List of Kings of Urartu
Encyclopedia
This page lists the kings of Urartu
(Ararat or Kingdom of Van), an Iron Age
kingdom centered around Lake Van
in the Armenian Highland
.
The Orontid Dynasty
begins with King Orontes I Sakavakyats
(570 BC-560 BC), after the last king of Urartu.
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
(Ararat or Kingdom of Van), an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
kingdom centered around Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
in the Armenian Highland
Armenian Highland
The Armenian Highland is the central-most and highest of three land-locked plateaus that together form the northern sector of the Middle East...
.
Early kings
- Aramu 858 BC–844 BC
- LutipriLutipriLutipri was a 9th century BC king of Urartu. Little is known about him except that Vannic inscriptions claim that he was the father of his successor as king, Sarduri I....
844 BC–834 BC
Rise to power
- Sarduri ISarduri ISarduri I , also known as Sarduris, was king of Urartu in Asia Minor. He was the son of Lutipri, the second monarch of Urartu. Sarduri I is most known for moving the capital of the Urartu kingdom to Tushpa . This proved to be significant as Tushpa became the focal point of politics in the Near East...
(also Sarduris I) 834 BC–828 BC; moved the capital to TushpaTushpaTushpa was the 9th century BC capital of Urartu, later becoming known as Van which is derived from Biaina the native name of Urartu...
, expanded the fortress of VanVan, TurkeyVan is a city in southeastern Turkey and the seat of the Kurdish-majority Van Province, and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The city's official population in 2010 was 367,419, but many estimates put this as much higher with a 1996 estimate stating 500,000 and former Mayor Burhan...
. - Ishpuini the Establisher 828 BC–810 BC; expanded the empire and conquered Mushashir.
- Menua the Conqueror 810 BC–785 BC; greatly expanded the kingdom, organized the centralized administrative structure, fortified a number of cities and founded fortresses, developed a national canal and irrigation system.
- Argishti I (also Argishtish I) 785–763 BC; fortified the empire's frontier, founded YerevanYerevanYerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
. - Sarduri IISarduri IISarduri II was the King of Urartu . The Urartian Kingdom was at its peak during his reign. He succeeded his father Argishti I to the throne....
763 BC–735 BC; maximum expansion; zenith of Urartian power. - Rusa I 735 BC–714 BC; AssyriaAssyriaAssyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n and CimmeriaCimmeriaCimmeria may refer to:*Cimmeria, an ancient name of the Crimea, a peninsula in the North part of Black Sea, or the Eastern part thereof*Cimmerians, an ancient people who lived in the south of modern-day Ukraine in the 8th and 7th century BC, usually associated with the ancient Cimmeria or Crimea...
n attacks.
Decline
- Argishti II 714–680 BC
- Rusa IIRusa IIRusa II was king of Urartu between around 680 BC and 639 BC. It was during his reign that the massive fortress complex, Karmir-Blur, was constructed....
680 BC–639 BC - Sarduri III 639 BC–635 BC
- Erimena 635–629 BC
- Rusa IIIRusa IIIRusa III was king of Urartu. He was called son of Erimena, probably the brother of Rusa II. Not much is known from his reign; his name was on a huge granary at Armavir and a series of bronze shields from the temple of Khaldi found at Rusahinili, now held in the British Museum...
629 BC–590 BC or 629 BC–615 BC
Defeat and destruction
- Sarduri IVSarduri IVSarduri IV was one of the last kings of Urartu, reigning from 615 to 595 BC.Sarduri IV was the son and successor of Rusa III. Little is known about his reign, except that his kingdom was being invaded by Assyrian forces from the south, east and west, as well as by the Medes from the east and the...
615 BC–595 BC - Rusa IVRusa IVRusa IV was king of Urartu from 590 BC to 585 BC. Rusa IV was the son and a successor of Rusa III, and the successor of Sarduri IV. His name is mentioned on a number of clay tablets found at Karmir Blur , including tablets bearing his own royal inscriptions. However, almost nothing is known about...
595 BC–585 BC; raids of Assyrians, MedesMedesThe MedesThe Medes...
and Scythians.
The Orontid Dynasty
Orontid Dynasty
The Orontid Dynasty The Orontid Dynasty The Orontid Dynasty (also known by their native name, Yervanduni was a hereditary Armenian dynasty and the rulers of the successor state to the Iron Age kingdom of Ararat...
begins with King Orontes I Sakavakyats
Orontes I Sakavakyats
Orontes I Sakavakyats or Yervand I Sakavakyats Armenian King of Orontid Dynasty reigning in the period between 570 BC – 560 BC.Orontes was called Sakavakyats or "short living" , but not because of short life, but because of the short period of his reign, and because he passed the throne to his...
(570 BC-560 BC), after the last king of Urartu.