This page contains copies of two different Hittite Suzerainty Treaties, made between the Hittites, as the suzerain and a vassal king. Both have similar sections to the Book of Deuteronomy, including a preamble, a historial introduction, clauses of the treaty and calling on the gods as witnesses. The first treaty also has a section of curses and blessings. The third example is the Kadesh Treaty made between the Hittites and the Egyptians.
1. Treaty between the Hittite king Mursilis (1620-1590 BC) and Duppi-Tessub of Amurru (ANET p 548)
Preamble
These are the words of the Sun1 Mursilis, the great king, the king of the Hatti land, the valiant, the favourite of the storm-god, the son of Suppiluliumas, the great king, the king of the Hatti land, the valiant.
Historical Introduction
Aziras2 was the grandfather of you, Duppi-Tessub. He rebelled against my father, but submitted again to my father. When the kings of Nuhassi land3 and the kings of Kinza4 rebelled against my father, Aziras did not rebel. As he was bound by treaty, he remained bound by treaty. As my father fought against his enemies, in the same manner fought Aziras. Aziras remained loyal toward my father [as his overlord] and did not incite my father's anger. My father was loyal toward Aziras and his country; he did not undertake any unjust action against him or incite his or his country's anger in any way. 300 (shekels of) refined and first- class gold, the tribute which my father had imposed upon your father, he brought year for year; he never refused it.
When my father became god5 and I seated myself on the throne of my father, Aziras behaved toward me just as he had behaved toward my father. It happened that the Nuhassi kings and the king of Kinza rebelled a second time against me. But Aziras, your grandfather, and DU-Tessub6, your father, [did not take their side]; they remained loyal to me as their lord. [When he grew too old] and could no longer go to war and fight, DU-Tessub fought against the enemy with the foot soldiers and the charioteers of the Amurru land just as he had fought with foot soldiers and charioteers against the enemy. And the Sun destroyed them.
(gap in which the reign of DU-Tessub was dealt with)
(DU-Tessub recommends his son as his successor:) " [ . . . When I die, accept my son] Duppi-Tessub as your vassal."
When your father died, in accordance with your father's word I did not drop you. Since your father had mentioned to me your name with great praise, I sought after you. To be sure, you were sick and ailing, but although you were ailing, I, the Sun, put you in the place of your father and took your brothers (and) sisters and the Amurru land in oath for you.
Future Relations of the Two Countries
When I, the Sun, sought after you in accordance with your father's word and put you in your father's place, I took you in oath for the king of the Hatti land, the Hatti land, and for my sons and grandsons. So honour the oath (of loyalty) to the king and the king's king And I, the king, will be loyal toward you, Duppi- Tessub. When you take a wife, and when you beget an heir, he shall be king in the Amurru land likewise. And just as I shall be loyal toward you, even so shall I be loyal toward your son. But you, Duppi-Tessub, remain loyal toward the king of the Hatti land, the Hatti land, my sons (and) my grandsons forever! The tribute which was imposed upon your grandfather and your father— they presented 300 shekels of good, refined first-class gold weighed with standard weights—you shall present them likewise. Do not turn your eyes to anyone else! Your fathers presented tribute to Egypt; you [shall not do that!]
(gap)
Military Clauses
7 [With my friend you shall be friend, and with my enemy you shall be enemy. If the king of the Hatti land is either in the Hurri land,8 or in the land of Egypt, or in the country of Astata9 or in the country of Alset10 - any country contiguous to the territory of your country that is friendly with the king of the Hatti land - (or in) any country contiguous to the territory of your country that is friendly with the king of the Hatti land - (as) the country of Mukis,11 the country of Halba12 (and) the country of Kinza13 - but turns around and becomes inimical toward the king of the Hatti land while the king of the Hatti land is on a marauding campaign—if then you, Duppi-Tessub, do not remain loyal together with your foot soldiers and your charioteers and if you do not fight wholeheartedly; or if I should send out a prince (or) a high officer with foot soldiers and charioteers to re-enforce you, Duppi-Tessub, (for the purpose of) going out to maraud in an]other c[ountry - if then you, Duppi-Tessub, do not fight wholehea]rtedly (that) enemy with [your army and your charioteers] and speak as follows: "I am under an oath of loyalty, but [how am I to know] whether they will beat the enemy, or the enemy will beat them?"; or if you even send a man to that enemy and inform him as follows: "An army and charioteers of the Hatti land are on their way; be on your guard!" - (if you do such things) you act in disregard of your oath.
