Urhi-Teshub
| Mursili III | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Urhi-Teshub |
| Title | King of the Hittites |
| Predecessor | Muwatalli II |
| Successor | Hattusili III |
| Parent(s) | King Muwatalli II |
| Relatives | Tudhaliya IV (cousin) |
Mursili III, also known as Urhi-Teshub, was a king of the Hittites who assumed the throne of the Hittite empire (New Kingdom) at Tarhuntassa upon his father's death around 1272 BCE. He was a cousin of Tudhaliya IV and Queen Maathorneferure.
He was the eldest surviving son of Muwatalli II. He was a grandson of Mursili II.
The noted Hittologist Trevor Bryce credits this king with a reign of only 5 years and dates him at 1272 BC – 1267 BC. However, Mursili III almost certainly ruled the Hittite Empire for 7 years, as his successor Hattusili III (his uncle) explains in an inscription justifying the latter's seizure of power from this king. Mursili III must, hence, be dated from ca. 1272–1265 BC (short chronology). The reigns of his successors should also be downdated by 2 years in Trevor Bryce's chronological table for the Hittite kings. (Hattusili thus ruled Hatti from 1265-1235 BCE, rather than 1267-1237 BCE and so forth.)
During his reign, Mursili III reverted the capital from Tarhuntassa (as it had been under Muwatalli) back to Hattusa. (KBo 21.15 i 11-12) However, the Assyrians captured Hanigalbat, which severely weakened his legitimacy to rule over the Hittite Empire. In his seventh year, Mursili III attacked and seized control of his uncle Hattusili's regional strongholds of Hakpissa and Nerik within the Hittite Empire in order to remove Hattusili as a threat to the throne. Hakpissa served as the centre of Hattusili's power while Nerik was under Hattusilis's sway from the latter's position as high priest there. Hattusili then states in a well-known text:
Consequently, Mursili III's reign was 7 years. In the subsequent revolt, Hatusilli gathered a considerable force including natural allies from his local strongholds of Nerik and Hakpissa, as well as many non-aligned Hittites who were impressed with his record of service to the Hittite Empire including his strategic military victory over Ramesses II of Egypt in the 1274 BC Battle of Kadesh compared to the rather "undistinguished and largely unproven occupant of the throne of Hattusa" – Urhi-Teshub/Mursilis III – who had lost Hanigalbat to Assyria in his reign. Hattusili's forces even included elements of the Kaska peoples who were sworn enemies of the Hittites. Hatusilli quickly defeated Mursili III and seized the throne from his nephew; he then succeeded to power as King Hattusili III. After his victory, Hattusili appointed Mursili's brother or brother-in-law, Kurunta, as the vassal king over Tarhuntassa in order to win the latter's loyalty.
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