Ašmu-nikal

Ašmu-nikal
Ašmu-nikal
Other names	Asmu-nikal
Title	Queen of Hittite empire
Spouse(s)	King Arnuwanda I
Children	King Tudhaliya II; Prince Ašmi-Šarruma
Parent(s)	King Tudhaliya I; Queen Nikal-mati
Relatives	Tudhaliya III (grandson); Suppiluliuma I (grandson)

Ašmu-nikal was a Queen consort of Hittite empire. Her name can also be written as Asmu-nikal.

Biography

Ašmu-nikal was born as a princess, the daughter of King Tudhaliya I and Queen Nikal-mati. She married a man called Arnuwanda, who later became a king. She bore him two sons: Prince Ašmi-Šarruma and King Tudhaliya II. She is mentioned in one prayer as a Great Queen. She was also a grandmother of Tudhaliya III and Suppiluliuma I.^[1]

In fiction

Janet Morris wrote a detailed biographical novel, I, the Sun, whose subject was Suppiluliuma I. Asmu-nikal is an important figure in this novel, in which all characters are from the historical record, which Dr. Jerry Pournelle called "a masterpiece of historical fiction" and about which O.M. Gurney, Hittite scholar and author of The Hittites,^[2] commented that "the author is familiar with every aspect of Hittite culture".^[3] Morris' book was republished by The Perseid Press in April 2013.

Gallery

Prayers of Arnuwanda and Asmu-Nikkal, 14th century BC, from Hattusa, Istanbul Archaeological Museum
Gifts given by Arnuwanda and Asmu-Nikkal, 14th century BC, from Hattusa, Istanbul Archaeological Museum

Sources

↑ Hittites.info
↑ The Hittites, O.M. Gurney, Penguin, 1952
↑ I, the Sun, Janet Morris, Dell, 1983

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[2] Scholars have suggested that Tudhaliya I/II was the son of Himuili and thus a grandson of the Hittite king Huzziya II (Bryce 1997, p. 131).

[3] Bryce (1997) does not consider it clear whether Tudhaliya I/II was one king or two (p. 133).

[bryce139-4] 1 2 3 Bryce (1997), p. 139.

[5] The existence of Hattusili II is doubtful (Bryce 1997, pp. 153–154).

[6] Bryce (1997), p. 158.

[7] Bryce (1997), p. 172.

[bryce174-8] 1 2 3 4 Bryce (1997), p. 174.

[bryce168-9] 1 2 Bryce (1997), p. 168.

[10] Also known as Malnigal; daughter of Burnaburias II of Babylonia (Bryce 1997, p. 173).

[11] ‘Great priest’ in Kizzuwadna and king (lugal) of Aleppo (Bryce 1997, p. 174).

[carch-12] 1 2 3 4 King (lugal) of Carchemish.

[13] Bryce (1997), pp. 174, 203–204.

[14] Zannanza died on his way to Egypt to marry a pharaoh's widow, probably Ankhesenpaaten, the widow of Tutankhamun (Bryce 1997, pp. 196–198).

[15] Bryce (1997), p. 227.

[bryce230-16] 1 2 3 Bryce (1997), p. 230.

[17] Bryce (1997), p. 220.

[18] Bryce (1997), p. 222.

[19] Haas (2006), p. 91.

[20] Massanauzzi married Masturi, king of the Seha River Land (Bryce 1997, p. 313).

[bryce296-21] Bryce (1997), p. 296.

[22] Puduhepa was the daughter of the Kizzuwadnan priest Pentipsarri (Bryce 1997, p. 273).

[23] Bryce (1997), pp. 346, 363.

[24] King (lugal) of Tarhuntassa (Bryce 1997, p. 296); apparently later Great King of Hatti (Bryce 1997, p. 354).

[25] Nerikkaili married a daughter of Bentesina, king of Amurru (Bryce 1997, p. 294).

[26] Two daughters of Hattusili III were married to the pharaoh Ramesses II; one was given the Egyptian name Ma(hor)nefrure. Another, Gassuwaliya, married into the royal house of Amurru. Kilushepa was married to a king of Isuwa. A daughter married into the royal family of Babylon. A sister of Tudhaliya IV married Sausgamuwa, king of Amurru after his father Bentesina. From Bryce (1997), pp. 294 and 312.

[27] Bryce (1997), p. 332.

[28] Bryce (1997), p. 363. Tudhaliya IV probably married a Babylonian princess, known by her title of Great Princess (dumu.sal gal) (Bryce 1997, pp. 294, 331).

[bryce363-29] Bryce (1997), p. 363.

[30] Great King of Tarhuntassa; son of Mursili, the Great King, who is likely identical with Mursili III/Urhi-Tesub (Bryce 2012, p. 21 f.).

[bryce361-31] 1 2 Bryce (1997), p. 361.

[32] Last documented Great King of the Land of Hatti.

[33] King and then Great King of Carchemish (Bryce 1997, pp. 384–385).

[1] Hittites.info

[34] The Hittites, O.M. Gurney, Penguin, 1952

[35] I, the Sun, Janet Morris, Dell, 1983