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Niqmepa (died 1270 BC) was the fifth-from-last King of
Ugarit ) , image =Ugarit Corbel.jpg , image_size=300 , alt = , caption = Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit , map_type = Near East#Syria , map_alt = , map_size = 300 , relief=yes , location = Latakia Governorate, Syria , region = ...
, a city-state in northwestern
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
.


Reign

He was the son of
Niqmaddu II Niqmaddu II ( ''Amorite'': ) was the second ruler and king of Ugarit, an ancient Syrian citystate in northwestern Syria, reigning c. 1350–1315 BC (or possibly c. 1380–1346 BC) and succeeding his less known father, Ammittamru I. He took his ...
, and the brother and successor of Arhalba. Niqmepa was installed by the Hittite king Mursili II after forcing the former king, his brother Arhalba to abdicate the throne in favour of him, and was forced to sign a new treaty declaring explicitly that
Ugarit ) , image =Ugarit Corbel.jpg , image_size=300 , alt = , caption = Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit , map_type = Near East#Syria , map_alt = , map_size = 300 , relief=yes , location = Latakia Governorate, Syria , region = ...
was a vassal state of the Hittites. The treaty reveals that Niqmepa had a
harem Harem ( Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A har ...
, and states that his woman and children will be held responsible if he fails to honor his obligations. At the same time Ugarit lost control of the territory of '' Shiyannu'' to the east, which halved the area controlled by Niqmepa. The secession was confirmed by Mursili II and ''Shiyannu'' was placed under the direct control of
Carchemish Carchemish ( Turkish: ''Karkamış''; or ), also spelled Karkemish ( hit, ; Hieroglyphic Luwian: , /; Akkadian: ; Egyptian: ; Hebrew: ) was an important ancient capital in the northern part of the region of Syria. At times during i ...
, which was ruled by descendants of Hittite kings as "viceroys". However, because of the loss of ''Shiyannu'', and by request from Niqmepa, the tribute of Ugarit was reduced by a third. During Niqmepa's reign Ugarit became entirely encircled by areas under Hittite control. Niqmepa married princess
Ahatmilku Ahatmilku () was a princess of Amurru, who became queen of Ugarit through marriage. Life Ahatmilku was a wife of the King Niqmepa of Ugarit and daughter-in-law of Niqmaddu II. She held great wealth and influence. She supported her youngest son Amm ...
, of the
Amurru kingdom Amurru may refer to: * Amurru kingdom, roughly current day western Syria and northern Lebanon * Amorite, ancient Syrian people * Amurru (god) Amurru, also known under the Sumerian name Martu, was a Mesopotamian god who served as the divine perso ...
to the south.


Death

After a long reign of about 50 years as the vassal of four successive Hittite kings, Niqmepa was succeeded by his son, the lesser known Ammittamru II.


References

{{reflist Ugaritic kings 1270s BC deaths 14th-century BC rulers 13th-century BC rulers Year of birth unknown 14th-century BC people 13th-century BC people