Zimri-Lim

Zimri-Lim was in the Middle Bronze Age the king of Mari (c. 1767–1752 BCE; low chronology).

Zimri-Lim (Akkadian: 𒍣𒅎𒊑𒇷𒅎 Zi-im-ri Li-im) was the son or grandson of king Yahdun-Lim of Mari.

The assassination of Yahdun-Lim by his own servants during a palace coup, forced Zimri-Lim to flee to the neighboring Great Kingdom of Yamhad (Halab, Aleppo). Mari was occupied by Shamshi-Adad I, the king of Ekallatum, who put his own son Yasmah-Adad on the throne.

Zimri-Lim went into exile under Sumu-Epuh of Yamhad, and became the vassal ruler of Alalakh, unable to claim his rightful heritage to the throne of Mari.

Following the death of Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria (c. 1776/1775 BC; middle chronology), Zimri-Lim was aided by Yarim-Lim I, the Great King of Yamhad, to oust Yasmah-Adad from the throne of Mari.

There is an Akkadian literary text, written in the early years of his reign, entitled The Epic of Zimri-Lim.

Zimri-Lim ruled Mari for about fifteen years, and campaigned extensively to establish his power in the neighboring areas along the Euphrates and the Khabur valley. He extended the royal palace in the city, which was possibly the largest at the time, containing over 260 rooms at the ground level, and certainly the envy of other kings. It was destroyed by Hammurabi of Babylon.

Zimri-Lim's personal life is partly known through tablets preserved in the state archive of Mari. He married Shibtu, a princess of Yamkhad (Aleppo and surrounding territory), and is known to have had at least eight daughters through various wives. Several of his daughters were married to rulers of local towns, and two others are known to have become priestesses. Correspondence between the king and his daughters provides evidence that Zimri-Lim thought highly of women and considered them competent at making decisions.