had to contend with a large number of revolts.

In the West, Madduwatta suited to a vassal Tudhalija, a number of areas that belonged to the Hittite Empire. He signed contracts with Hattusa enemies and incited other vassals to revolt. If necessary, he could be of help Hittite troops. Arnuwanda but only sent messengers to him and let set up indictments against him. Whether he could not attack Madduwatta or did not want to attack him, is not clear.

At the same time, the Kaskäer penetrated into Hittite heartland before ( excerpt from a lawsuit prayer of the king to the sun goddess of Arinna ):

"In the land Nerik in Hursama, in the country Kastama, in the country Serisa, in the country Himuwa, in the country Taggasta, in the country Kammama ... plundered the Kaskäer the temple, ..."

To solve the problem, Arnuwanda gave his border troops instructions, but did not help them and joined with leaders of Kaskäer contracts. However, since these had no central management, led to contracts with individual tribal leaders, due in this way had to feel not bound the other leaders of Kaskäer. Under Arnuwanda discussed included Nerik to the Kaskäer lost, and Arnuwanda and his queen Amunikal moved the church after Hakmis ( prayer of Arnuwanda I. ).

In Isuwa, located in eastern Anatolia, also a Hittite vassal, injured Mita, ruler of Pahhuwa, agreements.

" And he went back to Pahhuwa and violated the oath ... and even against my sun ... his transgression ... and took the daughter of the enemy Usapa to wife. "

Arnuwanda was some Mita neighboring vassals the instruction to attack it before Hittite troops would intervene. Later he said that he had something against Pahhuwa nothing and only against Mida.

Arnuwanda was a very careful acting ruler, which shows in his war-weariness. Furthermore, he feared conspiracies, and therefore called for by numerous individuals loyalty oaths. Any reference to a conspiracy had to be reported to him and was written down exactly. He regulated the Austreteordnung the bodyguards and the morning opening of the city gates by the Mayor of Hattusa.

Towards the end of his reign, the Hittite Empire was decisively weakened. Blame gave future generations the Queen Ašmunikal who is said to have drawn on the country because of religious offenses the wrath of the weather God. Around 1375 BC, died Arnuwanda. Successor was Tudhalija II