As I, the Sun, am loyal toward you, do you extend military help to the Sun and the Hatti land. If an evil rumour originates in the Hatti land that someone is to rise in revolt against the Sun and you hear it, leave with your foot soldiers and your charioteers and go immediately to the aid of the king of the Hatti land! But if you are not able to leave yourself, dispatch either your son or your brother together with your foot soldiers (and) your charioteers to the aid of the king of the Hatti land! If you do not dispatch your son (or) your brother with your foot soldiers (and) your charioteers to the aid of the king of the Hatti land, you act in disregard of the gods of the oath.
If anyone should press you hard, Duppi-Tessub, or (if) anyone should revolt against you, (if) you then write to the king of the Hatti land, and the king of the Hatti land dispatches foot soldiers and charioteers to your aid - (if you treat them in an unfair manner14, you act in disregard of the gods of the oath.
If they take Hittites - foot soldiers and charioteers - through Duppi-Tessub's territory and Duppi-Tessub provides them while passing through (his) towns with food and drink - (if that army) engages in any misconduct—pilfering in his country or his towns or in an attempt at deposing Duppi-Tessub from his kingship—it acts in disregard of the oath.
Dealings with Foreigners etc.
If anyone of the deportees from the Nuhassi land or of the deportees from the country of Kinza whom my father removed and myself removed escapes and comes to you, (if) you do not seize him and turn him back to the king of the Hatti land, and even tell him as follows: "Go! Where you are going to, I do not want to know," you act in disregard of your oath.
If anyone utters words unfriendly toward the king of the Hatti land before you, Duppi-Tessub, you shall not withhold his name from the king. Or if the Sun (iii) gives you an order in secrecy (saying): "Do this or that!" (if) that order cannot be executed, petition about it on the spot (stating): "This order I cannot execute and will not execute" and the king will reconsider it then and there. But if you do not execute an order which can (well) be executed and deceive the king, or (if) you do not keep to yourself the word which the king told you in secrecy, you act in disregard of the oath.
If a country or a fugitive takes to the road and while betaking themselves to the Hatti land pass through your territory, put them on the right way, show them the way to the Hatti land and speak friendly words to them! Do not send them to anyone else If you do not put them on the right way, (if) you do not guide them on the right way to the Hatti land, but direct them into the mountains or speak unfriendly words before them, you act in disregard of the oath.
Or if the king of the Hatti land is getting the better of a country and puts them to flight, and they come to your country, if then you desire to take anything from them, ask the king of the Hatti land for it You shall not take it on your own If you lay hand on it by yourself or conceal it, (you act in disregard of the oath).
Furthermore, if a fugitive comes to your country, seize him ! . . .
(gap)
Invocation of the Gods15
[The Sun-god of Heaven, the Sun-goddess of Arinna, the Storm-god of Heaven, the Hattian Storm-god, Seris (and) Hurris16 Mount Nanni (and) Mount Hazzi,17 the Storm-god of [ . . . ], the Storm-god of Halab, the Storm-god of Zippalanda, the Storm-god of Nerik, the Storm-god of Lihzina, the Storm-god of Hissashapa, the Storm-god of Sabina, the Storm-god of Tahaya, the Storm-god of Bettiyarik, the Storm-god of Samuha, the Storm-god of Hurma, the Storm-god of Saressa, the Storm-god of . . ., the Storm-god of Uda, the Storm- god of Kizzuwatna, the Storm-god of Ishupitta, the Storm-god of Nuhassi; the Patron-god, the Hattian Patron-god, Zithariyas, Hapantalliyas, the Patron-god of Karahna, the Patron-god of the shield, Ea, Allatum, Telepinus of Durmitta, Telepinus of Tawiniya, Telepinus of Hanhana, Ishtar the Mighty, Askasepas; Sin, lord of the oath, Ishara, queen of the oath, Hebat, queen of heaven, Ishtar, Ishtar of the battlefield, Ishtar of Nineveh, Ishtar of Hattarina, Ninatta (and) ] Kulitta, the Hattian Warrior-god, the Warrior-god of Ellaya, the Warrior- god of Arziya, Yarris, Zampanas; Hantidassus of Hurma, Abaras of Samuhas, Katahhas of Ankuwa, the Queen of Katapa, Ammammas of Tahurpa, Hallaras of Dunna, Huwassanas of Hupisna, Tapisuwa of Ishupitta, the "Lady" of Landa, Kunniyawannis of Landa, NIN.PISAN.PISAN of Kinza, Mount Lablana,18 Mount Sariyana,19 Mount Pisaisa, the Lulahhi gods (and) the Hapiri20 gods, Ereskigal, the gods and goddesses of the Hatti land, the gods and goddesses of Amurru land, all the olden gods, Naras, Napsaras, Minki, Tuhusi, Ammunki, Ammizadu, Allalu, Anu, Antu, Apantu, Ellil, Ninlil, the mountains, the rivers, the springs, the great Sea, heaven and earth, the winds (and) the clouds—let these be witnesses to this treaty and to the oath.
