682 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1908. 



on Mitani after the death of its king, Tushratta. Founders of dynas- 

 ties in the Orient are frequently also great conquerors, as in the case 

 of Subbiluliuma. His supremacy is recognized by xA.zir, ruler of the 

 Amorites, and by other princes of Syria, who in the Amarna letters 

 ask the king of Egypt for protection against him. Mitani, imtil then 

 an independent state, and under Tushratta victorious over the Chatti, 

 succumbs later, and is completely reduced under his supremacy. 



The reign of Arandas, son of Subbiluliuma, seems to have been of 

 short duration. His successor was Arandas's brother Mursil (hitherto 

 read Maurasar). There are quite a number of documents relating to 

 Mursil's reign, but much fcAver than of the reign of his father and 

 of his son Hattusil. This would lead to the conclusion that Mursil's 

 reign was shorter than those of either Subbiluliuma or Hattusil, 

 though not absolutely a short one. One document seems to give a 

 survey of the first years of his reign, reaching down to his tenth year. 

 It contains references to the subjection of Mitani by his father and to 

 his own relations with Arsawa, and to a number of territories not 

 hitherto known, such as Gasga, Tibia, Zichria. A still more obscure 

 passage in the document seems to bear on the war with Egypt which 

 resulted in the famous battle of Kaclesh. 



Mursil's successor was at first his son Muttallu. This is already 

 mentioned in the treaty of Ramses and is dwelt upon by Hattusil in 

 several documents. What his end was is not yet clear. His reign 

 could have lasted but a couple of years. The Amarna documents 

 relate that he deposed one of the Amurri (Amorite) princes and put 

 another in his place. A document of his time contains an enumera- 

 tion of the Chatti pantheon. 



Muttallu was succeeded by his brother Hattusil, who is known 

 through his treaty with Ramses. The larger portion of the archives 

 belongs to his reign, which must have been quite an extended one. 

 The documents give information concerning the most important 

 events of that period. Under him the relations with Amurri were 

 regulated anew. The most important event under Hattusil was the 

 making of a treaty of friendship w^ith Egypt. This is referred to in 

 many letters. The document, which may be considered as the 

 Babylonian text of the treaty, is perhaps merely a preliminary ex- 

 change of notes. The negotiations preceding the conclusion of the 

 treaty were carried on, as seen from parts of other letters, with 

 great deliberation, as becoming the dignity of both chanceleries. 

 Even the queens participated in the great event, for Naptera, the 

 wife of Ramses, expressed her joy over it to her " sister," Puduhipa, 

 the spouse of Hattusil, in a special letter. 



The relations with the other great powers is illustrated by a letter 

 to the King of Babylon ; while a fragment of a letter from the 

 Babylonian King, Katashman-turgu, to Hattusil, shows that the 



