Manishtushu (, ''Ma-an-ish-tu-su'') was the third king of the

Akkadian Empire The Akkadian Empire () was the first ancient empire of Mesopotamia after the long-lived civilization of Sumer. It was centered in the city of Akkad () and its surrounding region. The empire united Akkadian and Sumerian speakers under one ...

, reigning from c. 2270 BC until his assassination in 2255 BC (

Middle Chronology The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Historical inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers: "in the year X of king Y". Com ...

). He was the son of

Sargon the Great Sargon of Akkad (; akk, ''Šarrugi''), also known as Sargon the Great, was the first ruler of the Akkadian Empire, known for his conquests of the Sumerian city-states in the 24th to 23rd centuries BC.The date of the reign of Sargon is highl ...

, the founder of the Akkadian Empire, and he was succeeded by his son, Naram-Sin.

Biography

Manishtushu was the third king of the

. He was the son of Sargon of Akkad and Queen Tashlultum, brother of

Enheduanna Enheduanna ( sux, , also transliterated as , , or variants) was the priestess of the moon god Nanna (Sīn) in the Sumerian city-state of Ur in the reign of her father, Sargon of Akkad. She was likely appointed by her father as the leader of t ...

Rimush Rimush (or Rimuš, ''Ri-mu-uš'') was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. He was the son of Sargon of Akkad and Queen Tashlultum. He was succeeded by his brother Manishtushu, and was an uncle of Naram-Sin of Akkad. Rimush reported having a s ...

, and Shu-Enlil, and the father of Naram-Sin. He became king in c. 2270 BC after the death of his brother

. Manishtushu, freed of the rebellions of his brother's reign, led campaigns to distant lands. According to a passage from one of his inscriptions, he led a fleet down the Persian Gulf where 32 kings allied to fight him. Manishtushu was victorious and consequently looted their cities and silver mines, along with other expeditions to kingdoms along the Persian Gulf. He also sailed a fleet down the

Tigris River The Tigris () is the easternmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the P ...

that eventually traded with 37 other nations, conquered the city of Shirasum in Elam, and rebuilt the destroyed temple of Inanna in Nineveh in c. 2260 BC. In Elam and Pashime, in the coastal area of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, Manishtushu had governors installed for the Akkadian Empire:

Eshpum Eshpum ( ''esh18-pum'', formerly read Geba) was Akkadian Governor of Elam around 2269–2255 BCE. He was a vassal of the Akkadian Empire ruler Manishtushu. While Eshpum was in charge of Elam, another Governor of Manistushu named Ilshu-rabi was in ...

was in charge of Elam, while Ilshu-rabi was in charge of Pashime. In c. 2255 BC Manishtushu died, assassinated by members of his own court, and was succeeded by his son Naram-Sin. A pyramidal stele erected by Manishtushu bearing a long cuneiform inscription in Akkadian is featured in the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

. He held the title "King of

Kish Kish may refer to: Geography * Gishi, Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, a village also called Kish * Kiş, Shaki, Azerbaijan, a village and municipality also spelled Kish * Kish Island, an Iranian island and a city in the Persian Gulf * Kish, Iran, ...

" in some of his inscriptions.

Manishtushu trampling enemies

A probable statue of Manishtushu discovered in Susa, Elam, shows him trampling vanquished enemies. It was among other Akkadian Empire statues taken there in the 12th century BC by Elamite king

Shutruk-Nahhunte Šutruk-Nakhunte was king of Elam from about 1184 to 1155 BC (middle chronology), and the second king of the Shutrukid Dynasty. Elam amassed an empire that included most of Mesopotamia and western Iran. Under his command, Elam defeated the Ka ...

. There are inscriptions on the bodies of the enemies, identifying them. The statue is in the Louvre Museum (Sb 48). File:Musée du Louvre Darafsh (1149).jpg, Remain of the statue Musée du Louvre Darafsh (1152).jpg, Enemy being trampled File:Musée du Louvre Darafsh (1153).jpg, Enemy being trampled

Other artifacts

File:P1050576 Louvre Oblélisque de Manishtusu rwk.JPG, alt=Manishtushu Obelisk, Louvre Museum.,

Manishtushu Obelisk The Manishtushu Obelisk is a diorite, four-sided stele. The stele is obelisk-shaped, as well as it narrows upward to its (damaged) top, in a pyramidal-form. The obelisk was erected by Manishtushu, son of Sargon the Great, of the Akkadian Empire, ...

, Louvre MuseumFull transcription of the Manishtusu obelisk: File:P1050578 Louvre Obélisque de Manishtusu détail rwk.JPG, Detail of inscription on the obelisk File:Throne of Manishtushu Louvre Museum.jpg, Throne of Manishtushu, Louvre Museum File:Votive stone mace-head from Uruk, Iraq., the name of the Akkadian king Manishtushu a appears, r. 2270-2255 BC. Iraq Museum.jpg, Votive stone mace-head in the name of Manishtushu, from Uruk, Iraq. 2270–2255 BC.

Iraq Museum The Iraq Museum ( ar, المتحف العراقي) is the national museum of Iraq, located in Baghdad. It is sometimes informally called the National Museum of Iraq, a recent phenomenon influenced by other nations' naming of their national museum ...

. File:Manishtushu Lugal Kish.jpg, Macehead inscription of Manishtushu: ''Manishtushu Lugal Kish'', "Manishtushu King of

" File:BM 91018 Macehead in the name of Manishtushu.jpg, Macehead in the name of Manishtushu, British Museum, BM 91018

References

{{Authority control 23rd-century BC kings of Akkad Akkadian people Sumerian rulers Ancient murdered monarchs 23rd-century BC deaths Year of birth unknown Akkadian Empire

Biography

Manishtushu trampling enemies

Other artifacts

See also

References