Zimri–lim

Zimri-Lim (died 1760 BC) was the last king of Mari (c. 1775-1760 BC high chronology; c. 1767–1752 BC middle chronology) during the early Middle Bronze IIA (c. 1820-1750 BC). He was contemporary with Shamshi-Adad I and Hammurabi of Babylon.

Early life Family Zimri-Lim (Akkadian: Zi-im-ri Li-im) was the son or grandson of king Yahdun-Lim of Mari.

Zimri-Lim's personal life is partly known through tablets preserved in the state archive of Mari.

Some scholars theorize that Addu-duri, whom he relied on extensively to help manage the city, was his mother.

Royal harem His first wife was Dam-hurasim, a princess from Qatna is known from the Mari Archive as a key figure within the "harem" or the inner royal household of Zimri-Lim.

He also married Shibtu, a princess of Yamhad (Aleppo and surrounding territory), and is known to have had at least eight daughters through various wives. Several of his daughters were married to rulers of local towns, and two others are known to have become priestesses. Correspondence between the king and his daughters provides evidence that Zimri-Lim thought highly of women and considered them competent at making decisions.

Exile The assassination of Yahdun-Lim by his own servants during a palace coup, forced Zimri-Lim to flee to the neighboring court of Sumu-Epuh of Yamhad (Halab, Aleppo). Shamshi-Adad I, the king of Assyria, later put his own son Yasmah-Adad on the throne of Mari.

Marriage alliance In exile, Zimri-Lim married Shibtu, the king's daughter of Yarim-Lim I of Yamhad and Gashera.

Ruler of Alalakh Yarim-Lim I of Yamhad installed his exiled Zimri-Lim, unable to claim his rightful inheritance to the throne of Mari, as the vassal ruler of Alalakh (MB IIA, c. 1820-1750 BC, Stratum VIII). Zimri-Lim held this position until the death of Shamshi-Adad I around 1776 BC when he returned to his throne in Mari.

Reign In 1776 BC, the death of Shamshi-Adad I saw Zimri-Lim aided by Yarim-Lim I, the Great King of Yamhad, oust Yasmah-Adad from the throne of Mari.

There is an Akkadian literary text, written in the early years of his reign, entitled The Epic of Zimri-Lim.

Zimri-Lim ruled Mari for around 14 years, and campaigned extensively to establish his power in the neighboring areas along the Euphrates River and the Khabur valley.

He had a tenuous relationship with kingdom of Andarig, with which he battled and occasionally allied. He went to war against the city of Kahat in the Khabur triangle, an important trade center on the road from Qaţţunan to Šubat-Enlil.

Kingdom of Mari During the reign of Zimri-Lim, Mari expanded into a "great kingdom" controlling the Middle Euphrates region, the confluence with the Balikh river, expanding along the Khabur river and controlling trade in the Lower Euphrates region.

Major cities included: Mari (capital), Terqa, Tuttul (near Balikh), Saggaratum (Khabur), Qattunun (Khabur).

The Kingdom of Mari was bordered by Babylon (Iraq) in the southeast. In the southwest, a trade route when by Palmyra to the Kingdom of Qatna (Syria). To the west was the Great Kingdom of Yamhad (Aleppo, Syria). To the northwest the Kingdom of Carchemish. To the north the Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia. To the east Eshnunna. Under the "great kings" there were several lesser semi-autonomous petty kingdoms/city-states.

Mari archive Letter ARM 27 | A letter to Zimri-Lim by governors of the district of Qaṭṭunan (Khabur River): Ilsu-Naßir, Zakira-Hammu, Zimri-Addu, and Yatarum.

Architecture Palace

In Mari, Zimri-Lim extended the Royal Palace of Mari (2.5 ha), which was possibly the largest at the time, containing over 260 rooms at the ground level, and certainly the envy of other kings. Around 1760 BC, it was damaged by Hammurabi of Babylon.

He was known for his lavish banquets at which delicacies such as chickpea salad, fried locusts, and large amounts of desert truffle were served.

Ice house

In Terqa, he constructed an "ice house" as recorded in a cuneiform tablet.

Elamite War He was also active on a wider stage, and around 1764 BC was allied with Hammurabi in his wars against Elam, Eshnunna, and Larsa, such as the during the Elamite War. Zimri-Lim lent troops to Hammurabi's campaigns, and although the two kept extensive diplomatic contacts, it appears they never met in person.

Fall of Mari to Babylon After the defeat of Elam, there was no outside force to keep the precarious balance of power between the Kings of Mesopotamia. The alliance between Zimri-Lim and Hammurabi deteriorated after Babylon's conquest of Larsa. A reconstruction of events between Year 9 and 11.

Attestations Louvre AO 19826 | The Investiture of Mari. Louvre SH111538 | At Mari, a brick with the inscription: "Zimri-lim, the great king, he who accomplishes the works of the gods." Louvre AO 21988 | A cylinder seal "originally inscribed in the name of Ana-Sin-Taklaku, an official of Zimri-Lim, the cylinder was later acquired by Adad-Sharrum, who had the inscription erased and his own name engraved on it".