Utu-hengal

Utu-hengal
King of Uruk
Reign c. 2055  BC – 2048  BC
Predecessor Tirigan
Successor ur_namuu
Dynasty 5th Dynasty of Uruk

Utu-hengal (also written Utu-heg̃al, Utu-heĝal, and sometimes transcribed as Utu-hegal, Utu-hejal) was one of the first native kings of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule.

Life and reign

Part of a stone monument inscribed with the name of Utu-hegal, king of Uruk. Circa 2125 BCE. From Ur, Iraq. The British Museum, London

There are several theories regarding his background. The most common is that he was a governor of Uruk who revolted against the Gutian kings in c. 2050 BC. He led the cities of Sumer against the last Gutian king Tirigan. After a battle at an unknown location, Utu-Hengal was victorious and forced Tirigan to flee back towards Gutium.[1] He stopped at the city of Dubrum (location unknown) and the people there treated him kindly. However, once the people of Dubrum heard that Utu-Hengal was marching towards the city they took Tirigan and his family prisoner. He was brought before Utu-Hengal, and agreed to leave Sumer and retreat back to Gutium.[2] After defeating the Gutians, Utu-hengal established himself as the king of Sumer. He was, however, unable to maintain power, and was succeeded seven years later by the governor of Ur, Ur-Nammu, as the king of Sumer. He was thus the only king of the forty {{clarification needed}} dynasty of Uruk.

Family

Utu-hengal had a daughter who married Ur-Nammu and gave birth to his successor, Shulgi, and was therefore related by marriage to the third dynasty of Ur. He was an ancestor of Amar-Sin.

References

  1. ↑ Samuel Noah Kramer (2010-09-17). The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0 226 45238 7.
  2. ↑ Samuel Noah Kramer (2010-09-17). The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0 226 45238 7.
  • "Middle East & Africa to 1875". Sanderson Beck. 1998–2004. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.