TheYamhad dynasty[1] was an ancientAmorite royal family founded in c. 1810 BC bySumu-Epuh ofYamhad who had his capital in the city ofAleppo. Started as a local dynasty, the family expanded its influence through the actions of its energetic rulerYarim-Lim I who turned it into the most influential family in theLevant through both diplomatic and military tools. At its height the dynasty controlled most of northern Syria and the modern Turkish province ofHatay with a cadet branch ruling in the city ofAlalakh (Land of Mukish).
The dynasty was ousted during a shortHittite occupation of Aleppo in the beginning of the 16th century BC but was restored and expanded the kingdom again before being driven out of Aleppo by theMitannians in c. 1524.Idrimi, a member of the dynasty, was able to conquer Alalakh leaving his descendants to rule until the last of them was dethroned by the Hittite kingSuppiluliuma I in c. 1344 BC.
In all likelihoods Yamhad was a tribal name.[2] The dynasty entered the historic records when the founder Sumu-Epuh was mentioned as an enemy in the inscriptions ofYahdun-Lim ofMari.[3] Sumu-Epuh faced dangerous enemies most important of them wasShamshi-Adad I ofAssyria and was killed in one of the battles.[4] His successorYarim-Lim I was able to defeat all his enemies becoming aGreat King,[2] his reign saw an alliance withHammurabi ofBabylon,[5] and the dynasty became the most influential family in the Levant with the armies of Yamhad campaigning as far away asDiniktum in southernMesopotamia next toElam borders.[6] Dynastic marriages played a part in the dynasty policy and included royal members of many kingdoms such asEbla and Mari,[7] whose KingZimri-Lim was married toShibtu the daughter of Yarim-Lim I.[8]
Hammurabi I (re. c. 1764 BC) son of Yarim-Lim I ruled a prosperous Kingdom, The dynasty hegemony remained unchallenged and he was able to addCarchemish to his vassals,[9] his successorAbba-El I installed his younger brotherYarim-Lim on the throne of Alalakh in c. 1735 BC, thus creating a cadet branch of the dynasty under the hegemony of the great king inAleppo.[10]
The line of great kings in aleppo continued to hold hegemony over other Syrian kingdoms,[9] Abba-El I was succeeded by his sonYarim-Lim II whose reign isn't well attested,[11] his successorsNiqmi-Epuh andIrkabtum fought with theHurrian principalities and guaranteed the kingdom dominance in the north.[12] The short reign ofHammurabi II was followed byYarim-Lim III who defeated the dynasty old rivalQatna,[13] but the danger came from the north as the Hittite kingHattusili I launched a series of destructive campaigns against the allies of the kingdom starting with Alalakh which fell in c. 1650 BC.[14] The war continued for many years and ended with the sacking of Aleppo and the capture ofHammurabi III in c. 1600 BC byMursili I the successor of Hattusili.[15][16]
After the assassination of Mursili,Sarra-El a prince and a possible son of Yarim-Lim III regained aleppo and ruled a much smaller kingdom that again included Alalakh.[17][18] He was succeeded by his sonAbba-El II,[19] then his grandsonIlim-Ilimma I who was the last member of the dynasty to rule Aleppo as its king,[20] he was killed in c. 1524 BC which put an end to the kingdom of Yamhad.[21]
Two cadet branches ruled Alalakh, the first was founded by Yarim-Lim son of Hammurabi I in c. 1735,[22] he had an exceptional long reign so did his successorAmmitakum who started to reign at the beginning of Niqmi-Epuh term and died shortly before the sack of Alalakh.[22] Ammitakum asserted his autonomy from Yamhad without declaring an independent kingdom, he declared his son princeHammurabi as his heir in the presence of Yarim-Lim III who had no part in making that decision,[23] those acts probably played a part in Aleppo decision not to send reinforcements to protect Alalakh from the Hittites who sacked it ending the first branch rule in c. 1650 BC.[14][24]
The second branch was established byIdrimi the son of Ilim-Ilimma I who managed to conquer Alalakh seven years after his escape from Aleppo which fell to the hands of the Mitannian kingParshatatar.[25] Idrimi ruled Alalakh and its area which was called the Kingdom of Mukish as a vassal to Mitanni and was attested campaigning against the Hittites,[26] he was succeeded by his sonAddu-nirari,[27] then his second sonNiqmepa who controlled aleppo as a vassal to Mitanni,[28] he was succeeded byIlim-Ilimma II,[29] who left his sonItur-Addu as the last king of the dynasty, Itur-Addu allied withNuhašše andNiya to face the armies of the Hittite kingSuppiluliuma I,[30] who defeated Itur-Addu and annexed both Aleppo and Alalakh in c. 1344 BC.[31]
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