Yarim-Lim of Alalakh
| Yarim-Lim | |
|---|---|
| King of Alalakh | |
 |
|
| Reign | c. 1735 BC – c. ? BC. Middle chronology |
| Predecessor |
vacant former ruler of Alalakh was : Zimri-Lim |
| Successor | Ammitakum |
Yarim-Lim (reigned c. 1735 BC – c. ? BC - Middle chronology ) was a king of Alalakh and Hammurabi I of Yamhad son. He was granted the city of Alalakh by his brother Abba-El I of Yamhad and started a cadet branch of the Yamhadite dynasty that lasted until the conquest of Alalakh by the Hittite king Hattusili I.
Yarim-Lim identity is under dispute, Yarim-Lim II of Yamhad was Abba-El I son and successor, Yarim-Lim II in his seal inscription mentions that he is the son of Abba-El I, and Yarim-Lim of Alalakh mentions that he is the son of Hammurabi I therefore Yarim-Lim II uncle. however Prof. Moshe Weinfeld suggest that Yarim-Lim II of Yamhad is the same Yarim-Lim of Alalakh, he believes that the seal which mentions that Yarim-Lim II was a son of Abba-El I actually belongs to Yarim-Lim of Alalakh the son of Hammurabi I, and therefore Yarim-Lim of Alalakh is the same Yarim-Lim II the successor of Abba-El I on the Yamhadite throne.
Weinfeld believes that the reason for Yarim-Lim of Alalakh to call himself a son of Abba-El I is that Abba-El adopted him in order to create the legal base for installing him as king of Alalakh. This theory is hard to proof as there is no textual reference to any adoption and the fact that Yarim-lim of Alalakh (son of Hammurabi) installation on the throne of Alalakh happened long before the assumed adoption took place. Also there is no need for an adoption to legitimize the grant of Alalakh to the king brother.
Hammurabi I appointed Yarim-Lim as the governor of a district in the north of which Irridu was the main city. Under his older brother Abba-El I of Yamhad, Yarim-Lim continued to rule the district. Zitraddu, governor of Irridu rebelled against Yamhad which caused Abba-El I to destroy the city. As a compensation Abba-El signed a treaty with his brother that gave Yarim-Lim the city of Alalakh as a hereditary kingdom for his dynasty under the suzerainty of Aleppo. This happened 15 years after the beginning of Abba-El I reign which would put it at around c. 1735 BC, Yarim-Lim took an oath of loyalty to his brother which included that if he or his descendent ever committed treason or spelled Abba-El secrets to another king, their lands shall be forfeited.
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