Puduhepa

Puduḫepa was the wife of Hattusilis III. , A Hittite king of the 13th century BC Little is known about them, their first record dates from Hattusili, who reported in his Apology about marrying her. Her father, Bentip -Sar from Lawazantija ( Elbistan or Sirkeli Höyük ) in Kizzuwatna was a priest of Istar / Šaušga of Lawazantija, a goddess, therefore, which had a close connection to the favorite goddess of Hattusili, the ISTAR / Šaušga of samuha.

The names of Puduḫepa and her father are Hurrian. Puduḫepa describes himself as a servant of the Hurrian goddess Hepat, but at the same time it is also called " beloved of the Sun Goddess of Arinna ". Therefore, it was often assumed that Puduḫepa stood in their youth in the service of Hepat. When she became queen, she had the favor of the sun-goddess of Arinna, which even now was the most important goddess for them to want to win in that they equated the two deities, as if they had always been in the service of the Sun Goddess of Arinna. To what extent this identification can only Puduḫepa is to be added, or if it was otherwise, can not be decided.

With her spouse, the Queen seems to have connected real affection, and the two seem to have acted very peaceful. Even if Puduḫepa did much for the staff and the education of children, so she was one of those queens who was involved in the meistem in political life. There are records many of her letters to heads of state and officials, and of course by them to it. Ramses II of Egypt called Puduḫepa " his sister ", as he calls Hattusili than his brother. There are also many land deeds of gift and Seal narrated that bear both the name of the king and those of the queen. Puduḫepa survived her husband and was also during the reign of her son, Tudhalija IV Tawananna so large queen, as was customary in the Hittite Empire.