Muwatalli II (^𒁹NIR.GÁL) was a king of the New kingdom of the Hittite empire (ca. 1295 – 1272 BC (short chronology)). The eldest surviving son of Mursili II, he is best known as the Hittite ruler who fought Ramesses II to a standstill at the Battle of Kadesh around 1274 BCE. Aside from the battle with Egypt, he is best known for relocating the Hittite capital to Tarhuntassa, appointing his brother Hattusili as governor in Hattusa.

A copy of a treaty has been recovered between him and Alaksandu, ruler of Wilusa (Troy), one of the Arzawa lands.

Egyptologists suspect that Muwattalli reached an informal peace treaty or understanding with Seti I over Kadesh to avoid a clash between the two superpowers over control of Syria. In it, Seti I effectively ceded Kadesh to the Hittite king in order to focus on domestic issues in Egypt.

Muwatalli had at least two children, both given Hurrian names in honor of the Hurrian storm god Teshup. One was Urhi-Teshup, who became king Mursili III until Hattusili III deposed him. Another was Ulmi-Teshup, who became the vassal ruler of Tarhuntassa.

Muwatalli's namesake, Muwatalli I, was a pre-Empire king of the early 14th century, the predecessor of Tudhaliya I.

See also

• History of the Hittites

Notes

External links

• Reign of Muwatalli II
• The failed reforms of Akhenaten and Muwatalli by Itamar Singer in British Museum Studies in Ancient Egypt and Sudan (BMSAES) 6(2006), pp.37-58

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