Manapa-Tarhunta
Encyclopedia
Manapa-Tarhunta was a king in western Anatolia
during the Late Bronze Age. Manapa-Tarhunta is known through the archives of the kings of Hattusas.
He was a younger son of King Muwa-Walwis of the Seha River Land, born ca. the 1330s BC.
Ca. 1323 BC, Muwa-Walwis died and left his kingdom to Manapa-Tarhunta. His brothers, led by the eldest, Ura-Tarhunta, deposed Manapa-Tarhunta and drove him to Karkiya territory (which may be classical-era Caria
). The infirm King of the Hittites
, Arnuwanda II
, aided by his younger brother (the future Mursili II
), wrote to the Karkiya people requesting asylum for the king-in-exile. The people of Seha River revolted and invited Manapa-Tarhunta back.
On Arnuwanda's death that year, an otherwise unknown chieftain named Uhha-Ziti
revolted against the Hittites in Arzawa
to the Seha River's south. Uhha-Ziti convinced Manapa-Tarhunta to join the rebellion, but Mursilis II subsequently defeated the alliance and prepared to destroy the Seha River's cities. Manapa-Tarhunta paraded his mother and family before the Hittite king, tears flowing, so Mursilis II spared the Seha River and left Manapa-Tarhunta in charge.
Soon after these incidents, Manapa-Tarhunta presumably authored the Manapa-Tarhunta letter
.
After the reigns of both Manapa-Tarhunta and Mursilis II, Mursilis's successor Muwatalli II
wrote a treaty with Alaksandu
of Wilusa
which mentioned that Manapa-Kurunta was now king in the Seha River Land. There is no documentation of any disturbance in the succession, so it is assumed that the succession was patrilineal, and that it transferred peacefully from father to son.
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
during the Late Bronze Age. Manapa-Tarhunta is known through the archives of the kings of Hattusas.
He was a younger son of King Muwa-Walwis of the Seha River Land, born ca. the 1330s BC.
Ca. 1323 BC, Muwa-Walwis died and left his kingdom to Manapa-Tarhunta. His brothers, led by the eldest, Ura-Tarhunta, deposed Manapa-Tarhunta and drove him to Karkiya territory (which may be classical-era Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
). The infirm King of the Hittites
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
, Arnuwanda II
Arnuwanda II
Arnuwanda II was a king of the Hittite Empire ca. 1322–1321 BC . He succeeded his father Suppiluliuma I, who succumbed to the plague which Egyptian captives from his Canaan campaign had brought with them to the Hittite heartland....
, aided by his younger brother (the future Mursili II
Mursili II
Mursili II was a king of the Hittite Empire ca. 1321–1295 BC .-Family:Mursili II was the younger son of Suppiluliuma I, one of the most powerful rulers of the Hittite Empire...
), wrote to the Karkiya people requesting asylum for the king-in-exile. The people of Seha River revolted and invited Manapa-Tarhunta back.
On Arnuwanda's death that year, an otherwise unknown chieftain named Uhha-Ziti
Uhha-Ziti
Uhha-Ziti was the last independent king of Arzawa, a Bronze Age kingdom of western Anatolia.Uhha-Ziti had two recorded children, Piyama-Kurunta and Tapalazunauli, who were of fighting age as of 1322 BC....
revolted against the Hittites in Arzawa
Arzawa
Arzawa in the second half of the second millennium BC was the name of a region and a political entity in Western Anatolia, the core area of which was centered on the Hermos and Maeander river valleys, corresponding with the Late Bronze Age kingdoms of the...
to the Seha River's south. Uhha-Ziti convinced Manapa-Tarhunta to join the rebellion, but Mursilis II subsequently defeated the alliance and prepared to destroy the Seha River's cities. Manapa-Tarhunta paraded his mother and family before the Hittite king, tears flowing, so Mursilis II spared the Seha River and left Manapa-Tarhunta in charge.
Soon after these incidents, Manapa-Tarhunta presumably authored the Manapa-Tarhunta letter
Manapa-Tarhunta letter
The Manapa-Tarhunta letter is a Hittite letter discovered in the 1980s. It was written by a client king called Manapa-Tarhunta to an unnamed Hittite king around 1295 BCE....
.
After the reigns of both Manapa-Tarhunta and Mursilis II, Mursilis's successor Muwatalli II
Muwatalli II
Muwatalli II was a king of the New kingdom of the Hittite empire .- Biography :He was the eldest son of Mursili II and Queen Gassulawiya, and he had several siblings....
wrote a treaty with Alaksandu
Alaksandu
Alaksandu was a king of Wilusa who sealed a treaty with Muwatalli II ca. 1280 BC. This treaty implies that Alaksandu had previously secured a treaty with Muwatalli's father, Mursili II, as well....
of Wilusa
Wilusa
Wilusa was a city of the late Bronze Age Assuwa confederation of western Anatolia.It is known from six references in 13th century BC Hittite sources, including...
which mentioned that Manapa-Kurunta was now king in the Seha River Land. There is no documentation of any disturbance in the succession, so it is assumed that the succession was patrilineal, and that it transferred peacefully from father to son.