View source for Marduk-apla-iddina II

{{redirect|Baladan|the village in Iran|Baladan, Iran}}
[[Image:Marduk-apla-iddina II.jpg|thumb|240px|Merodach-Baladan, King of Babylon, [[Enfeoffment|enfeoffs]] (makes a legal agreement with) a vassal. From the original in the [[Altes Museum]], Berlin]]

'''Marduk-apla-iddina II''' (cuneiform spelling ᴰMES.A.SUM-na; in the Bible '''Merodach-Baladan''', also called '''Marduk-Baladan''', '''Baladan''' and '''Berodach-Baladan''', lit. ''Marduk has given me an heir'') was a [[Chaldea]]n prince who [[usurper|usurped]] the [[Babylonia]]n throne in 721 BC and reigned in 722 BC--710 BC, and 703 BC--702 BC.

Marduk-apla iddina II was known as one of the kings who maintained Babylonian independence in the face of [[Assyria]]n military supremacy for more than a decade.

[[Sargon II|Sargon of Assyria]] repressed the allies of Marduk-apla-iddina II in [[Elam]], [[Aram (Biblical region)|Aram]] and [[Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)|Israel]] and eventually drove (ca. 710 BC) him from Babylon.  After the death of [[Sargon II|Sargon]], Marduk-apla-iddina II briefly recaptured the throne from a native Babylonian nobleman. He reigned nine months (703 BC &ndash; 702 BC). He returned from [[Elam]] and ignited rebellion in [[Babylonia]].  He was able to enter Babylon and be declared king again.  Nine months later he was defeated near [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]] by the Assyrians, but managed to flee to Elam.  He died in exile a couple of years later.

==In the Bible==
Merodach-baladan is mentioned as king of Babylon in the days of [[Hezekiah]] both in 2 Kings 20:12 (here called Berodach-baladan) and in [[Isaiah 39:1]]. In both passages he sends Hezekiah a letter of concern because of his illness.

==See also==
*[[Kings of Babylon]]

==References==
*Erich Ebeling(ed.), Bruno Meissner (ed.), Ernst Weidner (ed.), Dietz Otto Edzard (ed.): ''Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie - Band 7 ''. Walter de Gruyter 1990, {{ISBN|3110104377}}, p. 375 ({{Google books|UqbsSRgBRloC|online copy|page=375}})

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{{succession box|title=[[Kings of Babylon|King of Babylon]]|before=[[Shalmaneser V|Shalmaneser V Ululayu]]|after=[[Sargon II]]|years=722&ndash;710 BC}}
{{succession box|title=[[Kings of Babylon|King of Babylon]]|before=[[Marduk-zakir-shumi II]]|after=[[Bel-ibni]]|years=703&ndash;702 BC}}
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[[Category:702 BC deaths]]
[[Category:Babylonian kings]]

[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Chaldean kings]]

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