thumb|right|200px|Apology of Hattusili III

Ḫattušili III (Hittite: "from Hattusa") was the labarna (king) of the Hittite empire (New Kingdom) –1245 BC (middle chronology) or 1267–1237 BC (short chronology timeline).

Early life and family

Much of what is known about the childhood of Hattusili III is gathered from a biographical account, written on a stone tablet during his reign, referred to as the Apology. Hattusili III was born the youngest of four children to the Hittite king Mursili II and queen Gassulawiya. According to Hattusili III himself, he was an ill and sickly child who was initially expected not to survive to adulthood. Hattusili III credited the goddess Ishtar with saving his life during this period, and would remain an ardent patron of Ishtar indefinitely. With Puduhepa, Hattusili III had three children, including his successor Tudhaliya IV.

Rise to kingship

Hattusili III was not destined to become king of the Hittites. He grew up as a sickly child during the reign of Mursili II. He served his brother Muwatalli II and his nephew Mursili III before rebelling and taking the throne.

Reign of Muwatalli II

When his brother Muwattalli II became king, Hattusili III was appointed to govern over the northern lands of the Hittite empire. While this initially caused minor controversy among the locals and the ousted governor, Hattusili III was quick to quash dissidence with military force and turned his eyes towards conquering new territories surrounding the northern Hittite lands. When the King made the decision to move the capital from Hattusa to Tarhuntassa, Hattusili III was left to quash the rebellions that arose due to this decision. that culminated in the first ever recorded peace treaty, the Eternal Treaty (also known as the Treaty of Kadesh). This correspondence took place roughly fifteen years after the Battle of Kadesh.

Hattusa Archive

He is known from a series of tablets.

  • CTH 81 Apology of Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 82 Annals of Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 83 Report of Ḫattušili III on the campaigns of Šuppiluliuma I
  • CTH 84 Report of the deeds of Šuppiluliuma I and Muršili II
  • CTH 85 Conflict between Muršili III (Urḫi-Teššup) and Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 86 Edict of Ḫattušili III concerning the estate of Arma-Tarḫunta
  • CTH 87 Decree of Ḫattušili III in favor of the sons of Mittannamuwa
  • CTH 88 Decree of Ḫattušili III regarding the exemption of the ḫekur of Pirwa from taxation
  • CTH 89 Decree of Ḫattušili III concerning the people of Tiliura
  • CTH 90 Edict of Ḫattušili III regarding the Restoration of Nerik
  • CTH 91 Treaty of Ḫattušili III with Ramses II of Egypt
  • CTH 92 Treaty of Ḫattušili III with Bentešina of Amurru
  • CTH 93 Edict of Ḫattušili III concerning the merchants of Ura
  • CTH 94 Edict of Ḫattušili III concerning the fugitives from Ugarit
  • CTH 96 Declaration of Kurunta of Tarḫuntašša
  • CTH 99 Historical report
  • CTH 106 Treaties with the kings of Tarhuntassa
  • CTH 155 Letter from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III about Urḫi-Teššup
  • CTH 156 Letter from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III about Urḫi-Teššup
  • CTH 157 Marriage letters from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 159 Marriage letters from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III and Puduḫepa
  • CTH 161 Letter from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 162 Letters from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III and Puduḫepa
  • CTH 163 Letters from Ramses II to Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 168 Letter from the queen mother Tūya to Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 169 Letter from prince Šutaḫapšap, son of Ramses II, to Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 172 Letter from Ḫattušili III to Kadašman-Enlil II
  • CTH 173 Letter from Ḫattušili III to Adad-nīrāri I
  • CTH 174 Letter from Kadašman-Turgu to Ḫattušili III: Akkadian
  • CTH 181 Letter from a Hittite king to the king of Aḫḫiyawa (Tawagalawa Letter)
  • CTH 185 Letter of Ḫattušili III to Zuwa
  • CTH 191 Letter from Manapa-Tarḫunta to the Hittite king
  • CTH 193 Letter from Bentesina of Amurru to Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 196 Letter from Lupakki to the king of Karkamiš
  • CTH 223 unassigned
  • CTH 224 Land donation of Ḫattušili III to Ura-Tarḫunta
  • CTH 254 Military instructions of Ḫattušili III
  • CTH 383 Prayer of Ḫattušili III and Puduḫepa to the Sun-goddess of Arinna

Connections

  • Hattusili III was the enemy general against Ramesses II at the Battle of Kadesh (Year 5 of Ramesses II).
  • Hattusili III became allied when Ramesses II married his daughter (Year 34 of Ramesses II).

See also

  • History of the Hittites

References

  • Reign of Hattusili III
  • The Eternal Treaty from the Hittite perspective by Trevor Bryce, BMSAES 6 (2006), pp. 1–11
  • The Apology of Hattusilis III Hittite text and English translation at UT Austin Linguistics Research Center