List of kings of Akkad

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox former monarchy The king of Akkad (Akkadian: Template:Transliteration, Template:LiterallyTemplate:Sfn) was the ruler of the city of Akkad and its empire, in ancient Mesopotamia. In the 3rd millennium BC, from the reign of Sargon of Akkad to the reign of his great-grandson Shar-Kali-Sharri, the Akkadian Empire represented the dominant power in Mesopotamia and the first known great empire.

The empire would rapidly collapse following the rule of its first five kings, owing to internal instability and foreign invasion, probably resulting in Mesopotamia re-fracturing into independent city-states, but the power that Akkad had briefly exerted ensured that its prestige and legacy would be claimed by monarchs for centuries to come. Ur-Nammu of Ur, who founded the Neo-Sumerian Empire and reunified most of Mesopotamia, created the title "King of Sumer and Akkad" which would be used until the days of the Achaemenid Empire.

History

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File:Empire akkad.png

Map of the Akkadian Empire at its greatest extent, under Naram-Sin, with directions of successful military campaigns marked

Although Sargon of Akkad is often referred to as the "founder" of Akkad, the city itself probably existed before his rule; a pre-Sargonic inscription refers to it by name and the name "Akkad" itself is not actually of the Akkadian language of Sargon and his successors.<ref name="wallromana1990">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref> Sargon's reign does however mark the transition of Akkad from a city-state into the first known great empire, with the Akkadian king ruling all Mesopotamia. His rise to power began with the defeat of the Sumerian king Lugal-zage-si, who had ruled Lower Mesopotamia from Uruk, and the conquest of his empire.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Through military campaigns, Sargon subjugated regions as far west as the Mediterranean and as far north as Assyria, which he boasted of in his inscriptions.<ref>Dalley proposes that these sources may have originally referred to Sargon II of the Assyria rather than Sargon of Akkad. Stephanie Dalley, "Babylon as a Name for Other Cities Including Nineveh", in [1] Proceedings of the 51st Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Oriental Institute SAOC 62, pp. 25–33, 2005</ref>

Sargon's successors consolidated his vast realm and continued expanding the borders of the Akkadian Empire. Sargon's grandson and the fourth king of Akkad, Naram-Sin, brought the empire to its greatest extent and assumed a new title to illustrate his great power, King of the Four Quarters, which referenced the entire world. He was also the first king in Mesopotamia to be deified in his lifetime, being addressed as "the god of Akkad".<ref name="H.William 2009 p.74">Stiebing Jr, H.William. Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture. (Pearson Longman; University of New Orleans, 2009), p.74</ref><ref>[2] Piotr Michalowski, "The Mortal Kings of Ur: A Short Century of Divine Rule in Ancient Mesopotamia", Oriental Institute Seminars 4, pp. 33–45, The Oriental Institute, 2008, Template:ISBN</ref>

Although at least seven kings would rule Akkad after him, the Akkadian Empire quickly collapsed after Naram-Sin's reign and prominent central authority under a single king would not be restored in Mesopotamia until the rise of the Neo-Sumerian Empire. It's likely that the region reverted to local governance under kings of city-states in the time between the two empires.<ref name="Zettler24">Zettler (2003), pp. 24–25. "Moreover, the Dynasty of Akkade's fall did not lead to social collapse, but the re-emergence of the normative political organization. The southern cities reasserted their independence, and if we know little about the period between the death of Sharkalisharri and the accession of Urnamma, it may be due more to accidents of discovery than because of widespread 'collapse.' The extensive French excavations at Tello produced relevant remains dating right through the period."</ref> A major cause of this collapse was the invasion of Mesopotamia by a people referred to as the Gutians, who would be defeated and driven away by the founder of the Neo-Sumerian Empire, Ur-Nammu.Template:Citation needed

List of rulers

The following list should not be considered complete:

#	Depiction	King	Template:Abbr date of reign	Succession	Notes
Akkadian period (Template:Circa)
Sargonic dynasty (Template:Circa)
"Then the reign of Uruk was abolished and the kingship was taken to Akkad."{{#if:Sumerian King List (SKL)|{{#if:|}} — {{#if:|, in }}Template:Comma separated entries }} {{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Blockquote with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | author | by | char | character | cite | class | content | multiline | personquoted | publication | quote | quotesource | quotetext | sign | source | style | text | title | ts }}
1st	File:Sargon of Akkad on his victory stele.jpg	Sargon 𒈗𒁺 Šarru-ukīn	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (54, 55, or 56 years)	Possibly son of La'ibum	Introduced the title, "King of the Universe" Embarked on campaigns to subjugate the entire Fertile Crescent and founded what is oftentimes regarded as the first empire in history by invading, conquering, and/or destroying several Mesopotamian cities including: Uruk, Umma, Ur, Lagash, Adab, Nippur, Kish, Kazallu, Der, Simurrum, Uru'a, Parahshum, Awan, Susa, Mari, Tuttul, and Ebla
2nd	File:Head of a ruler ca 2300 2000 BC Iran or Mesopotamia Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg	Rimush 𒌷𒈬𒍑 Ri-mu-uš	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (7, 9, or 15 years)	Son of Sargon	Held the title, "King of the Universe" Faced widespread revolts, reconquered, and/or embarked on victorious campaigns against the cities of: Ur, Umma, Adab, Lagash, Der, Kazallu, Barakhshe, and Elam from rebellious governors Possibly assassinated by his courtiers
3rd	File:Statue de Manishtusu - Sb 47 - Antiquités orientales du Louvre.jpg	Manishtushu 𒈠𒀭𒅖𒌅𒋢 Ma-an-ish-tu-su	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (7 or 15 years)	Brother of Rimush and son of Sargon	Faced little to no rebellions and could as such embark on campaigns to lands distant from Akkad Primarily campaigned to the south, winning victories along the Tigris and in the Persian Gulf
4th	File:Relief of Naram-Sin (portrait).jpg	Naram-Sin 𒀭𒈾𒊏𒄠𒀭𒂗𒍪 Na-ra-am Sîn	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (36 or 56 years)	Son of Manishtushu	Under Naram-Suen, the Akkadian empire reached its maximum power and faced rebellions from: Uruk, Ur, Lagash, Umma, Adab, Shuruppak, Isin, Nippur, Kish, Kutha, Sippar, Kazallu, Eresh, Dilbat, and Borsippa The first Mesopotamian ruler to self-deify, calling himself the, "God of Akkad" and imposing an imperial cult Introduced the title, "King of the Four Corners of the World"
5th	File:Impression of an Akkadian cylinder seal with inscription The Divine Sharkalisharri Prince of Akkad Ibni-Sharrum the Scribe his servant.jpg	Shar-Kali-Sharri 𒊬𒂵𒉌 𒈗𒌷 Šar-ka-li-šar-ri	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (24 or 25 years)	Son of Naram-Sin	During Sharkalisharri's reign, the Akkadian empire collapsed as a result of the Guti invasion and widespread drought Possibly the last Akkadian king to actually control more than the city of Akkad itself
"157 are the years of the dynasty of Sargon. Then who was king? Who was the king?"{{#if:SKL|{{#if:|}} — {{#if:|, in }}Template:Comma separated entries }} {{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Blockquote with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | author | by | char | character | cite | class | content | multiline | personquoted | publication | quote | quotesource | quotetext | sign | source | style | text | title | ts }}
Akkadian interregnum (Template:Circa)
#	Depiction	King	Template:Abbr date of reign	Succession	Notes
6th	File:Translation of the Weld-Blundell Prism. Stephen Herbert Langdon (1876-1937) Published in 1923.jpg	Igigi 𒄿𒄀𒄀 I-gi-gi	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (≤1 year)	Unclear succession	Uncertain succession, anarchy following the Guti invasion Seized power in the anarchy following the death of Sharkalisharri, ruling for about a year Said on the SKL to have held the title of, "King" of not just Akkad; but, to have held the "Kingship" over all of Sumer
7th	File:Lista Reale Sumerica.jpg	Imi 𒄿𒈪 I-mi	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (≤1 year)	Unclear succession	Historicity uncertain Known from the SKL; very little otherwise Said on the SKL to have held the title of, "King" of not just Akkad; but, to have held the "Kingship" over all of Sumer
8th	File:Weld-Blundell Prism with transcription by Stephen Herbert Langdon (1876-1937).jpg	Nanum 𒈾𒉡𒌝 Na-nu-um	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (≤1 year)	Unclear succession	Historicity uncertain Known from the SKL; very little otherwise Said on the SKL to have held the title of, "King" of not just Akkad; but, to have held the "Kingship" over all of Sumer
9th	File:Weld-Blundell Prism with transcription and translation by Stephen Herbert Langdon (1876-1937).jpg	Ilulu 𒅋𒇽 Ilu-lu	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (≤1 year)	Unclear succession	Same person as Elulmesh of the Gutians (?) The final of the four short-lived rivals vying for the throne in the aftermath of Sharkalisharri's death Said on the SKL to have held the title of, "King" of not just Akkad; but, to have held the "Kingship" over all of Sumer
"4 of them ruled for only 3 years"{{#if:SKL|{{#if:|}} — {{#if:|, in }}Template:Comma separated entries }} {{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Blockquote with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | author | by | char | character | cite | class | content | multiline | personquoted | publication | quote | quotesource | quotetext | sign | source | style | text | title | ts }}
The final kings to rule Akkad, Dudu and Shu-turul are assumed to have been related to the original ruling dynasty and as such are often regarded as members of the Sargonic dynasty.Template:Sfn
Final kings of Akkad (Template:Circa)
#	Depiction	King	Template:Abbr date of reign	Succession	Notes
10th	File:Alabaster vase of Dudu of Akkad Louvre Museum AO 31549.jpg	Dudu 𒁺𒁺 Du-du	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (21 years)	Possibly a son of Sharkalisharri	Campaigned against former Akkadian subjects in the south, such as Girsu, Umma, and Elam
11th	File:Votive hammer of Shu-turul Room 56 Display case 11 British Museum (with reconstruction of the inscription).jpg	Shu-turul 𒋗𒉣𒇬𒍌 Šu-ṭur-ul	Template:Reign (MC) Template:Reign (SC) (15 or 18 years)	Son of Dudu	The last king of Akkad, ruled over a greatly reduced territory that included Akkad itself, Kish, Tutub, and Eshnunna
"11 kings; they ruled for 181 years. Then Akkad was defeated and the kingship was taken to Uruk."{{#if:SKL|{{#if:|}} — {{#if:|, in }}Template:Comma separated entries }} {{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Blockquote with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | author | by | char | character | cite | class | content | multiline | personquoted | publication | quote | quotesource | quotetext | sign | source | style | text | title | ts }}

