Zidanta I

Zidanta I
Predecessor	Hantili I
Successor	Ammuna
Religion	Hittite religion
Spouse(s)	Hantili’s daughter[1]
Children	King Ammuna[2]
Relatives	Huzziya I (grandson)

Zidanta I was a king of the Hittites (Old Kingdom), ruling for 10 years, ca. 1496–1486 BC (short chronology timeline). According to the Telepinu Proclamation, this king became a ruler by murder.^[3][4]

Zidanta was married to the daughter of Hantili, brother-in-law to King Mursili I.^[5] Zidanta encouraged and helped Hantili to kill Mursili and seize the throne.^[6] At the end of Hantili’s life, Zidanta killed Pišeni, the legitimate heir, together with Pišeni’s children and foremost servants, and so made it possible for himself to become king.

It is known that his wife’s name ends with either -ša or -ta.

Zidanta was killed by his own son, Ammuna, who then succeeded him.

Notes

1. Hittite Studies in Honor of Harry A. Hoffner, Jr. by Harry A. Hoffner, Gary M. Beckman, Richard Henry Beal, John Gregory McMahon
2. Waltraud Sperlich: Die Hethiter, Das vergessene Volk, Jan Thorbecke Verlag GmbH, Ostfildern
3. Edict of Telepinu, §18
4. The Kingdom of the Hittites by Trevor Bryce
5. Telepinu Proclamation, §13
6. Reign of Mursili I

External links

• Reign of Zidanta I