Dating from the beginning of the Hittite Kingdom, in the mid 17th century B.C.E., there is evidence that one woman from the Royal Family, known as the Tawananna, held a central position in the power structure of the otherwise male-dominated governing system.
The Aunt of Hattusili I
Evidence of this influential feminine power dates back to the reign of Hattusili the Great (ca 1620), one of the legendary founding kings of the Hittite Kingdom. It was Hattusili's decision to move the Hittite capital from the city of Kussara to Hattusha transforming the highlands of Hatti into the kingdom’s heartland. In a peculiar statement, Hattusili records that he is the son of the brother of the Tawananna, Indeed he used this relationship with his aunt to justify his claim of his divine right to rule in Hatti.
Although he had enjoyed the support of the Tawananna who had legitimized his claim to the throne, the woman who followed Hattusili’s aunt as Tawananna possibly opposed his rule. In an interesting turn of events, this new Tawananna apparently abused her power, and she was removed from her position by Hattusili.
From this point on the Tawananna was traditionally the wife of the king. Eventually, complications would arise as the power of the Tawananna was seen to extend beyond the reign of her husband. This allowed for conflicts to develop when a new king was not necessarily amicable to her.
The Powers of the Tawananna
Although the exact role of the Tawananna is unclear, she is usually seen a having a priestly function in the kingdom as well as a political one. There has even been debate as to whether or not the term Tawananna actually referred to a title, or if it was, instead, a personal name. The records from the ruins of Hattusha only add to the confusion, as examples can be seen that seem to support both conclusions.
While much remains elusive to historians, it is clear that the Tawananna’s foundation of power lay in her role as a religious figure. This religious power was much more than ceremonial, as it also gave her control over a number of official cults and their assets. The control over these resources, together with the power as mistress of the royal household, gave her more potential power than anyone else in the kingdom, aside from the king himself.
The Stepmother of Mursili II
In more than one instance, the Tawananna is shown to be at odds with the King or other officials in the Hittite hierarchy. The most famous instance of such a conflict occurred amidst the height of Hittite power during the late 13th century B.C.E. At one point this famous Tawananna would even seek to influence the military plans of the king by proclaiming bad omens forbade him marching the army to battle.
The story of this powerful women begins during the reign of Suppililiuma the Great (ca. 1357-1332 B.C.E.), arguably the greatest conqueror out of all of the Hittite Kings. As part of his strategic design for Near East domination, Suppililiuma arranged for a diplomatic marriage alliance between himself and a Babylonian princess. To emphasize the importance he placed upon this marriage alliance with Kassite Babylonia, Suppililiuma set aside his first wife, the mother of his five sons, and sent her into exile.
Suppililiuma’s Babylonian bride assumed the now vacant position as the Hittite Tawananna and would, as was traditional, carried on in this role after Suppililiuma’s death. While Suppililiuma's successor, King Mursili II’s, (ca 1320-1295 B.C.E.) spent an extended absence away from the Hittite capital suppressing rebellions across the Empire, this Babylonian Tawananna gained exceptional power in Hatti. Royal seal impressions from the period show her name placed prominently beside that of her stepson, Mursili II.
However, King Mursili was soon married to a princess named Gassullawiya, and she became the Great Queen of Hatti. She began taking over many of the household functions from the Tawananna. In a tragic turn of events, Gassullawaya was suddenly taken ill and died of a mysterious ailment. Mursili wasted little time in blaming the Tawananna for using black magic to cause his wife’s death.
Going through the proper protocols, Mursili first appealed to the gods, then brought the Tawananna to trial. The King exercised his power and influence to insure that the aging Kassite Tawananna was found guilty of the young queens murder, and that she was sentenced to death. However, after consulting with his brother, the Viceroy of Carchemish, Mursili decided to spare her life and merely sent her into exile. Despite the mercy of the the Hittite King, the record does seem to indicate that this Babylonian Princess, who became the most powerful of the Tawananna's known to history, actually did use nefarious means to murder the women who was to succeed her.
Sources:
Bryce, Trevor. The Kingdom of the Hittites ( Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2005 )
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