King of Sumer and Akkad

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File:Cylinder seal of Shulgi.jpg

Cylindrical seal of Shulgi of Ur (r. Template:Circa 2094–2047 BC). The inscription titles him as "Shulgi, strong hero, King of Ur, King of Sumer and Akkad".

Although Akkad and what remained of its empire was destroyed, its power and prominence led to rulers of later Mesopotamian empires wishing to claim its prestige and legacy for themselves. Ur-Nammu, who founded the Neo-Sumerian Empire in the aftermath of the Gutian rule of Mesopotamia assumed the title "King of Sumer and Akkad". Although the title was meant to justify his rule over both southern (Sumer) and northern (Akkad) Mesopotamia, it also clearly connected Ur-Nammu to the old Akkadian kings,Template:Sfn who may have been against linking Sumer and Akkad in such a fashion even though they had ruled both regions.Template:Sfn

Ur-Nammu's title would endure for more than 1,500 years. It was assumed by Hammurabi, founder of the Old Babylonian Empire, and used by Babylonian kings up until the 8th century BC.Template:Sfn It was also prominently used in the Middle and Neo-Assyrian EmpiresTemplate:Sfn and in the Neo-Babylonian Empire.Template:Sfn For Assyrian kings, "King of Sumer and Akkad" was used as a marker of their control of Babylon (which was in the South, e.g. Sumer) and only those Assyrian kings who actually controlled Babylon used the title in their inscriptions.Template:Sfn

The final king to assume the title of "King of Sumer and Akkad" was Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid Empire, who reigned from 559 to 530 BC. In the Cyrus Cylinder, written in Akkadian cuneiform script following Cyrus's conquest of Babylon, he assumed several traditional Mesopotamian royal titles, most of which were not used by his successors.Template:Sfn

References

Cited bibliography

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Websites

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