Asurluların Siyasal Yaşamında Veliahtlık Anlayışı

Abstract

Assyrians had a monarchical structure in which a king, who came to power through inheritance from a specific family, held absolute authority. At times, this form of governance manifested as a theocratic monarchy, where every political action found its legitimacy on religious grounds. Regarding succession, it is evident that practices were carried out with divine approval and request as guiding principles. The heir in question could be any of the king's natural children, but children born to kings from their second wives or slaves could not ascend to the throne through conventional means. Periodically, kings appointed their children as administrators in various cities, including Babylon, to gain experience in state affairs. The permanence of the designated heir's position and their ascension to the throne upon the king's death were not guaranteed.Additionally, historical records reveal instances where kings changed the crown prince for various reasons. These changes might be attributed to the inadequacy of the crown prince or could result from the influence of queens, as the mother of the chosen crown prince held a significant position within the Assyrian hierarchy. In this study, which is based on cuneiform texts and modern works, the objective is to comprehensively examine the role of the heir apparent in the Assyrian state system, providing insights through periodic examples. Additionally, it seeks to unveil the complex relationships between heirs, kings, queens, and other princes.