Father Yarim-Lim I Successor Abba-El I Parents Yarim-Lim I, Gashera Grandparents Sumu-Epuh, Sumunna-Abi | Mother Gashera Predecessor Yarim-Lim I Grandchildren Niqmi-Epuh, Ammitakum | |
Reign c. 1764 BC – c. 1750 BC. Middle chronology Issue Abba-El I
Yarim-Lim
Nakkusse
Princess Tatteya. Children Abba-El I, Yarim-Lim II, Yarim-Lim of Alalakh, Nakkusse | ||
Hammurabi I (reigned c. 1764 BC – c. 1750 BC - Middle chronology) is the third attested king of Yamhad (Halab).
Contents
Early life
Hammurabi was the son of the aleppan king Yarim-Lim I, his mother was queen Gashera, his private secretary as a crown prince was Sin-Abushu and is known from the tablets of Mari, nothing else is known about him before he ascended the throne after the death of his father in ca. 1764 BC.
Reign
Yarim-Lim I left the kingdom on the height of its power and Hammurabi was among the strongest kings of his age with no threats as his father had made alliances with Babylon and Eshnunna and eliminated the danger coming from Qatna.
At the beginning of his reign, Hammurabi I sent troops to aid the Babylonian king Hammurabi against Siwe-Palar-Hupak of Elam who invaded Babylon, Amut-Pi-El of Qatna tried to form an alliance with the Elamite king, but Zimri-Lim of Mari warned Hammurabi I and the Elamite envoys were captured on the borders as they were trying to return to Elam, after defeating Elam, Hammurabi I sent Hammurabi of Babylon troops to aid him against Larsa, the kingdom of Yamhad was of the same status as Babylon evidenced by Hammurabi of Babylon treatment of Yamhad envoys which caused the delegates of Mari to complain the fact that Zimri-Lim became king with the help of Yamhad meant that Mari was a semi client state of Yamhad, and in the correspondents between Zimri-Lim and Hammurabi father Yarim-Lim I, the king of Mari calls Yarim-Lim his father, this situation helped Yamhad trade because of Mari location between Babylon and Aleppo, on one occasion, Hammurabi sent an army of 10,000 troops to aid Zimri-Lim, Yamhad lordship over Mari was so strong that the king of Ugarit asked Hammurabi to intermediate with Zimri-Lim to let him visit the famous Palace of Mari.
The political - military alliance with Babylon ended with Hammurabi of Babylon invading Mari and destroying the kingdom in ca. 1761 BC, however economical relations continued as Babylon didn't advance into Aleppo territory, but the invading of Mari had a negative impact on trade between the two kingdoms as the road became dangerous because of the loss of Mari protection to the caravans crossing that road, later in his reign the city of Carchemish came under Yamhad domination.
Death and Succession
Hammurabi I gave his son Yarim-Lim the city of Irridu, he died ca. 1750 BC and was succeeded by his son Abba-El I, another son called Nakkusse appears in the Tablets of Alalakh holding a high position in its court.