Everything about Mursili Iii totally explained
Mursili III, also known as
Urhi-Teshub, was the eldest surviving son of
Muwatalli II. He assumed the throne of the
Hittite empire (New kingdom) at
Tarhuntassa as "Mursili" upon his father's death around 1272 BCE. The noted Hitttologist Trevor Bryce erroneously credits this king with a reign of only 5 years and dates him at
1272 BCE–
1267 BCE However, Mursili III almost certainly ruled the Hittite Empire for 7 years--as his successor Hattusili explains in an inscription which justifying the latter's seizure of power from this king. Mursilis III must, hence, be dated from
1272 BC to
1265 BC. The reigns of his successors, should also be downdated by 2 years in Trevor Bryce's Chronological table for the Hittite kings. (Hattusilis III thus ruled Hatti from 1265-1235 BCE, rather than 1267-1237 BCE and so forth.)
During his reign, Mursili III reverted the capital from Tarhuntassa (as it had been under Muwatalli) back to
Hattusa. (KBo 21.15 i 11-12) However, the Assyrians captured Hanigalbat, which severely weakened his legitimacy to rule over the Hittite Empire. In his seventh year, Urhi-Teshub, as Mursili III is popularly known, attacked and seized control of his uncle
Hattusili's regional strongholds of
Hakpissa and
Nerik within the Hittite Empire in order to remove Hattusili as a threat to the throne. Hakpissa served the centre of Hattusili's power while Nerik was under Hattusilis's sway from the latter's position as High Priest there. Hattusili then states in a well-known text:
Consequently, Mursili III's reign was 7 years. In the subsequent revolt, Hatusilli gathered a considerable force including natural allies from his local strongholds of Nerik and Hakpissa, as well as many non-aligned Hittites who were impressed with his record of service to the Hittite Empire including his strategic military victory over
Ramesses II of Egypt in the 1274 BC
Battle of Kadesh compared to the rather "undistinguished and largely unproven occupant of the throne of Hattusa"--Urhi-Teshub/Mursilis II--who had lost Hanigalbat to Assyria in his reign. Hattusili's forces even included elements of the
Kaska peoples who were sworn enemies of the Hittites. Hatusilli quickly defeated Mursili III and seized the throne from his nephew; he then succeeded to power as king
Hattusili III. After his victory, Hattusili appointed Mursili's brother or brother-in-law,
Kurunta, as the vassal king over Tarhuntassa in order to win the latter's loyalty.
Mursili fled to Egypt, the land of his country's enemy, after the failure of his plots to oust his uncle from the throne.
Hattusili III responded to this event by demanding that
Ramesses II extradite his nephew back to Hatti.
This letter precipitated a crisis in relations between Egypt and Hatti when Ramesses denied any knowledge of Mursili's whereabouts in his country and the two Empires came dangerously close to war. However, both kings eventually decided to resolve the issue by making peace in Year 21 of
Ramesses II. An extradition clause was also included in the treaty. Mursili III soon thereafter disappears from history after his sojourn in Egypt.
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