| Telipinu | |
|---|---|
| King of the Hittites | |
| Reign | c. 1525–1500 BC |
| Predecessor | Huzziya I |
| Successor | Tahurwaili |
| Spouse | Ištapariya[1] |
| Issue | Harapšeki |
Telipinu was the last king of theHittites Old Kingdom, reigningc. 1525–1500 BC inmiddle chronology.[2] At the beginning of his reign, theHittite Empire had contracted to its core territories, having long since lost all of its conquests, made in the former era underHattusili I andMursili I – toArzawa in the West,Mitanni in the East, theKaskians in the North, andKizzuwatna in the South.[3]
Telipinu was a son-in-law ofAmmuna and brother-in-law ofHuzziya I as a husband of Ammuna's daughter Ištapariya. His name was taken from theagricultural god Telipinu.[4]
Alluwamna was a son-in-law of Telipinu, because he married Princess Harapšeki, and Telipinu was her father.[5]
During Telipinu’s reign, Huzziya and his five brothers were killed.[6] His son and wife were killed by Telepinu's rivals to the throne. The assassins were caught and sentenced to death, but Telepinu showed his desire to stop the bloodshed (many of his predecessors were assassinated or died mysteriously) and banished these assassins instead.
He was able to recover a little ground from theHurrians of Mitanni, by forming an alliance with the Hurrians of Kizzuwatna; however, with the end of his reign, the Hittite Empire enters a temporary "Dark Ages", theMiddle Kingdom, lasting around 70 years, when records become too scanty to draw many conclusions.
Telepinu is perhaps most famous for drawing up theEdict of Telepinu which dictated the laws of succession for the Hittitethrone. It was designed to stop all the royal murders which had taken place in the previous decades, which had destabilised the empire and reduced the empire to only its heartland.
Let aprince – ason of the first rank only be installed asking! If a prince of the first rank does not exist, (then) let he who is a son of second rank become king. But if there is no prince, no male issue, (then) let them take anantiyant-husband for she who is a first rankdaughter, and let him become king.
| Preceded by | Hittite king c. 1525–1500 BC | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
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