Zannanza (died c. 1324 BC) was a Hittite prince, son of Suppiluliuma I, king of the Hittites. He is best known for almost becoming the pharaoh of Egypt, but his disappearance under mysterious circumstances caused a diplomatic incident between the Hittites and Egyptian Empire, resulting in a war that ultimately resulted in the death of Suppiluliuma by an unknown plague and a long-lived rivalry between Egypt and the Hittites.
His disappearance is the earliest recorded case of a missing person.
Biography
Zannanza was born to king Suppilulliuma I and possibly his first wife Henti. He was likely born in the capital of Hattusa after the Hittite prince Arnuwanda II, who was the heir to their father. He also had at least three other brothers including Telipinu, Piyassili, and Muršili II. He additionally had an unknown number of sisters.
After an offer of marriage from an Egyptian queen identified to be Ankhesenamun, he was sent by his father to accept the proposal but went missing before reaching Egypt. It is unknown if he had any children or wives prior to this incident.
The Zannanza Affair
The Egyptian Queen Dakhamunzu, who could have been Meritaten or Nefertiti, but is most often identified as Ankhesenamun, asked Suppiluliuma I to send one of his sons during the late Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt because she had recently been widowed by the death of Nibhururia1 (possibly Akhenaten, but more likely Tutankhamun), and had borne no heir. As noted in the Deeds of Suppiluliuma Tablet by his son Mursili, her letter reads,
"My husband died. A son I have not. But to thee they say, the sons are many. If thou wouldst give me one son of thine, he would become my husband. Never shall I pick out a servant of mine and make him my husband! I am afraid!"2
It was extraordinary that a consort from outside of Egypt would be sought, given Egyptian women of the royal family were never married to foreigners, so Suppiluliuma was skeptical. After sending an envoy expressing his doubts to the sincerity of the offer, she sent another letter stating,
"Why didst thou say 'they deceive me' in that way? Had I a son, would I have written about my own and my country's shame to a foreign land? Thou didst not believe me and hast even spoken thus to me! He who was my husband has died. A son I have not! Never shall I take a servant of mine and make him my husband! I have written to no other country only to thee have I written. They say thy sons are many: so give me one son of thine! To me he will be husband, but in Egypt he will be king."2
At the prospect of one of his sons gaining the throne of one of their primary rivals and the possibility of uniting the two empires, he chose to oblige her request. His son, Zannanza, was chosen and sent to Egypt to become the new pharaoh. However, the Hittite prince never made it past the Egyptian border, though exactly what became of him and how he died is unknown.
His father accused the Egyptians of murdering him. The new king of Egypt, Ay, denied the murder, but acknowledged the death. Angry letters were passed between the two nations, but the matter ended inconclusively. Hittite forces subsequently attacked Egyptian settlements in Syria.3 Sick prisoners of war brought back to the Hittite Empire after these attacks caused a deadly epidemic that spread rapidly throughout the empire. As a result, Suppiluliuma I himself died from the epidemic.4
While the prevailing theory is that Ay had him killed on his way to Egypt, it is possible Horemheb had a hand in the assassination. He was the commander-in-chief of the army during the time of Tutenkamen and Ay, possibly Ay's son in law, and would have also directly benefited from Zannanza's death since he would succeed Ay approximately five years later. However, any theories are treated with a grain of salt due to a lack of evidence on the truth of the matter.356
Consequences of death
While relations between Egypt and the Hittites had been strained long before the death of Zannanza, the subsequent events certainly caused greater militarization by both empires. Shortly after the affair Suppiluliuma would invade Syria, which would bring Egyptian prisoners that were unknowingly ill, and ultimately cause the death of Suppiluliuma. But the hostilities would continue long after the transition from the Eighteenth Dynasty to the Nineteenth Dynasty with the Battle of Kadesh during the reign of Ramesses II. But would later culminate in the Treaty of Kadesh that promised peace and a defensive alliance.7
In fiction
- Janet Morris wrote a detailed biographical novel, I, the Sun, whose subject was Suppiluliuma I. Zannanza is an important figure in this novel.
- In the historical fiction manga Red River, Zannanza appeared as a character. Like his inspiration, Zannanza was chosen to become the next Pharaoh after Ankhesenamun sent the letter after Tutankhamun died. While en route to Egypt, he and the rest of his party were ambushed and he was murdered. After the attack, the main character Yuri Suzuki is left alive. She then dissolved any disputes between the two nations whereas in history the Hittites attacked the Egyptian settlements in Syria.
- In the historical fiction novel The Egyptian Zannansa is poisoned on his way to Egypt by the narrator Sinuhe who is sent by Horemheb and the priest Ay who want to prevent the Hittites taking over Egypt.
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