Curses and Blessings
The words of the treaty and the oath that are inscribed on this tablet - should Duppi-Tessub not honour these words of the treaty and the oath, may these gods of the oath destroy Duppi-Tessub together with his person, his wife, his son, his grandson, his house, his land and together with everything that he owns.
But if Duppi-Tessub honours these words of the treaty and the oath that are inscribed on this tablet, may these gods of the oath protect him together with his person, his wife, his son, his grandson, his house (and) his country.
1. Sun is the title with which the Hittite king is addressed.
2. The king of Amurru who is well known from the Amarna letters.
3. The region between Halba (Aleppo) and the Orontes River.
4. Qadesh on the Orontes, today Tel Nebi Mendo.
5. i.e. died.
6. The first part of the name is an ideogram, the Hurrian pronunciation of which is not known; in this case even the meaning of the ideogram is obscure.
7. The bracketed first part of the section is here restored from the treaty between Mursilis and Tette of Nuhassi (KBo, 1, 4 etc. in Akkadian, translated by Weidner, loc. cit., 58 ff.). It is possible that not all the geographical names were the same here.
8. Upper Mesopotamia between the Euphrates and Assyria.
9. The region at the bend of the Euphrates south of Jerablus.
10. The region on the upper Tigris.
11. Its capital is Alalha, the ancient name of Atchana (Tell Acana) east of Antakya.
12. Aleppo.
13. Qadesh on the Orontes, today Tell Nebi Mendo.
14. Inadvertently omitted by the scribe.
15. The bracketed part is again taken from the treaty with Tette of Nuhassi, see n.7.
16. The two bulls of the Storm-god.
17. Mons Casius near Ugarit.
18. The Lebanon.
19. The Hermon.
20. Much discussed in connection with the question as to whether the Hapiru (widely quoted as Habiru), who are ubiquitous in cuneiform texts of the tunes, are to be equated with the Hebrews.
2. A Hittite Treaty with Wilusa (13th cent BC)
Treaty between Muwattalli II of Hatti and Alaksandu of Wilusa (Extracts)
Full text published in Gary Beckman, Hittite Diplomatic texts, Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1996, 2nd ed. 1999.
Preamble
Thus says My Majesty, Muwattalli, Great King, [King] of Hatti, beloved of the Storm-god of Lightning; son of Mursili. Great King. Hero:
Historical Background
Formerly, when my forefather Labarna had conquered all the lands of Arzawa and the land of Wilusa, thereafter the land of Arzawa began war, and the land of Wilusa defected from Hatti -but because the matter is long past, E do not know from which King. [And] when the land of Wilusa [ defected] from Hatti, its people were indeed at peace with the Kings of Hatti from afar, [and] they regularly sent [them messengers]. But when Tudhaliya came [ ...] against the land of Arzawa, he did not enter [the land of Wilusa. It was] at peace [with him] and regularly sent [him messengers. ...] and Tudhaliya [ ...] forefathers in the land [of ...]
The Alliance
[ ...When your] day of death arrives, Alaksandu, then [ ...] In regard to the [son] of yours whom you designate for kingship -[whether he is by] your wife or by your concubine, and even if he is still a child- if the population of the land refuses him and says as follows: He is the progeny [ ...]" - I, My Majesty. will not agree. Later my son and my grandson, to the first and second generation, will protect that one alone. You, Alaksandu, benevolently protect My Majesty. And later protect my son and my grandson, to the first and second generation. And as E, My Majesty, protected you, Alaksandu, in good will because of the word of your father, and came to your aid, and killed your enemy for you, later in the future my sons and my grandsons will certainly protect your descendant for you, to the first and second generation. If some enemy arises for you, I will not abandon you, just as I have not now abandoned you, I will kill your enemy for you. But if your brother or someone of your family revolts against you, Alaksandu, or later someone revolts against your son or your grandsons, and they seek the kingship of the land of Wilusa, I, My Majesty, will absolutely not depose you, Alaksandu.
