Piyama-Kurunta
Encyclopedia
Piyama-Kurunta was a prince and regent for the last independent king of Arzawa
, a Bronze Age
kingdom of western Anatolia
. The king of Arzawa Uhha-Ziti
named his son "Gift of the god Kurunta
", after a god (or hero) whose name had featured in the names of previous Arzawan kings.
In c. 1323 BC, from the town Apasa, Uhha-Ziti rebelled against the Hittites
and accepted that empire's refugees from Attarimma, Hu[wa]rsanassa, and Suruda. While the Hittite king Mursili II
was marching toward Arzawa, a meteor struck Apasa and wounded Uhha-Ziti. Uhha-Ziti then agreed on an alliance with the king of "Ahhiyuwa" and ordered Piyama-Kurunta to attack Mira, whose king Maskhuiluwa was married to Mursili's sister.
Piyama-Kurunta attacked and possibly destroyed the city Impa in Mira, but Mira repelled him. Piyama-Kurunta later faced off against Mursili's army at "Walma, at the river Astarpa
" - and lost. Piyama-Kurunta followed his father, and his brother Tapalazunauli, in flight to the islands. Mursilis walked into Apasas apparently without a fight. The refugees meanwhile fled to the town or fortress Puranda
. Uhha-Ziti died while Mursilis was encamped at the Astarpa, besieging Puranda.
Piyama-Kurunta's brother Tapalazunauli made a last attempt to rally support, in Puranda
. When this failed, Piyama-Kurunta saw that his cause was lost, so he and the King of Ahhiyawa made landfall to sue for peace. Mursilis deported Piyama-Kurunta to Hattusa. Piyama-Kurunta likely died there.
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...
, a Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
kingdom of western Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. The king of Arzawa 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....
named his son "Gift of the god Kurunta
Kurunta
Kurunta was an Anatolian tutelary deity in the Late Bronze Age frequently associated with stags. The Hittites typically wrote the name using the Sumerogram "dLAMMA"...
", after a god (or hero) whose name had featured in the names of previous Arzawan kings.
In c. 1323 BC, from the town Apasa, Uhha-Ziti rebelled against 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...
and accepted that empire's refugees from Attarimma, Hu[wa]rsanassa, and Suruda. While the Hittite king 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...
was marching toward Arzawa, a meteor struck Apasa and wounded Uhha-Ziti. Uhha-Ziti then agreed on an alliance with the king of "Ahhiyuwa" and ordered Piyama-Kurunta to attack Mira, whose king Maskhuiluwa was married to Mursili's sister.
Piyama-Kurunta attacked and possibly destroyed the city Impa in Mira, but Mira repelled him. Piyama-Kurunta later faced off against Mursili's army at "Walma, at the river Astarpa
Astarpa
The Astarpa River is a river in western Anatolia mentioned in Hittites records of the 14th century BC....
" - and lost. Piyama-Kurunta followed his father, and his brother Tapalazunauli, in flight to the islands. Mursilis walked into Apasas apparently without a fight. The refugees meanwhile fled to the town or fortress Puranda
Puranda
Puranda was a Bronze Age city in Arzawa near the Astarpa river, in western Anatolia.After Mursili II took over Apasa during his invasion of Arzawa in 1322 BC, the Hursanassan, Surudan, and Attarimman refugees who had fled there moved into Puranda. The prince of Arzawa Tapalazunauli, who had fled to...
. Uhha-Ziti died while Mursilis was encamped at the Astarpa, besieging Puranda.
Piyama-Kurunta's brother Tapalazunauli made a last attempt to rally support, in Puranda
Puranda
Puranda was a Bronze Age city in Arzawa near the Astarpa river, in western Anatolia.After Mursili II took over Apasa during his invasion of Arzawa in 1322 BC, the Hursanassan, Surudan, and Attarimman refugees who had fled there moved into Puranda. The prince of Arzawa Tapalazunauli, who had fled to...
. When this failed, Piyama-Kurunta saw that his cause was lost, so he and the King of Ahhiyawa made landfall to sue for peace. Mursilis deported Piyama-Kurunta to Hattusa. Piyama-Kurunta likely died there.