Lugal-sha-engur

 


Ira Prince Observes in JAOS 50 (1930) that there was found in Tello (Ancient Lagash) a remarkable Macehead now commonly referred to as the "Mesalim Macehead." This macehead bears an cuneiform inscription that is itself is fascinating for more then one reason as may be apparent, it reads:

"Mesilim, king of Kish, the builder of the temple of Ningirsu deposited this macehead for Ningirsu, Lugal-sha-engur being
Ensi of Lagash."


Mesalim as will be noted elsewhere on the "Notes on Kings" enenuru section, was hailed as king of Kish, and the insription above (in addition to a later text from King Enmetana refering to Mesalim's authority) demonstrate that Lagash at this time was under the sway of a foriegn leader, in addition to the local Ensi who we see named here as well: Lugal-sha-engur.
While details of Lugal-sha-engur's reign seems lacking he has been referred to as a "weak ensi-gar": this may be due to an apparent inability to repel or defend against incursions from the Elamites, as his successor and the first Dynasty king of Lagash, Ur-Nanshe, on taking control of Lagash, was obliged to
rebuild walls, canals, temples. (Nels Bailkey, The American Historical Review, Vol. 72, No. 4 (Jul., 1967))

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Significantly, the earlier of his (Ur-Nanshe) two known predecessors, Enhegal, was a great landowner whose single inscription as "lugal of Lagash" records his expenditure of nearly two tons of copper for the purchase of some 2,500 acres of land from 8 different lugal´s (Diakonoff, "Sale of Land", 22-24; Lambert, "Essai d´une histoire sumerienne," 59) His tyranny seems to have been premature, however, since Lugalshagengur, his apparent successor and Ur-Nanshes immidiate predecessor, was a weak ensi-gar. (Hallo, Royal Titles, 38; Edzard, "Enmebaragesi," 24-25.)

Early Mesopotamian Constitutional Development, Nels Bailkey The American Historical Review, Vol. 72, No. 4 (Jul., 1967), pp. 1211-1236

 

 
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