Pictures of the archaelogical site of Hattusa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Turkey. Hattusha or Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze age. Situated in central Turkey .

The Old Kingdom - Around 1650 BC a Hittite-speaking king had chosen the site as his residence and capital and the city was renamed Hattusha, and the king took the name of Hattusili I or Labarna I and the began of a "Hittite" state and of a royal line of 27 Hittite Kings. Hattusili I fortified Hattusa and from this stronghold he started conquering lands to the South in Syria. Hattusili was succeeded by his son, Murshili I, who continued conquering territory by raiding the important city of Halab (Aleppo) and south in Mesopotamia as well as taking Babylon in 1531 BC. He turned rule of Babylon over his Kassite allies and returned to Hattusha where he was assassinated. The Hittite Kingdom was plunged into chaos and the Hurrians took advantage of this and took Aleppo. A series of weak Hittite kings saw a contraction of the Empire.

The NEW KINGDOM - By the 14th century BC kingship had become hereditary and they took on an aura of being “super human” and were referred to as “My Sun” Under Tudhaliya (1380–1360 B.C.) and his son Shuppiluliuma I ( 1370–1330 B.C.) the Hittite Empire was consolidated and began to acquire land in Syria again. Aleppo was re-taken establishing Carchemish as a royal center. Egypt seeked an alliance by marriage of one of Shuppiluliuma’s sons with the widow of Tutankhamen but his son died. During the rule of Muwatalli (1295–1282 B.C) the Hittite capital moved south to Tarhuntasha. Ramesses II attempted to expand into Hittite Territory but was defeated Ramesses at the battle of Kadesh.

DECLINE OF THE HITTIE EMPIRE - Under Tudhaliya IV (r. 1245–1215 B.C.), the fortifications of Hattusha were strengthened and the sanctuary of Yazilikaya was constructed. During his reign things stared to go wrong for the Hittites and Syrians incursions started to shrink his Empire as territory was lost in the west. Finally around 1200 mysteriously Hattusa was destroyed and the Empire collapsed in a period known as The Bonze Age Collapse.

NEO HITTITES - Although the Hittite Empire disappeared, Hittite culture was kept alive in smaller Syrian Neo-Hittite kingdoms at Carchemish and Milid. These were gradually absorbed into the Neo Assyrian Empire.

READ THE HISTORY OF THE HITTITES AT : https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/p/hittites-history

USEFUL LINKS
Visit our HITTITE PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/The-Hittites-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images-of/C0000NUBSMhSc3Oo

Add photos of Hattusa Archaeological Site Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/hattusa-hittite-site-turkey.html