Yahdun-Lim

File:Disk Yahdun-Lim Louvre AO18236.jpg

Yahdun-Lim's inscription on a disk

Template:Mari, SyriaYahdun-Lim (or Yakhdunlim, Yahdunlim; from Akkadian ia-aḫ-du-un-li-im, in Amorite Yaʿdun-lîm) was the king of Mari probably in 1820—1796 BC. He was of Amorite origin, and became king after the death of his father Iaggid-Lim. Yahdunlim built Mari up to become one of the major powers of the region. He led a successful campaign to the coast of the Mediterranean.

Reign

File:Brique de fondation Yahdun Lim AO21815.jpg

An inscription of Yahdun-Lim

Yahdun-Lim started his reign by subduing seven of his rebelling tribal leaders, and rebuilding the walls of Mari and Terqa in addition to building a new fort which he named Dur-Yahdun-Lim.Template:Sfn

Yahdun-Lim's kingdom was threatened by incursions from various nomad tribes, such as the Canaanites, but he was able to subjugate them and force them to pay tribute. After having established internal peace, he built a temple to the god Shamash.

He then expanded west and claimed to have reached the Mediterranean,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn however he later had to face a rebellion by the Yaminite nomads who were centered at Tuttul, and the rebels were supported by Yamhad's king Sumu-Epuh, whose interests were threatened by the recently established alliance between Yahdun-Lim and Eshnunna.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Yahdun-Lim defeated the Yaminites but an open war with Yamhad was avoided.Template:Sfn

Shamshi-Adad I

Yahdun-Lim then became occupied by his rivalry with Shamshi-Adad I of Shubat-Enlil, the son of the late Ila-kabkabu.Template:Sfn

He received pleas for help from kings threatened by Shamshi-Adad's expansionist plans. But before Yahdunlim could move against Shamshi-Adad, he was assassinated in c. 1798 BC by his possible son Sumu-Yamam,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn who himself got assassinated two years after ascending the throne.

But according to William J. Hamblin, Yahdun-Lim was killed in a battle with Shamshi-Adad ca 1796 BC. Shamshi-Adad then assigned his son Yasmah-Addu to the lordship of Mari.

In the chaos that followed, Shamshi-Adad advanced and annexed Mari.Template:Sfn The war ended in a defeat for Mari.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Zimrilim, Yakhdunlim's son and heir, was forced to flee to Aleppo, where he would remain as an exile until Shamshi-Adad's death.

Yahdul-Lim of Carchemish may also be sometimes referred to as Yahdun-Lim.

See also

• Royal Palace of Mari