Samsu-Iluna

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Samsu-Iluna (Samsuiluna), was the King of Babylon, who reigned from 1749 BC to 1712 BC.

He was son of Hammurabi. During the reign of Samsu-Iluna the Babylonian Empire lost a lot of provinces.

He fought against Rim-Sin II of Larsa. Most of the fighting took place on the Elam and Sumer border before Rim-Sin II was captured and executed. He also during the war partially destroyed the city of Ur and Uruk. Iluma-Ilu, pretending to be a descendant of Damiq-Ilishu, the last King of Isin, raised the revolt against Samsu-Iluna in Sumer. Iluma-Ilu gained the freedom of Sumer south of Nippur. Kutir-Nahhunte I, king of Elam, also attacked Samsu-Iluna, defeated him, and Elam once again gained independence from Babylon.

During the region of Samsu-Iluna the Kassites invaded the Babylon Empire for the first time in 1741 BC. This must have been under the command of the Kassitic leader Gandash, who was later remembered by the Kassites as a conqueror of Babylonia, though no contemporary textual evidence concerning the Kassites under Gandash is known.