[WAB] Royaume d' Arzawa vs Royaume du Hatti: Un village en Arzawa

The Conquest of Arzawa

Having achieved a victory in the north, Muršili now turned his attentions to his problems in the west. It was time to deal with Uḫḫa-ziti;

“(Concerning) what servants of mine came to you - because I repeatedly requested them from you, and you did not send them back to me, and you kept calling me a child and belittling me; now, come! We will do battle! May the Storm God, My Lord, judge our case!” (10 Year Annals §16)

Muršili gathered his troops and began his march toward Arzawa. When he reached Mt. Lawaša near the Šeḫiriya River, he received what must be viewed as one of the most fortunate omens in history,

“The mighty Storm God, My Lord, showed his divinely righteous power and hurled a thunderbolt. All of my troops saw the thunderbolt. All the land of Arzawa saw the thunderbolt. The thunderbolt passed (us) and struck the land of Arzawa. It struck Uḫḫa-ziti’s (capital) city Apaša. It settled in Uḫḫa-ziti’s knees, and he became ill.” (10 Year Annals §17)

Having received such a favorable omen, Muršili continued his westward march. When he reached the city of Šallapa his brother Šarri-Kušuḫ joined forces with him, and then together they continued on. When Muršili reached the city of Aura, Mašḫwiluwa drove into his presence and informed his lord about the effects of the thunderbolt on Uḫḫa-ziti. The news could only have been seen as encouraging. Now was the perfect time to confront the Arzawan forces.

Having been made lame by this object - possibly a meteorite which might still have been worshipped in Ephesus in the 1st century A.D. during the life of the Apostle Paul - Uḫḫa-ziti could not come out against Muršili for battle himself. So instead he sent forth his son Piyama-Kurunta in his place. The forces met at the Aštarpa River near the city of Walma. The battle, once engaged, turned into a rout. Muršili pursued his fleeing enemies as far as Apaša itself. Uḫḫa-ziti did not remain to defend his capital. He boarded a ship and sailed across the sea, never to return to the site of his ultimate humiliation. Piyama-Kurunta, his son, seems to have also fled across the sea to the King of Aḫḫiyawa (It is not known if Uḫḫa-ziti and his son fled to the same place, or even at the same time). Now in control of the city, Muršili, a Hittite king with a central Anatolian capital, victoriously entered Apaša, a city with a port on the Aegean sea.

The capture of the capital city did not immediately result in the subjugation of the entire land. Arzawans fled in two large bodies to Mt. Arinnanda and to the city of Puranda. Others had joined Uḫḫa-ziti in his flight across the sea. Depending upon the assistance of his brother Šarri-Kušuḫ once again, Muršili chose to attack these places even though the year was growing short. He chose Mt. Arinnanda as his first target. It was a difficult goal. It lay on an island which was very high, overgrown, and rocky. It was impossible to attack it using chariots, and so Muršili used his infantry to climb up the mountain and lay seige to the fugitives. When the Arzawans began to suffer from hunger and thirst, they gave up and prostrated themselves at Muršili’s feet. As a result of this victory, Muršili claims to have personally gained 15,500 civilian captives, while his troops’ gains were beyond measure.

After returning from Mt. Arinnanda, Muršili lay seige to the city of Puranda, the other hold out of the fugitive Arzawans. After having laid seige to the city, he gave them a chance to turn themselves in,

“You were the subjects of my father. My father took you and gave you in subjugation to Mr. Uḫḫa-ziti. But he supported the king of Aḫḫiyawa, and he became hostile. (Now) you become mine again! Do not support Mr. Uḫḫa-ziti any longer! What subjects of mine came in to you, the fugitives of Ḫuršanašša, the fugitives of Šuruda, and the fugitives of Attarimma - hand them over to me!” (Extended Annals Year 3)

They refused to yield to him. Unfortunately for the Hittites, the season was definitely over. It had already begun to snow, and so Muršili drew back to the Aštarpa River and passed the winter at a fortress there. While there he celebrated the Month Festival.

(YEAR 4) Over the course of the winter Uḫḫa-ziti succumbed to his illness and died while still in exile from his land. When Spring came, one of his sons remained “in the sea” while the other one, Mr. Tapalazunawali, crossed over to the mainland and entered Puranda. Muršili broke winter quarters and marched back against Puranda. Tapalazunawali chose to come out for battle against his Hittite foe. His attack was repulsed, and Muršili laid seige to Puranda once again, this time cutting off its water supply. Tapalazunawali then snuck out of the city and fled, taking his children and some of his people with him. Muršili was informed of this and he sent troops in pursuit of him. Tapalazunawali himself managed to escape, but the Hittites captured his children and his people. With their leader gone and their water cut off, the city was doomed. Muršili captured the city and claimed to deport a further 15,500 civilian captives, while his troops took an even greater share.

After this, Tapalazunawali seems to have fled to the King of Aḫḫiyawa “across the sea”, which is perhaps where he had come from before. But the situation, which seemed so favorable to the Arzawans the year before, had been dramatically reversed. So when Muršili sent a messenger by boat to the King of Aḫḫiyawa demanding Tapalazunawali’s extradition, he complied. Tapalazunawali and the civilians who were with him were all sent to the Hittite ruler, and were subsequently deported to Ḫatti. It was not only the end of the war, but also the end of Arzawa itself. In two campaign seasons, the youthful king had destroyed the only rival to Hittite power in Anatolia.