Yahdun-Lim built Mari up to become one of the major powers of the region. He led a successful campaign to the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea. Yahdun-Lim started his reign by subduing seven of his rebelling tribal leaders, and rebuilding the walls of Mari and Terqa in addition to building a new fort which he named Dur-Yahdun-Lim. Yahdun-Lim's kingdom was threatened by incursions from various
nomad tribes, such as the
Canaanites, but he was able to subjugate them and force them to pay
tribute. After having established internal peace, he built a temple to the
god Shamash.
West He then expanded west and claimed to have reached the
Mediterranean Sea, however he later had to face a rebellion by the
Yaminite nomads who were centered at
Tuttul, and the rebels were supported by
Yamhad's king
Sumu-Epuh, whose interests were threatened by the recently established alliance between Yahdun-Lim and
Eshnunna. Yahdun-Lim defeated the Yaminites but an open war with Yamhad was avoided. Kingdoms in the west: • Sumu-Epuh of Yamhad (Aleppo) expanding into a great kingdom. • Amut-pi-el I of Qatna with trade routes via Palmyra.
Northeast In the northeast, Yahdun-Lim then became occupied by his rivalry with
Shamshi-Adad I of
Shubat-Enlil (r. 1808-1775 BCE), the son of the late
Ila-kabkabu.
East In the east, Yahdun-Lim had entered an alliance with Eshnunna. •
Naram-Sin of Eshnunna •
Dadusha of Eshnunna
Assassination He received pleas for help from kings threatened by Shamshi-Adad's expansionist plans. But before Yahdun-Lim could move against Shamshi-Adad, he was assassinated c. 1798 BC by his possible son
Sumu-Yamam, who himself got assassinated two years after ascending the throne. According to William J. Hamblin, Yahdun-Lim was killed in a battle with Shamshi-Adad c. 1796 BC. Shamshi-Adad then assigned his son
Yasmah-Adad to the lordship of Mari. In the chaos that followed, Shamshi-Adad advanced and annexed Mari. The war ended in a defeat for Mari.
Zimri-Lim, Yakhdunlim's son and heir, was forced to flee to
Aleppo, where he would remain as an exile until Shamshi-Adad's death.
Yahdul-Lim of
Carchemish may also be sometimes referred to as Yahdun-Lim. ==Attestations==