Divine Witnesses
Abara of Samuha. Hantitassu of Hurma, Katahha of Ankuwa, the Queen of Katapa, Ammamma of Tahurpa, Hallara of Dunna, Huwassanna of Hupisna, the mountain-dweller gods, the mercenary gods, all the male and female deities, all the primeval deities -Nara, Namsara, Ammunki, Tuhusi, Minki, Ammizzadu, Alalu, Kumarbi, AcE?E, Ninlil - Mount Hulla, Mount Zaliyanu, Mount Taha, the mountains, the rivers, and the springs of Hatti, the great sea, heaven and earth, the winds, the clouds, all the [deities] of the land of Wilusa: the Storm-god of the Army. E ...]appaliuna, the male deities, the female deities, the mountains, [the rivers, the springs], and the underground watercourse(?) of the land of Wilusa, E, My Majesty, IGreat] King, beloved of the Storm-god of Lightning, have summoned them to assembly in witness.
3. The Kadesh Treaty - between the Hittites and Egyptians
Preamble
The regulations which the Great Prince of Hatti, Hattusilis, the powerful, the son of Mursilis, the Great Prince of Hatti, the powerful, the son of the son of Suppiluliumas, the Great Prince of Hatti, the powerful, made upon a tablet of silver for User-maat-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, the powerful, the son of Men-maat-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, the powerful, the son of Men-pehti-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, the powerful; the good regulations of peace and of brotherhood, giving peace . . . forever.
Former Relations
Now from the beginning of the limits of eternity, as for the situation of the great ruler of Egypt with the Great Prince of Hatti, the god did not permit hostility to occur between them, through a regulation. But in the time of Muwatallis, the Great Prince of Hatti, my brother, he fought with Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt. But hereafter, from this day, behold Hattusilis, the Great Prince of Hatti, is under a regulation for making permanent the situation which the Re and Seth made for the land of Egypt with the land of Hatti, in order not to permit hostility to occur between them forever.
The Present Treaty
Behold, Hattusilis, the Great Prince of Hatti, has set himself in a regulation with User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, beginning from this day, to cause that good peace and brotherhood occur between us forever, while he is in brotherhood with me and he is at peace with me, and I am in brotherhood with him and I am at peace with him forever. Now since Muwatallis, the Great Prince of Hatti, my brother, went in pursuit of his fate, and Hattusilis sat as Great Prince of Hatti upon the throne of his father, behold, I have come to be with Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, for we are together in our peace and our brotherhood. It is better than the peace or the brotherhood which was formerly in the land. Behold, I, as the Great Prince of Hatti, am with Ramses Meri-Amon, in good peace and in good brotherhood. The children of the children of the Great Prince of Hatti are in brotherhood and peace with the children of the children of Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, for they are in our situation of brotherhood and our situation of peace. The land of Egypt, with the land of Hatti, shall be at peace and in brotherhood like unto us forever. Hostilities shall not occur between them forever.
Mutual Renunciation of Invasion
The Great Prince of Hatti shall not trespass against the land of Egypt forever, to take anything from it. And User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, shall not trespass against the land of Hatti, to take from it forever.
Reaffirmation of Former Treaties
As to the traditional regulation which had been here in the time of Suppiluliumas, the Great Prince of Hatti, as well as the traditional regulation which had been in the time of Muwatallis,the Great Prince of Hatti, my father, I seize hold of it. Behold, Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, seizes hold of the regulation which he makes together with us, beginning from this day. We seize hold of it, and we act in this traditional situation.
A Defensive Alliance--for Egypt
If another enemy come against the lands of User- maat-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, and he send to the Great Prince of Hatti, saying: "Come with me as reinforcement against him," the Great Prince of Hatti shall come to him and the Great Prince of Hatti shall slay his enemy. However, if it is not the desire of the Great Prince of Hatti to go (himself), he shall send his infantry and his chariotry, and he shall slay his enemy. Or, if Ramses Meri-Amon the great ruler of Egypt, is enraged Against servants belonging to him, and they commit another offence against him, and he go to slay them, the Great Prince of Hatti shall act with him to slay everyone against whom they shall be enraged.
