In the two centuries of Mitannian supremacy in Upper Mesopotamia, Anatolia remained politically divided and went through several complex political developments. Unfortunately, the available documentation only allows a partial reconstruction of these complex events. Therefore, there are still several problems in the reconstruction of the chronology and dynastic sequences of the time. We know that, between the unification of Anatolia under Mursili I and Suppiluliuma, the Hittite kingdom constituted only one of the many states of Anatolia. The latter were constantly competing and sealing alliances with each other. The Edict of Telipinu explains that the crisis following the death of Mursili I was the reason for the development of internal problems, and that the intervention of the king resolved them. However, these rivalries, which already existed at the time of Hattusili I and Mursili I, were not terminated by the reforms of Teli-pinu. The competition within the Hittite court was an endemic phenomenon, characterised by regicides and usurpations. Apart from this internal instability, the success of the Hittite state depended on its relations with other states, which also experienced a series of crises and recoveries.
Mursili’s usurper and successor, Hantili, had a long and active reign, albeit one with considerable difficulties. He fought Mitanni along the Euphrates (from Tegarama, west of Malatya, to Carchemish), fortified several cities and the Hittite capital itself. To the north-east, Hantili had to face for the first time a turbulent mountain population, the Kaska. They destroyed cities and sanctuaries from Nerikka to Tiliura, making Hittite control difficult across the Pontus and threatening Hatti itself. However, the crisis peaked under Ammuna. According to Telipinu, this king murdered his father to seize the Hittite throne and was therefore punished by the gods. During his reign, Hatti faced several internal problems, such as poor harvests and attacks from the Kaska. Because Ammuna’s army was unable to oppose the attacks, the Hittites lost control over many territories.
In south-western Anatolia, Arzawa, a kingdom that had already been difficult to control in the Old Hittite kingdom, finally became independent. Similarly, Cilicia, in south-eastern Anatolia, was unified as the independent kingdom of Kizzuwatna. This predominantly Luwian kingdom, with clear Hurrian and Indo-Iranian influences, became a buffer state between Hatti and Mitanni. Consequently, Kizzuwatna’s size and authority made this state a power equal to both Hatti and Mitanni. Even for Telipinu, relations with Kizzuwatna constituted one of the main problems of his reign. The reason for this was that the Hit-tites were refusing to give up on their expansionistic ambitions in the south-east. Initially, Telipinu led several campaigns to Hashshum and Lawazantiya, interfering with the sphere of influence of Kizzuwatna. However, he eventually sealed an alliance with Ishputahshu, king of Kizzuwatna. This king clearly considered himself equal to the kings of Hatti and Mitanni. On a seal found in the city of Tarsus the latter held the title of great king, implying a total independence from both Hatti and Mitanni.
Telipinu is best known for his Edict, which reformed the rules for succession to the Hittite throne (Text 17.2). According to Telipinu, the internal problems of the Hittite state were caused by the lawlessness of the royal succession. The king therefore decided to put an end to the recent problems, to return to the unity and solidarity characterising the early history of Hatti, and to regulate the rules of succession. In reality, Telipinu himself was a usurper, involved in the murder of the previous king. Therefore, his proposal to set new rules for succession was aimed at defending his unstable position and avoiding conspiracies, which had threatened every king before him. In order to be accepted as rightful ruler, Telipinu reminded his court that: regicides had been common in the Hittite court; that the entire elite had been involved; and that it was time to put an end to all the revenges and conspiracies. Therefore, the ‘reform’ of Hittite royal succession was simply a formalisation of what was already done in practice: the first candidate to the throne was a first ranking prince, then there were the second ranking sons, and then the sons-in-law. It was the same system that had previously encouraged sons-in-law to kill the kings’ sons in order to seize the throne. After Telipinu’s reign, these dynastic conspiracies not only continued, but became even worse.
World History
