Iblul-Il

{{Infobox royalty

| name = Iblul-Il

| reign = c. 2380 BC

| predecessor = Possibly Saʿumu

| successor = Possibly Nizi

| spouse = Paba{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kiWD_5PRQBUC&pg=PA556|title= Semitic and Assyriological Studies: Presented to Pelio Fronzaroli by Pupils and Colleagues|author=Pelio Fronzaroli|language= it|page= 556|year=2003|isbn= 9783447047494}}

| death_date = c. 2380 BC

}}

Iblul-Il (died {{Circa}} 2380 BC){{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=biyDDd0uKGMC&pg=PT242|title= Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC|author= William J. Hamblin|page= 242|year=2006|isbn= 9781134520626}} was the most energetic king (Lugal) of the second Mariote kingdom, noted for his extensive campaigns in the middle Euphrates valley against the Eblaites, and in the upper Tigris region against various opponents, which asserted the Mariote supremacy in the Syrian north.

Reign

=Sources=

Iblul-Il is attested in Mari, where statues bearing his name were excavated in 1952 from the city's temples.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/eblarevelationin00berm|url-access=registration|title= Ebla: a revelation in archeology|publisher=Times Books|author1=Chaim Bermant |author2=Michael Weitzman |page= [https://archive.org/details/eblarevelationin00berm/page/173 173]|year= 1979|isbn= 9780812907650}} However, the deeds of the king are recorded in a letter sent to Ebla by Enna-Dagan, a successor of Iblul-Il.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VjVyAAAAMAAJ|title= Proceedings of the XLV Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale: Historiography in the Cuneiform World, Part 1|author1=I. Tzvi Abusch |author2=Carol Noyes |author3=William W. Hallo |author4=Irene Winter |page= 1|year=2001|isbn= 9781883053673}}

=Campaigns=

File:Second Mariote kingdom.png

Iblul-Il campaigned extensively against Ebla and its vassals and allies. The offensive was probably due to Ebla's increasing militaristic character, and was meant to block the trade route between Kish, Nagar, and Ebla.{{cite journal |url=https://www.academia.edu/619545|title= Monuments of War, War of Monuments: Some Considerations on Commemorating War in the Third Millennium BC|journal= Orientalia|page= 350|publisher= Davide Nadali|date=2007 |access-date=24 April 2015|last1= Nadali|first1= Davide}} Iblul-Il was a contemporary of Ebla's king Igrish-Halam, and is mentioned in the letter of Enna-Dagan campaigning in the middle Euphrates defeating the city of Galalaneni,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0d1JAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA119|title= The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy|author= Mario Liverani|page= 119|year=2013|isbn= 9781134750849}} and engaging in a victorious battle with Abarsal in the region of Zahiran,{{#tag:ref|Abarsal is probably located along the Euphrates river east of Ebla.{{cite journal |title= Alfonso Archi and Maria Giovanna Biga, In Search of Armi|journal= Journal of Cuneiform Studies|volume= 63|pages= 5–34|publisher= The American Schools of Oriental Research|date=2011|jstor= 10.5615/jcunestud.63.0005|doi= 10.5615/jcunestud.63.0005|last1 = Archi|first1 = Alfonso|s2cid= 163552750}}|group=note}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xKamAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT118|title= Euphrates River Valley Settlement: The Carchemish Sector in the Third Millennium BC|author= Edgar Peltenberg|page= 118|year=2007|isbn= 9781782975113}} which he destroyed. Next, Iblul-Il campaigned in the region of Burman of the land of Sugurum, where he defeated the cities of Shadab, Addalini and Arisum. The campaigns continued as the king sacked the cities of Sharan and Dammium,

and advanced on Neraad and Hasuwan, receiving the tribute from Ebla at the city of Mane,{{cite book|url=http://cdm16028.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15324coll10/id/189351|title= Art of the First Cities: The Third Millennium B.C|author= Joan Aruz,Ronald Wallenfels|page= 462|date= 2003}} and from the fortress Khazuwan, then continued his march and conquered Emar.

In the Tigris valley, Iblul-Il defeated the cities of Nahal, Nubat and Sha-da from the region of Gasur, at a battle in the land of Ganane.{{#tag:ref|According to Michael Astour, those three cities belonged to the region named Gasur-Nuzi in the northern Tigris area.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=agi4O1c3UhQC&pg=PA13|title= General Studies and Excavations at Nuzi 9/1|author1=Martha A. Morrison |author2=David I. Owen |page= 13|year=1987|isbn= 9780931464089}} However, other scholars such as Marco Bonechi place Gasur in the middle Euphrates valley to the northwest of Mari.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IN9_IRYKKUMC&pg=PA23|title= The God Dagan in Bronze Age Syria|author= Lluís Feliu|page= 23|year=2003|isbn= 978-9004131583}}|group=note}} Iblul-Il is finally mentioned in the letter conquering the Eblaite cities of Barama, Aburu, Tibalat and Belan.{{#tag:ref|Belan is located 26 km west of Raqqa.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C5ddTkXWxEMC&pg=PA233|title= The World of the Aramaeans: Studies in Honour of Paul-Eugène Dion, Volume 1|author1=P.M. Michèle Daviau |author2=Michael Weigl |author3=John W. Wevers |page= 233|year=2001|isbn= 9780567200495}}|group=note}} The Mariote king successfully achieved his goals and weakened Ebla, exacting a great amount of tribute in the form of gold and silver.

=Succession=

Iblul-Il was succeeded by Nizi.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8PNAnIome3AC&pg=PT815|title= Pre-Sargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC)|author= Douglas Frayne|page= 815|year=2008|isbn= 9781442690479}} The letter of Enna-Dagan is extremely difficult to read,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=agi4O1c3UhQC&pg=PA12|title= General Studies and Excavations at Nuzi 9/1|author1=Martha A. Morrison |author2=David I. Owen |page= 12|year=1987|isbn= 9780931464089}} and early decipherment presented the author as a general of Ebla who defeated and deposed Iblul-Il.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gVAFOSDhL4C&pg=PA261|title= Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East|author= Victor Harold Matthews, Don C. Benjamin|page= 261|year=2006|isbn= 9780809144358}} However, newer readings confirmed Enna-Dagan as a king from Mari, and further decipherment of the archives of Ebla showed Enna-Dagan receiving gifts from Ebla as a prince of Mari during the reigns of his Mariote predecessors.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8PNAnIome3AC&pg=PT778|title= Pre-Sargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC)|author= Douglas Frayne|page= 778|year=2008|isbn= 9781442690479}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8PNAnIome3AC&pg=PT817|title= Pre-Sargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC)|author= Douglas Frayne|page= 817|year=2008|isbn= 9781442690479}}

{{s-bef

| before = Possibly Saʿumu

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = King of Mari

| years = c. 2380 BC

}}

{{s-aft

| after = Possibly Nizi

}}

Iblul-Il

Reign

=Sources=

=Campaigns=

=Succession=

See also

Notes

Citations

Further reading