A Defensive Alliance--for Hatti
But if another enemy come against the Great Prince of Hatti, User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, shall] come to him as reinforcement to slay his enemy. If it is (not) the desire of Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, to come, he shall . . . Hatti, land he shall send his infantry and his chariotry, besides returning answer to the land of Hatti. Now if the servants of the Great Prince of Hatti trespass against him, and Ramses Meri-Amon. . . .
The Contingency of Death?
. . . the land of Hatti and the land of Egypt . . . the life. Should it be that I shall go in pursuit of my fate, then Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, living forever, shall go and come to the land of Hatti, . . . to cause . . . , to make him lord for them, to make User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, silent with his mouth forever. Now after he . . . the land of Hatti, and he returns . the Great Prince of Hatti, as well as the. . . .
Extradition of Refugees to Egypt
If a great man flee from the land of Egypt and come to the Great Prince of Hatti, or a town belonging to the lands of Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, and they come to the Great Prince of Hatti, the Great Prince of Hatti shall not receive them. The Great Prince of Hatti shall cause them to be brought to User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, their lord, because of it. Or if a man or two men--no matter who--flee, and they come to the land of Hatti to be servants of someone else, they shall not be left in the land of Hatti; they shall be brought to Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt.
Extradition of Refugees to Hatti
Or if a great man flee from the land of Hatti and come to User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, or a town or a district or a . . . belonging to the land of Hatti, and they come to Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, (then) User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, shall not receive them. Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, shall cause them to be brought to the Prince [of Hatti]. They shall not be left. Similarly, if a man or two men--no matter who14--flee, and they come to the land of Egypt to be servants of other people, User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, shall not leave them. He shall cause them to be brought to the Great Prince of Hatti.
The Divine Witnesses to the Treaty
As for these words of the regulation which the Great Prince of Hatti made with Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, in writing upon this tablet of silver-as for these words, a thousand gods of the male gods and of the female gods of them of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the male gods and of the female gods of them of the land of Egypt, are with me as witnesses hearing these words: the Re, the lord of the sky; the Re of the town of Arinna; Seth, the lord of the sky; Seth of Hatti; Seth of the town of Arinna; Seth of the town of Zippalanda; Seth of the town of Pe(tt)iyarik; Seth of the town of Hissas(ha)pa; Seth of the town of Sarissa; Seth of the town of Aleppo; Seth of the town of Lihzina; Seth of the town . . .; . . .; Seth of the town of Sahpin; Antaret16 of the land of Hatti; the god of Zithari(as); the god of Karzis; the god of Hapantaliyas; the goddess of the town of Karahna; the goddess of . . . . . . . . .; the Queen of the Sky; the gods, the lords of oaths; this goddess, the Lady of the Ground; the Lady of the Oath, Ishara; the Lady (of the) mountains and the rivers of the land of Hatti; the gods of the land of Kizuwadna; Amon; the Re; Seth; the male gods; the female gods; the mountains; and the rivers of the land of Egypt; the sky; the earth; the great sea; the winds; and the clouds.
Curses and Blessings for this Treaty
As for these words which are on this tablet of silver of the land of Hatti and of the land of Egypt--as for him who shall not keep them, a thousand gods of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the land of Egypt, shall destroy his house, his land, and his servants. But, as for him who shall keep these words which are this tablet of silver, whether they are Hatti or whether they are Egyptians, and they are not neglectful of them, a thousand gods of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the land of Egypt, shall cause that he be well, shall cause that he live, together with his houses and his (land) and his servants.
Extradition of Egyptians from Hatti
If a man flee from the land of Egypt--or two or three-- and they come to the Great Prince of Hatti, the Great Prince of Hatti shall lay hold of them, and he shall cause that they be brought back to User-maat-Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt. But, as for the man who shall be brought to Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler off Egypt, do not cause that his crime be raised against him; do not cause that his house or his wives or his children be destroyed; do not cause that he be slain; do not cause that injury be done to his eyes, to his ears, to his mouth, or to his legs; do not let any crime be raised against him.
Extradition of Hittites from Egypt
Similarly, if men flee from the land of Hatti--whether he be one or two or three--and they come to User-maat- Re Setep-en-Re, the great ruler of Egypt, let Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, lay hold of them and cause that they be brought to the Great Prince of Hatti, and the Great Prince of Hatti shall not raise their crime against them, and they shall not destroy his house or his wives or his children, and they shall not slay him, and they shall not do injury to his ears, to his eyes, to his mouth, or to his legs, and they shall not raise any crime against him.