Irkab-Damu

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Irkab-Damu
King of Ebla
Tenure c. 2340 BC. Middle chronology
Predecessor Igrish-Halam
Successor Isar-Damu
King of Ebla
Wife Dusigu
Issue Isar-Damu
Princess Iti-Mut.[1]
Princess Tarib-Damu.[2]
Princess Tište-Damu.[2]
Princess Tinib-Dulum.[3]
Father Igrish-Halam
Mother Kesdut

Irkab-Damu (reigned c. 2340 BC),[4] was the king (Malikum) of the first Eblaite kingdom, whose era saw Ebla's turning into the dominant power in the Levant.[5][6]

During his reign, the vizier started to acquire an important role in running the affair of the state and the military. Irkab-Damu's reign is also noted for the wide diplomatic relations between Ebla and the surrounding kingdoms.[7][8][9]

Reign

Ebla at the end of Irkab-Damu's reign.

Irkab-Damu succeeded king Igrish-Halam,[10][11] whose reign was characterized by an Eblaite weakness, and tribute paying to the kingdom of Mari with whom Ebla fought a long war.[8] Irkab-Damu started his reign by concluding a peace and trading treaty with Abarsal (probably located along the Euphrates river east of Ebla),[12] one of the first recorded treaties in history.[13] Ebla paid tribute to Mari during Irkab-Damu's first years on the throne.[8] A letter from king Enna-Dagan of Mari was discovered at Ebla,[14] and was used by the Mariote monarch as a tool to assert Mari's authority,[14] as it contained a historic telling of the victories won by the Enna-Dagans's predecessors over Ebla.[15]

Expansion

Irkab-Damu launched a successful counteroffensive against Mari, and ended the tribute.[6][5] He expanded the borders of Ebla to its greatest extent, and controlled an area roughly half the size of modern Syria,[16] half of which was under the direct control of the king and administered by governors, while the rest consisted of vassal kingdoms paying tribute and supplying military assistance to Ebla.[16] A tablet from Ebla mention an Eblaite victory over Nagar, most probably during Irakb-Damu's reign.[17] The same tablet mention the concluding of a treaty with Enna-Dagan.[17] Irkab-Damu appointed Arrukum as the first vizier of Ebla,[18] who kept his office for five years,[19] and had his son Ruzi-Malik marrying princess Iti-Mut, the daughter of the king.[1]

Diplomacy was an important part of Irkab-Damu's policy, a clay tablet found in the archives at Ebla, bears a copy of a diplomatic message sent from Ebla to king Zizi of Hamazi, along with a large quantity of wood, hailing him as a brother,[20] and requesting him to send mercenaries in exchange.[21] Gifts from Ancient Egypt were discovered in the royal palace, indicating the far reaching relations of Ebla,[22] which is described by Karl Moore as the history first world power.[23]

Succession and family

Irkab-Damu was the son of Igrish-Halam and his queen Kesdut.[24] He ruled for eleven years,[12] and married Dusigu in his fifth year on the throne.[25] Irkab-Damu last two years saw the rise of vizier Ibrium,[19] who campaigned against Abarsal during Arrukum's term,[7] and became Ebla's strongest official during the reign of Irkab-Damu's son and successor Isar-Damu.[7]

King Irkab-Damu of Ebla
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Ebla
2340 BC		 Succeeded by
Isar-Damu

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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