Sumu-Epuh

Sumu-Epuh
King of Yamhad
Tenure	c. 1810 BC – c. 1780 BC. Middle chronology
Successor	Yarim-Lim I
King of Yamhad
Wife	Sumunna-Abi
Issue	Yarim-Lim I

Sumu-Epuh (reigned c. 1810 BC – c. 1780 BC Middle chronology) is the first attested king of Yamhad (Halab). He founded the Yamhad dynasty which controlled northern Syria throughout the 17th and 18th centuries BC.

Although Sumu-Epuh's early life or the way he ascended the throne isn't known, he is considered the first king of Yamhad, and his realm included Alalakh and Tuba. Sumu-Epuh entered the historical records when he was mentioned by Yahdun-Lim of Mari, as one of the leaders who fought against him. Yahdun-Lim was an ambitious ruler who campaigned in the north claiming to have reached the Mediterranean, in spite of having a dynastic alliance with Yamhad to oppose Assyria. Those campaigns caused Sumu-Epuh to support the Yaminite tribes centered at Tuttul against the Mariote king, who emerged victorious but was soon killed by his own son. Yahdun-Lim death was followed by Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria conquest of Mari.

Sumu-Epuh aided by Khashshum attacked a kingdom in Zalmakum (a marshy region between the Euphrates and lower Balikh). Khashshum later shifted alliance and joined Shamshi-Adad, who surrounded Yamhad by alliances with the city of Urshu and king Aplahanda of Charchemish in the north, and by conquering Mari in the east (after the death of Yahdun-Lim) in c. 1796 BC, and installing his son Yasmah-Adad on its throne. Shamshi-Adad then concluded an alliance with Yamhad rival to south Qatna, by marrying his son Yashmah-Adad to princess Beltum, the daughter of Ishi-Addu king of Qatna.

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