- Kupanta-Kurunta
Kupanta-Kurunta was the first recorded king of
Arzawa , in the late 15th century BC. He was defeated by an earlier Tudhaliya and his son, the futureArnuwanda I . He then attacked Arnuwanda's restive vassal Madduwatta at Zippasla. He had a daughter, who married Madduwatta.Another Kupanta-Kurunta was born in the 1330s or 1320s BC at Mira in western Anatolia, in one of the princely families. His father joined a coup against king Mašḫuiluwa. The Hittite king
Suppiluliuma I married Mašḫuiluwa to his daughter Muwatti and reinstalled him. Kupanta-Kurunta's father apparently died or was exiled soon after. Mašḫuiluwa then asked Suppiluliuma's successorMursili II if he could adopt Kupanta-Kurunta as a son.Mira remained a Hittite ally against
Uhha-Ziti of Arzawa; but two years afterMursili's eclipse (which would mean 1310 BC) Mira rebelled under influence from "Great-House-Father" (probably an adventurer from Masa). Mursili quashed this rebellion, transferred Mašḫuiluwa to a priesthood in Hittite territory, and installed Kupanta-Kurunta as king.In the early 13th century BC,
Muwatalli II signed a treaty with Alaksandu ofWilusa . In it, he informed Alaksandu that he viewed Kupanta-Kurunta as the son of Muwatti and so a member of the Hittite royal family.Kupanta-Kurunta is possibly the recipient of the
Milawata letter .Kupanta-Kurunta apparently supported
Hattusili III over that one's nephew Urhi-Tessup, "Mursili III ". After Hattusili attained the kingdom, Kupanta-Kurunta received a letter from PharaohRameses II which was copied to Hattusili. In it, the Pharaoh reassured Kupanta-Kurunta that Egypt remained a full ally of Hatti and entertained no plans to aid Urhi-Tessup in any further adventures.References
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