Niqmaddu II was the second ruler and king of Ugarit, an ancient Syrian city-state in northwestern Syria (c. 1350–1315 BC) and succeeding his father, Ammittamru I.[1][2] He was a vassal ruler of Suppiluliuma I of Hatti.
Early Life
Niqmaddu II (Akkadian: 𒃻𒈠𒀭𒅎Níqmâdâd, "vengeance of Hadad"[3]) took his name from the earlier Amorite ruler Niqmaddu, meaning "Addu has vindicated" to strengthen the supposed Amorite origins of his Ugaritic dynasty.[4]
Reign
Though the exact date of his accession to the throne of Ugarit is unknown, he might be a contemporary of both Akhenaten and Tutankhamun[5] the Hittite ruler Shuppiluliuma I, and was a vassal of the latter.[4] He had good relations with Egypt, and conceded to the Amorites in a dispute over the Shiyannu region early in his reign.[1] He commissioned the Baal cycle about the god Haddu/Ba'al, and had a son, Niqmepa.[4]
Hittite vassalage
In the Hittite Archives there are four letters from the time of Suppiluliuma regarding Ugarit.
CTH 45[6] Letter of Šuppiluliuma I to Niqmaddu II of Ugarit
CTH 46 Treaty of Šuppiluliuma I with Niqmaddu II of Ugarit
CTH 47 Decree of Šuppiluliuma I setting the tribute of Ugarit (.I Akkadian, .II Hittite)
CTH 48 Inventory of the tribute of Ugarit to Šuppiluliuma I
In EA 49 (EA = El Amarna), Niqmaddu II apparently requested an Egyptian physician and two palace attendants from "Cush", the Egyptian envoy to Ugarit.[5]
He is identified in Syrian on an alabaster vase along with a woman in Egyptian court dress,[7] however, the name of the woman in the vase, if ever indicated, is not preserved[5] and is mentioned in the Baal cycle as King nqmd.[4] He was succeeded briefly by Ar-Halba.
^ abcWatson, Wilfred (1999). Handbook of Ugaritic Studies. BRILL. p. 624. ISBN9789004109889.
^Altman, A. (1983). Rs 17.132. A Letter Sent by Šuppiluliuma I King of Hatti to Niqmaddu II, King of Ugarit and its Historical and Juridical Significance
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