Milki-ilu of Gezer (Milkilu, Milk-ilu, Ili-Milku), was the mayor/ruler of the Land of Gazru (Gezer) around 1350 BC. He is known as the son-in-law of Tagi of Ginti-Kirmil and cooperating with Labaya, during a period of turmoil among the vassals of Ancient Egypt. He is accused of being a rebel, employing mercenaries from the Habiru men (lu2-meš ḫa-bi-ri).
He is known from several letter in that Amarna letters. There is one letter from the Pharaoh to Milki-ilu (EA 369), there are five letters from Milki-ilu to the King of Egypt (EA 267-271), and several letters from other mayors mentioning Milki-ilu.
He is one of several known mayors of Gezer. Adda-danu and Yapahu were also mayors of Gazru.
The Amarna Period was characterized by the heretic king Akhenaten, succeeded by the boy-king Tutankhamun. Canaan consisted of smaller city-states and vassals of Egypt. At the same time, Suppiluliuma I of Hittites attacked Tushratta of Mitanni for control over Syria.
From Egypt
EA 369 from the King of Egypt to Milki-ilu of Gezer
In this letter the King of Egypt addresses his vassal as
mmil-ki-li LU₂
urugaz-ri, meaning "Milki-'ilu, Man of Gezer" - with LU "Man" being a rank below LUGAL "Great Man; King" and LUGAL.GAL (Great King). It is often translated as "ruler, mayor, governor" of a land dominated by a city (Land of Gezer, City of Gezer).
- "To Milkilu, the ruler of Gezer: Thus the king. He herewith dispatches to you this tablet (i.e., tablet-letter), saying to you, He herewith sends to you Hanya, the stable (overseer) of the archers, along with everything for the acquisition of beautiful female Cup-bearer: silver, gold, linen garments: ma-al-ba-ši, carnelian, all sorts of (precious) Gemstone, an ebony chair; all alike, fine things. Total (value): 160 diban. Total: 40 female cupbearers, 40 ( of) silver being the price of a female cupbearer. Send extremely beautiful female cupbearers in whom there is no defect (i.e., no guile in their heart), so the king, your lord, will say to you, "this is excellent, in accordance with the order he sent to you." And know that the king is hale like the Sun. For his troops, his [chariot|ch[ariots]], his horses, all goes very well. Amun has indeed put the Upper Land, the Lower Land, where the sun rises, where the sun sets, under the feet of the king." —EA 369, lines 1–32 (complete)
The name of the king is not mentioned. The reference to the god Amun argues against the reign of Akhenaten who removed Amun in favor of Aten. Amun was restored by Tutankhamun, into which reign the Great Syrian Wars (c. 1350-1345 BC) of Suppiluliuma I eventually falls.
From Milki-ilu of Gezer to the king of Egypt
EA 267, title: "Safe and sound"
- "Say to the king, my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of Milkilu, your servant, the dirt at your feet. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, 7 times and 7 times. The order the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, dispatched to me—I am indeed carrying out for the king, my lord, the Sun from the sky. May the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, know that the place of the king, my lord where I am is safe and sound." —EA 267, lines 1–20 (complete)
EA 268, title: "A consignment of personnel"
- "Say to the king, my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of Milkilu, your servant, the dirt at your feet. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, 7 times and 7 times. May the king, my lord, know that the, that he in charge, is safe and sound, and the word ... ... Id inf [Haya ]] 46 female ... ... and 5 male ... ... and 5 ašīrūma to the king, my lord." —EA 268, lines 1–20, (complete, but with lacunae)
EA 269, title: "Archers and myrrh"
EA 269 – see: Pítati
EA 270, title: "Extortion"
Amarna Letter EA 270
See
Yanhamu
EA 271, title "The power of the Habiru"
Amarna Letter EA 271 See
Yanhamu
Other letters mentioning Milki-ilu of Gezer
Jerusalem
EA 286 by
Abdi-Heba of Jerusalem
EA 287 The ruler of Jerusalem (Ir3-hebat) states that Milki-ili had given bows and bronze arrows to Tagi and the sons of Labaya. Furthermore, Gezer, Ashkelon, and Lachish had given help to them and the Habiru men. It also mentions Piwuru, the King's Commissioner stationed at Gaza.
EA 289
EA 290
Rahabu
EA 249 makes it clear that
Milki-ili was the
son-in-law of
Tagi (known from Amarna Letters sent from Ginti-Kirmil (EA 264, EA 264, EA 266), Jerusalem (EA 287, EA 289), Rahabu (EA 249, EA 263)).
EA 250
Labaya of Shechem
EA 254
See also
-
Moran, William L. The Amarna Letters. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. (softcover, )
External links
Letter pictures:
Discussions/Translations:
Amarna letters (photos)
King of Babylon:
Tushratta:
"
Alashiya kingdom" letters
Rib-Hadda letters:
Abimilku:
Abdi-Tirši:
Biridiya:
Labaya:
Others:
