Madduwatta, the Rebellious King Bound by Hittite Oaths

In the 1700s BC, the country of Hatti was threatened with collapse due to external attacks and internal conflicts. During this period, small kingdoms emerged in Anatolia. An Indo-European people called the Nešili settled in the Hatti Country, establishing the Hittite State with their capital at Hattuša, which had been cursed by Anitta, the son of King Pithana of Kuššara.

In ancient times, a state needed to conduct campaigns against other kingdoms and control trade routes to survive and grow. The Hittites, who established the first centralized state in Anatolia, launched campaigns against many kingdoms with their armies, which had been strengthened during the reign of Hattušili I, due to economic and security reasons, and began to dominate the North Syrian trade routes.

The rapidly developing country’s territories also brought security problems. At a time when the Aleppo Kingdom, which extended to Babylon, was destroyed, the Hittites also tried to control the Western Anatolian region.

In the Bronze Age, the Arzawa states, Wiluša, the Seha River Land, Mira, Hapalla, Luka, and Ahhiyawa were located in Western Anatolia. Western Anatolia has always been a problematic and volatile region in Hittite history. (The settlements of Western Anatolia have not yet been fully localized.)

The Hittites did not conduct military campaigns in Western Anatolia like the campaigns they organized to the east. They mostly carried out small-scale, hit-and-run attacks for plunder. However, a king named Madduwatta caused significant trouble for the Hittites and forced them to constantly deal with Western Anatolia. Madduwatta can be described as the rebellious king bound by Hittite oaths. In the tablet called the Madduwatta Text, it can be clearly seen how much trouble Madduwatta caused and how he was a double-dealer.

Who Was Madduwatta?

Madduwatta was a king who ruled in Western Anatolia. He lost his kingdom in the early days, but gained power through his policies and the support of the Hittite king. The tablet does not specify which Hittite king’s reign it was written in.

In the tablet telling Madduwatta’s story, it is seen that Madduwatta was the king of the Zipašla Mountain Country. The location of Zipašla is still controversial, but it is thought to be in a strategic position between the Hittites and Western Anatolia.

There are two prominent views on Madduwatta. According to Schacmermeyr, Madduwatta was from Lukka. In the text, it is stated that Madduwatta attacked Alašiya (Cyprus), so it is thought that he should be in a region close to Alašiya. According to Parker, Madduwatta was the king of Arzawa and may be the king mentioned in the Suppiluliuma annals.

Looking at the tablet that narrates Madduwatta’s story, we see that Madduwatta was the king of the Zipašla Mountain Country. The location of Zipašla is still problematic. However, it can be considered to be in an effective position between the Hittites and Western Anatolia.

Two pieces of information are prominent regarding Madduwatta. According to Schacmermeyr, Madduwatta was from Lukka. The text states that Madduwatta attacked Alašiya (Cyprus), therefore it indicates that he must have been in a region close to Alašiya. According to Parker, Madduwatta was the king of Arzawa and may be the king mentioned in the Suppiluliuma annals.

Madduwatta, the King Forced to Live Under Oaths

As mentioned above, the Hittites did not pursue a military policy in Western Anatolia. The Hittites, who gave their military power mainly to the east and to the Kaškas, who were a constant problem in the north, tried to secure their borders through agreements with the Western Anatolian kingdoms. Western Anatolia was a turbulent geography with many kingdoms striving to be the sole power. In the 15th century, there were power struggles between the king of Ahhiyawa, Madduwatta the king of Zipašla Mountain Country, and Kupunta-Kurunta the king of Arzawa. The Hittites always remained passive, staying behind these power struggles.

The events are narrated as follows in the Madduwatta text, which consists of two tablets but only one of which we have. (KUB XIV 1 CTH 147)

• Vs 1-59: Madduwatta was expelled from his country by Ataršiya of Ahhiyawa. Madduwatta flees and is rescued by the father of the Hittite king. After rescuing Madduwatta, the father of the Hittite king returns the Zipašla Mountain Country to him and puts him under oath. Then he also gives him the Harriyati Mountain Country, but Madduwatta rejects this country. Then Madduwatta swears allegiance to the Hittite king again and promises not to attack even his enemy without the Hittite king’s knowledge. However, Madduwatta breaks his oath and takes all his armies to war against Kupanta-Kurunta, the king of Arzawa, who is the enemy of the Hittites. In the war, Madduwatta suffers a heavy defeat and is forced to flee alone. Hearing this, the father of the Hittite king sends Pišeniya with his armies to help him. The Hittite army defeats Kupanta-Kurunta. Madduwatta is given back all his property and Madduwatta is reappointed as a fief holder.
• Öy 60-65: Then Ataršiya tries to kill Madduwatta again. Therefore, the father of the Hittite king sends his armies under the command of Kišnapili to war against Ataršiya. The war takes place and Ataršiya is forced to return to his country.
• Öy 66-74: Kišnapili, instigated by Madduwatta, attacks Hinduwa trusting Madduwatta, but Madduwatta informs the city of Dalawa about the event in advance, and the Dalawa armies defeat the Hatti army. As a result, Madduwatta puts the people of Dalawa under oath.
• Öy 75-83: Madduwatta makes peace with Kupanta-Kurunta and gives him his daughter as a wife.
• Öy 84-93: Tablet broken.
• Ay 1-10: Tablet broken.
• Ay 11-37: The father of the Hittite king gives the Siyanti River Country to Madduwatta during his time. And thus makes Madduwatta a border country against enemies. At the same time, he puts himself under oath. However, Madduwatta breaks his oath and invades the entire Arzawa country. Then he takes the countries of Zumanti, Wallarima, Yalanti [Zumarri], Mutamuttaša, Atarimma, Suruta and Huršanašša, which are connected to the Hatti country.
• Ay 38-54: Madduwatta also puts Pithašša under oath and instigates him against the Hatti Country. He also instigates Kupanta*Kurunta in the same way.
• Ay 55-70: After sending letters to each other, Niwallaš, the enemy of the Hittite king, does not hand over the fugitive Madduwatta to the Hittite king, but hides him.
• Ay 71-84: Tablet broken. A Muksus is mentioned, but the context is missing.
• Ay 85-90: Madduwatta takes Alašiya, and the Hittite king asks how he could take a country belonging to the Hatti Country. In response, Madduwatta states that Alašiya was previously attacked by Ataršiya and a man from Pigga, and that the Hittite king never said that Alašiya belonged to the Hatti Country.
• Ay 91-94: Tablet broken.

In this article, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Metin ALPARSLAN‘s unpublished master’s thesis ‘Hittite-Aegean World Relations in the Second Millennium B.C. According to Hittite Texts’ was used.