Aššūr-bēl-nīšēšu, (Middle Assyrian Akkadian:𒁹𒀭𒀸𒋩𒂗𒌦𒈨𒌍𒋙,romanized: ᵐᵈaš-šur-EN-UN.MEŠ-šú,^{[i 1][i 2][i 3]}) and meaning “(the god)Aššur (is) lord of his people,”^[2] was the ruler ofAssyriac. 1417–1409 BC or 1407–1398 BC (short chronology), the variants due to uncertainties in the later chronology. He succeeded his father,Aššur-nērārī II, to the throne and is best known for his treaty withKassite kingKaraindaš.

As was the practice during this period of the Assyrian monarchy, he modestly titled himself “vice-regent”, orišši'ak Aššur, of the godAshur.^[3] TheSynchronistic Chronicle^{[i 5]} records his apparently amicable territorial treaty with Karaindaš, king ofBabylon, and recounts that they “took an oath together concerning this very boundary.”^[4]: 158 His numerous clay cone inscriptions (line art for an example pictured) celebrate his re-facing ofPuzur-Aššur III’s wall of the “New City” district ofAssur.^[3]

Contemporary legal documents detail sales of land, houses, and slaves and payment in lead. The Assyrian credit system was fairly sophisticated, with loans issued for commodities such as barley and lead, interest coming due when repayment was delayed. Thesecurity posted for loans could include property, the person of the debtor or indeed his children.^[5]

There is a discrepancy in the data about his son and eventual successor. TheAssyrian King List gives his immediate successor,Aššur-rā’im-nišēšu, as his son, but Aššur-rā’im-nišēšu's own contemporary inscription^{[i 6]} names his father as Aššur-nērārī II, suggesting that he may have been a brother of Aššūr-bēl-nīšēšu. The confusion is further compounded with theKhorsabad Kinglist^{[i 2]} and theSDAS Kinglist^{[i 3]} identifyingEriba-Adad I, who ascended the throne eighteen years later, as his son^[4]: 209 while theNassouhi copy^{[i 1]} identifies him as the son of Aššur-rā’im-nišēšu.^[6]

• 15th-century BC Assyrian kings
• 14th-century BC Assyrian kings

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles containing Middle Assyrian Akkadian-language text
• Year of birth unknown